Government-backed nonprofit Howard Area Community Center profiled

James Baldwin, Chief Financial Officer u0026 Treasurer | Linkedin

By T. T. Collins

Sep 7, 2025

Howard Area Community Center, a tax-exempt nonprofit that receives significant public funding to perform services also offered by the state, was approved to receive two grants totaling $501,003 in FY2024, according to passed legislation data extracted from the Illinois General Assembly’s FY2024 budget (Public Act 103-0006).

The listed appropriations included grants of $500,000 and $1,003 if two, each designated for programs or services funded by the State of Illinois.

These appropriations represent state-level funding authorized by lawmakers, reflecting what was approved in the budget, not necessarily disbursed. The funds cover only State of Illinois support and exclude federal, local, or other public sources.

Founded in 1979, Howard Area Community Center states that its mission is: “The mission of Howard & Evanston Community Center is to assist low-income individuals and families in the Greater Rogers Park area and Evanston to stabilize their lives and to develop the social skills necessary to become effective community members. In order to accomplish this mission, the agency’s programs provide emergency intervention, family stabilization, and promote developmental growth.”

You can learn more about the organization at its website.

In its most recent IRS Form 990 filing filing for tax year 2024, the organization reported $5,358,160 in total revenue. Of that, $3,834,000 came from government grants including federal, state, or local sources, making up 71.6% of total revenue.

The nonprofit listed $4,331,410 in contributions overall. It also reported $497,419 categorized under other contributions, which may include restricted donations, pledges, or bequests.

In terms of staffing, the organization spent $923,352 on salaries and reportable employee compensation in 2024, along with $74,738 in additional non-salary compensation such as retirement benefits, housing allowances, or travel stipends.

Combined, these totaled $998,090 in staff-related costs, which equates to 18.6% of total reported revenue.

At the beginning of 2024, Howard Area Community Center had $5,522,380 in assets. By the end of 2024, that figure had changed to $0, indicating a significant 100% decline in overall holdings.

According to its filing, public funding to Howard Area Community Center declined in the last year, falling from $4,186,960 in 2023 to $3,834,000 in 2024—a decrease of 8.4% year-over-year.

However, a Chicago City Wire analysis found that IRS filings frequently contain discrepancies when compared with publicly disclosed government grant reports and budgets.

Howard Area Community Center is one of hundreds of nonprofits across Illinois that receive substantial support from state taxpayers while also fundraising privately.

In 2025, Illinois lawmakers introduced House Bill 1266, also known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Act. The proposal would create a new oversight body within the Office of the Auditor General tasked with identifying cost-saving measures, reviewing agency performance, and advising on audit priorities. If passed, DOGE could bring additional scrutiny and performance evaluation to taxpayer-funded organizations.

According to ProPublica, Illinois has more than 78,000 active tax-exempt organizations, including nearly 60,000 classified as charitable nonprofits. In their most recent IRS filings, these groups reported a combined revenue exceeding $156 billion.

State of Illinois Approved Grants to Howard Area Community Center