Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc
The Center for Expanding Leadership & Opportunity (CELO) is a Chicago, Illinois-based public charity focused on developing young and emerging leaders. It works with educational institutions, nonprofits, and foundations to connect research and practical solutions, build evidence about youth development, and expand access to high-quality developmental opportunities.
Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc at a glance
In short: Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc gave $835K across 64 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), top state Virginia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $835,400
- +1185.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 64
- +2033.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,053
- -39.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,059,012
- +150.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Virginia (11% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc
- How to Apply
-
Applications for the 2026–2027 College Service Grants cycle are closed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 900 North Lake Shore Drive Unit 607, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (202) 669-5103
Website: https://expandingleadership.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc
Who Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was National Organization for Victim Advocacy ($50K). Together the top 10 received $280K.
Organizations only. It also paid 9 grants to individuals ($90,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
67 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 67 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing shows grants to organizations in multiple states. The largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Virginia (11%), Illinois (10%), Texas (10%), California (9%), and Pennsylvania (7%). These figures describe the locations of grant recipients, not a stated geographic eligibility policy.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 64 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2024 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $65K (2024) to $835K (2025). In 2025 it made 64 grants totaling $835K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Organization for Victim Advocacy Alexandria, VA | Support College Service Initiatives | $50,000 |
| What We All Deserve (Wwad) New York, NY | Support College Service Initiatives | $27,200 |
| Youth Advocates for Change Los Angeles, CA | Support College Service Initiatives | $26,650 |
| Harbour Park Ridge, IL | Support College Service Initiatives | $26,100 |
| Campus Compact Boston, MA | Support College Service Initiatives | $25,000 |
| Griot Arts Inc Meraki Roasting CO Clarksdale, MS | Support College Service Initiatives | $25,000 |
| Her Rising Skokie, IL | Support College Service Initiatives | $25,000 |
| Seattle Storm Foundation Seattle, WA | Support College Service Initiatives | $25,000 |
| The American Indian Science and Engineering Society Albuquerque, NM | Support College Service Initiatives | $25,000 |
| Young Leaders for Change DBA United by Serving Dallas, TX | Support College Service Initiatives | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,059,012 | $5,292,549 | $3,440,730 | $835,400 | 64 | $44,362 |
| 2024 | $1,222,585 | $2,941,558 | $1,760,606 | $65,000 | 3 | $12,412 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
CELO’s stated mission is to accelerate youth development by bridging research and practical solutions and ensuring equitable access to high-quality opportunities for young people. Its website describes a broader mission of building the evidence base and infrastructure that help organizations develop young and emerging leaders.
CELO’s work addresses youth leadership and development, including leadership education, STEM education, post-secondary education, and community service. Its College Service Grants support initiatives in three categories: microgrants for new, youth-led service initiatives; access support to increase students’ access to service experiences; and increasing impact by deepening existing youth-led service activities.
The 2025 filing lists grants for college service initiatives. Recipients included colleges and universities as well as nonprofits. For example, the National Organization for Victim Advocacy describes its mission as championing dignity and compassion for people harmed by crime and crisis. The Harbour says it provides emergency shelter and transitional housing for adolescents experiencing homelessness, running away, abuse, or neglect. The American Indian Science and Engineering Society describes its work as increasing Indigenous representation in STEM studies and careers. Griot Arts says it provides arts education and workforce development opportunities in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, CELO reported 64 grants totaling $835,400. Awards ranged from $9,350 to $50,000, with a median of $10,000. The filing lists each grant’s purpose as support for college service initiatives.
The largest listed award was $50,000 to the National Organization for Victim Advocacy in Alexandria, Virginia. Other large awards included $27,200 to What We All Deserve in New York; $26,650 to Youth Advocates for Change in Los Angeles; $26,100 to Harbour in Park Ridge, Illinois; and $25,000 each to Campus Compact, Griot Arts, Her Rising, the Seattle Storm Foundation, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, Young Leaders for Change dba United by Serving, and Youth Technology Corps.
CELO’s website says The Allstate Foundation has granted $2 million toward its College Service Grants program to date. The 2026–2027 application cycle has closed. The website describes the program’s funding categories but does not provide application materials, eligibility restrictions, or a deadline.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sonny Garg as CEO, John Dugan as Chief Research & Development Officer, Kristan Cilente Skendall as COO, Scott Bush as board president, and Sherman Baldwin as a board member.
Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc is led by Sonny Garg, CEO on every filing since 2024; 3 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sonny Garg
CEO
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$93K (2024) → $202K (2025)
Scott Bush
Board President
President → Board President, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Dugan
Chief Research & Development Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$105K (2024) → $227K (2025)
Kristan Cilente Skendall
COO
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$58K (2024) → $125K (2025)
Sherman Baldwin
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Bill Bayless (2024) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2024–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $227K, to John Dugan (Chief Research & Development Officer). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc
How much does Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc give each year?
Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc gave $835K across 64 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $65K across 3 grants.
What is Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc's typical grant size?
Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $13,053, across 64 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc give grants?
Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc's top state is Virginia, with 11% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Illinois (10%) and Texas (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants), Dallas, TX (3 grants), Chicago, IL (2 grants) and San Antonio, TX (2 grants).
Does Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 64 grants with a stated purpose on Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support College Service Initiatives" (64 grants).
Who are Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc's largest grantees?
Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc's largest 2025 grantees include National Organization for Victim Advocacy ($50,000), What We All Deserve (Wwad) ($27,200) and Youth Advocates for Change ($26,650), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 9 grants to individuals ($90,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc?
Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.3M.
What does Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc fund?
CELO’s stated mission is to accelerate youth development by bridging research and practical solutions and ensuring equitable access to high-quality opportunities for young people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc?
Applications for the 2026–2027 College Service Grants cycle are closed. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc's EIN?
Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 92-2376770. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2024–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2024–2025
Live grants for the work Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/center-for-expanding-leadership-and-opportunity-inc-morg_e07e7e3280f3420c992a940e1ee276e2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_922376770_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/center-for-expanding-leadership-and-opportunity-inc-morg_e07e7e3280f3420c992a940e1ee276e2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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