Ignacio Lopez, Executive Director at Puerto Rican Arts Alliance | praachicago.org
Ignacio Lopez, Executive Director at Puerto Rican Arts Alliance | praachicago.org
The listed appropriations included two grants of $550,000 and $300,000, plus an additional grant of $100,000, all 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 1998 by Carlos Hernandez-Falcon, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance states that its mission is: “The Puerto Rican Arts Alliance is dedicated to preserving Puerto Rican culture by maintaining our traditions, promoting our arts, providing educational opportunities in arts programming, and cultivating pride in our heritage for future generations.”
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 $2,535,390 in total revenue. Of that, $1,531,640 came from government grants including federal, state, or local sources, making up 60.4% of total revenue.
The nonprofit listed $1,936,790 in contributions overall. It also reported $405,150 categorized under other contributions, which may include restricted donations, pledges, or bequests.
At the beginning of 2024, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance had $5,828,540 in assets. By the end of 2024, that figure had changed to $6,057,000, indicating a 3.9% growth in overall holdings.
According to its filing, public funding to Puerto Rican Arts Alliance surged in the last year. The group received $914,699 in government grants in 2023, compared to $1,531,640 in 2024—an increase of 67.4% 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.
Puerto Rican Arts Alliance 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.
| Fiscal Year | Total Grants/Contracts | Total Taxpayer $$ |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | $950,000 |
| Term | Name | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2024 | Anastasia O'Brien | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Carlos Hernandez | Executive Director |
| 2024-2024 | Cheryl K Cooke | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Diana Maldonado | Secretary |
| 2024-2024 | Eduardo Camacho | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Ernesto Matias | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Ignacio Lopez | Chair |
| 2024-2024 | Jenyce Boolton | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Manuel Cuevas Trisan | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Monica Diaz | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Robert Pantoja | Treasurer |
| 2024-2024 | Sylvia Mojica | Vice-Chair |
| Year | Name | Title | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Carlos Hernandez | Founder And Executive Director | - |
| 2024 | Daniel A Perez | Program Arts Manager | - |
| 2024 | Kurtis N Coty | Accounting Intern | - |
| 2024 | Michael Joseph Scott | Music Program Director | - |
| 2024 | Rebecca E Raab | Director Of Development And Programs | - |
| 2024 | Ricardo E Sanz | Special Projects Consultant | - |
| 2024 | Vicente Hernandez | Marketing Intern | - |
| 2018 | Claritza Maldonado | El Archivo Project Curatorial Intern | - |
| 2018 | Masaki Araya | Assistant Engineer | - |
| 2017 | Emmanuel Gutierrez | Instructor | - |
| 2017 | Zumiya Marie Gomez | Music Program And Development Assitant | - |
| 2015 | Juanita Mendoza | Dance Instructor | - |
| 2015 | Wojciech Rudolf | Junior Accountant | - |
| 2013 | Moises Pacheco | Music Education And Program Coordinator | - |
| 2012 | Carlos R Gonzalez | Coach | - |
| 2012 | Daniel Perez | Marketing Communications And Program Manager | - |
| 2012 | Tanya Elizabeth Jaramilla | Assistant Director | - |
| 2011 | Jose Miguel Aguilar | Graffiti Art Instructor | - |
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