Chicago City Wire

Bishop Shepard Little Memorial 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 $142,293 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 $100,000 and $42,293 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 1999 by Robert L. East, Bishop Shepard Little Memorial Center states that its mission is: “Our mission is to empower, inspire, & cultivate personal, social and educational competencies in the lives of children, families and community.”

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 $258,219 in total revenue. Of that, $118,691 came from government grants including federal, state, or local sources, making up 46% of total revenue.

The nonprofit listed $258,017 in contributions overall. It also reported $139,326 categorized under other contributions, which may include restricted donations, pledges, or bequests.

At the beginning of 2024, Bishop Shepard Little Memorial Center had $372,819 in assets. By the end of 2024, that figure had changed to $505,163, indicating a significant 35.5% growth in overall holdings.

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

Bishop Shepard Little Memorial 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.

Fiscal Year	Total Grants/Contracts	Total Taxpayer $$
2024	2	$142,293

Term	Name	Title
2024-2024	Carl Ring	Director
2024-2024	Georgia A Brown	Treasurer
2024-2024	GEORGIA BROWN	Treasurer
2024-2024	Marvin C Mcneal	Director
2024-2024	Minnie L Washington	Sectretary
2024-2024	Ricky Godwin	Director
2024-2024	Robert L East	Treasurer