Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc
Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation, doing business as Voqal Chicago, is based in Longmont, Colorado. It began in the mid-1980s by transmitting educational video programs to schools using FCC-regulated frequencies. Today, it provides services to schools and nonprofits nationwide, conducts philanthropic programs centered on social equality, and participates in entrepreneurial endeavors.
Key facts about Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc
In short: Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $44K), mostly in Illinois. 18% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 36-3833118
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,232,410
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- Average grant
- $44,015
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (5 of 28, 2024)
- Total assets
- $18,372,367
- Primary geography
- Illinois (67% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$18.4M
+8.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
-12.8% YoY
Grant Count
28
-31.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$44K
+27.7% YoY
Is Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 28 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $41K; repeat grants $45K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 79% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−7%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s filing refers to Schedule O for its mission. Its stated activities include the Education Opportunity Project, which aims to reduce educational opportunity gaps by providing capital and strategic advice to entrepreneurs and organizations working to improve outcomes for disadvantaged populations. It also participates in the Voqal Fellowship, an investment in individuals and budding entrepreneurs, and provides wireless broadband services to schools and nonprofits.
The funder maintains a separate grantmaking program and says it makes grants to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations. Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported: Action Now describes its work as advancing racial, economic, and social justice for working families; Chicago Freedom School says it cultivates youth leadership; and Chicago Filmmakers supports independent film and digital-video artists. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not Voqal Chicago’s.
Grantmaking
For filing year 2024, the itemized grant data lists 28 grants totaling $1,232,410. Grant sizes ranged from $15,000 to $86,660, with a median of $50,000. The largest listed awards included $86,660 to Action Now; $63,250 to Center for Media Justice; and $60,500 each to Blackroots Alliance, Chicago Freedom School, Chicago Votes Education Fund, Equity & Transformation, Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation, and Splinter Art and Community Fund.
Grant Range
s ranged from $15,000 to $86,660, with a median of $50,000. The largest listed awards included $86,660 to Action Now; $63,250 to Center for Media Justice; and $60,500 each to Blackroots Alliance, Chicago Freedom School, Chicago Votes Education Fund, Equity & Transformation, Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation, and Splinter Art and Community Fund.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In the 2024 itemized grant data, Illinois recipients received 67% of grant dollars, followed by California at 9%, New York and Arizona at 5% each, and the District of Columbia at 4%. Separately, the organization says it provides services to schools and nonprofits nationwide and free or subsidized broadband accounts to schools in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2024) to $1.5M (2022). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Action Now ($87K). Together the top 10 received $623K.
Grant Size Distribution
123 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 75 grants of 123 (61%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Action Now Chicago, IL | Core Support | $86,660 |
| Center for Media Justice Oakland, CA | Net Neutrality | $63,250 |
| Blackroots Alliance Chicago, IL | Core Support | $60,500 |
| Center for Nuleadership on Urban Solutions Brooklyn, NY | Core Support | $60,500 |
| Chicago Freedom School Chicago, IL | Core Support | $60,500 |
| Chicago Votes Education Fund Chicago, IL | Core Support | $60,500 |
| Equity & Transformation Berwyn, IL | Core Support | $60,500 |
| Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation Chicago, IL | Core Support | $60,500 |
| Splinter Art and Community Fund Tucson, AZ | Core Support | $60,500 |
| Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (Bisc) Washington, DC | Core Support | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $18,372,367 | $6,990,190 | $6,933,811 | $1,232,410 | 28 |
| 2023 | $16,910,873 | $11,398,180 | $11,100,655 | $1,413,142 | 41 |
| 2022 | $18,318,425 | $5,204,094 | $4,162,762 | $1,524,070 | 26 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $18,372,367 | $16,910,873 | $18,318,425 |
| Revenue | $6,990,190 | $11,398,180 | $5,204,094 |
| Expenses | $6,933,811 | $11,100,655 | $4,162,762 |
| Net Investment Income | $466,739 | $191,131 | $633,200 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 4, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Daniel O’Neil as chair; Lilly Gleich as treasurer/director; Barbara Iverson as secretary/director; Maria Hadden as director; Brenda Williams-Sears as CEO/president; Adam Miller as advisor to the CEO/assistant secretary; Lisa Reed as CFO; and Kim Bubon as assistant secretary.
Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc is led by Adam Miller, Advisor to CEO & Assistant Secretary since 2022 (on filings since 2021); none of the 8 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Adam Miller
Advisor to CEO & Assistant Secretary
CEO & President → Advisor to CEO & Assistant Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brenda Williams-Sears
CEO & President
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Daniel O'Neil
Chair
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Iverson
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lilly Gleich
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maria Hadden
Director
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kim Bubon
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Reed
CFO
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Barbara Hunter (2021) — CFO
- Former: John Schwartz (2021) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 205 Ken Pratt Blvd Ste 120 Pmb 1039, Longmont, CO 80501
Phone: (303) 532-2852
Website: https://citf.org
Frequently asked questions about Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc
How much does Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc give each year?
Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 41 grants.
What is Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $44,015, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc that year got $41K on average.
Where does Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc give grants?
Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc gives mostly in Illinois: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (17 grants) and Oakland, CA (2 grants).
Does Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Core Support" (27 grants).
Who are Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Action Now ($86,660), Center for Media Justice ($63,250) and Blackroots Alliance ($60,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc?
Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc reported $18.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.0M.
What does Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc fund?
The organization’s filing refers to Schedule O for its mission. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc?
Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check citf.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc's EIN?
Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3833118. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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