Chicago Commons Association
Chicago Commons' mission is to empower individuals, families, and communities to overcome poverty, embrace opportunities, and thrive across generations. To fulfill that mission, we provide high quality early childhood education, family-centered adult education, and senior services to more than 3,500 individuals annually.
Chicago Commons Association at a glance
In short: Chicago Commons Association gave $13.5M across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $3.4M), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $13,505,609
- -0.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 4
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,376,402
- -0.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,130,306
- Total assets
- $22,807,730
- -4.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Chicago Commons Association funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Gads Hill Center ($7.9M). Together the top 4 received $13.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
18 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 10 grants of 18 (56%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Chicago Commons Association gives
- Giving grew 39% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $9.7M (2022) to $14.4M (2023). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $13.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gads Hill Center Chicago, IL | Early head start and head start education services | $7,917,541 |
| Onward Neighborhood House Chicago, IL | Early head start and head start education services | $2,504,163 |
| Eyes on the Future Chicago, IL | Early head start and head start education services | $1,756,449 |
| Learn Together Grow Together Chicago, IL | Early head start and head start education services | $1,327,456 |
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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 | $22,807,730 | $53,931,251 | $54,606,831 | $13,505,609 | 4 | $25,235 |
| 2024 | $23,900,917 | $53,734,629 | $52,733,829 | $13,616,119 | 4 | $20,086 |
| 2023 | $23,512,259 | $51,520,593 | $51,301,099 | $14,425,782 | 4 | $11,702 |
| 2022 | $20,729,851 | $44,596,385 | $44,045,524 | $9,729,562 | 6 | $8,262 |
| 2021 | $18,778,773 | $34,368,248 | $34,089,701 | — | — | $4,574 |
| 2020 | $17,650,476 | $29,739,272 | $29,053,908 | — | — | $33,536 |
| 2019 | $16,483,532 | $27,236,700 | $27,603,544 | — | — | $33,851 |
About Chicago Commons Association
Based on IRS filings
Chicago Commons Association is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Chicago, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $22.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $13.5M. Net investment income was $25K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Chicago Commons Association is led by Edgar E Ramirez, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 9 of 25 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Edgar E Ramirez
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
38 hrs/week
$201K (2019) → $344K (2025)
Ronald G Kaminski
Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julio Paz
Chief Development Officer
On filings since 2020
38 hrs/week
$133K (2020) → $182K (2025)
Karina Slaughter
Vice President Early Education
On filings since 2021
38 hrs/week
$112K (2021) → $189K (2025)
Dana Thomas
Chief Financial Officer
CFO → Chief Financial Officer, 2024
On filings since 2022
38 hrs/week
$95K (2022) → $198K (2025)
Erica Collins
Chief Human Resource Officer
On filings since 2022
38 hrs/week
$142K (2022) → $212K (2025)
Nyla Diab
Chief Strategy Officer
On filings since 2022
38 hrs/week
$133K (2022) → $197K (2025)
Angela Allen
Vice President Finance
On filings since 2023
38 hrs/week
$151K (2023) → $160K (2025)
Christina Navarro
Vice President Facilities
New on the 2025 filing
38 hrs/week
$145K (2025)
Vikki Rompala
Vice President Senior Services
New on the 2025 filing
38 hrs/week
$117K (2025)
Amit Mehta
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Beran Jones
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Marquez
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caroline Harney
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Chavez
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Holly M Baumgart
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Hill III
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary E Timmons
Vice Chair
Development → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Philip B Kenny
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert E Smietana
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David R Perez
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Yeager
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ofelia Potter
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
O Victoria Lakes-Battle
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Virxhini Gjonzeneli
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (19)
- Former: Steven Sparks (2019–2024) — Chair
- Former: Torrence L Hinton (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Eric Woods (2021–2024) — Vice President Facilities
- Former: Erica Woodley (2024) — Vice President Senior Services
- Former: Beth Lakier (2020–2023) — COO
- Former: Ozelle Williamson (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Cary Crawford (2019–2022) — Vice President of Senior Care
- Former: Dorothy Abreu (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Dottie Johnson (2019–2022) — Former CFO
- Former: Priscilla Bahena (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Kimberly A Ross (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Alfred E D'Ancona (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Willard S Evans Jr. (2019–2021) — Chair
- Former: Jim Paulson (2021) — Controller
- Former: Carman Weathington (2019–2020) — Chief Hr Officer
- Former: Andrew Krugly (2019) — Vice President Executive Director, Program Op & Child Development
- Former: Dhiren Shah (2019) — Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Erin Kovalsky (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Julie Sausen (2019) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $344K, to Edgar E Ramirez (President & CEO). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Chicago Commons Association
How much does Chicago Commons Association give each year?
Chicago Commons Association gave $13.5M across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $13.6M across 4 grants.
What is Chicago Commons Association's typical grant size?
Chicago Commons Association's median grant in 2025 was $2,130,306, and its average grant was $3,376,402, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Chicago Commons Association give grants?
Chicago Commons Association gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (4 grants).
Does Chicago Commons Association give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on Chicago Commons Association's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Early head start and head start education services" (4 grants).
How large is Chicago Commons Association?
Chicago Commons Association reported $22.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $53.9M.
What is Chicago Commons Association?
Chicago Commons Association is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Chicago, IL. It holds $22.8M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Chicago Commons Association's EIN?
Chicago Commons Association's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2169136. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Chicago Commons Association down — hundreds of funders to go?