Illinois Association of Court Appointed
The Illinois Association of Court Appointed Special Advocates (Illinois CASA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Chicago, Illinois. The organization champions children by supporting, uniting, and growing local county-based programs to provide court-appointed special advocates for abused and neglected children. Illinois CASA was granted tax-exempt status in March 1994.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.1M
-13.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.9M
+36.6% YoY
Grant Count
30
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$196K
+36.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Illinois CASA champions children by supporting, uniting and growing local county-based programs to provide a court appointed special advocate for abused and neglected children.
The organization's primary focus is providing leadership and support in the development and growth of local programs whose volunteers advocate for the best interest of children in the juvenile court system. The organization addresses the critical need for advocacy in Illinois, where more than 15,000 children are in the state's juvenile court system on any given day due to abuse or neglect. The average length of stay in foster care in Illinois is 50.8 months, with at least 52% of these children experiencing three or more placements.
Grantmaking
Illinois CASA functions as a grantmaker, distributing funds to local county-based CASA programs throughout Illinois. Recent grant activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Illinois CASA funds local county-based CASA programs throughout Illinois, with documented grantees in Southwestern Illinois, Macon County, Kane County, and Lake County.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024-2025):
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $7,003,347 | $5,394,776 |
| Total Expenses | $6,966,283 | $5,360,804 |
| Total Assets | $1,099,765 | $1,275,456 |
| Total Liabilities | — | $1,000,000 |
| Number of Employees | 10 | 6 |
Historical Revenue Trend:
- 2024: $5.39M
- 2025: $7.00M
The organization maintains a lean operational structure with 10 employees as of 2025. The organization's total giving in 2025 was $5,882,665.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,099,765 | $1,275,456 | $804,407 |
| Revenue | $7,003,347 | $5,394,776 | $5,418,022 |
| Expenses | $6,966,283 | $5,360,804 | $5,361,659 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $10 | $10 | $9 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
152 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
CEO: Mari Christopherson
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MISSY GREATHOUSE | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| ROBERT ANDERSON | VICE PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| STEVE PIKTURNA | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| MAHA MCDIARMID | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| LYNN HARVEY | DIRECTOR, EX OFFICIO | 2 | — |
| ELLEN LUCKE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| WHITNEY LUEBBERS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SHARIF WALKER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| PAM PERRILLES | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JESSICA HUDSPETH | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ANGEL TRAUB | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MARIAH HAYES | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| TERRI GREENBERG | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JILL OLSEN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MARI CHRISTOPHERSON | CEO | 40 | $189,637 |
| BEATRIZ VALDEZ | DEPUTY DIRECTOR | 40 | $111,958 |
Contact Information
Address: 211 W Wacker Drive, Floor 3, Chicago, IL 60606-1217
Phone: 847-977-2965
Website: illinoiscasa.org
EIN: 36-3906070
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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