The Hope School
The Hope School is a public charity based in Springfield, Illinois. Its filing and website describe an organization whose programs serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and related needs, including through education, residential care, clinical services, and therapeutic supports.
The Hope School at a glance
In short: The Hope School gave $3.9M across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $277K), mostly in Illinois. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,874,483
- -5.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $276,749
- -5.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $241,922
- Total assets
- $26,095,800
- +13.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- 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. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Hope School
- Contact
Mailing address: 15 East Hazel Dell Lane, Springfield, IL 62712
Phone: (217) 585-5437
Website: https://hope.us
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Hope School funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Univeristy of Illinois Chicago ($646K). Together the top 10 received $3.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 27 grants of 70 (39%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois. The website describes Hope’s services as reaching individuals in Alabama, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas, with its biggest impact in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Hope School open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 14 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. How we count
- 93% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+8%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.6M (2022) to $4.2M (2023). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $3.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Univeristy of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL | To serve children with developmental disabilities and mental illness. | $645,565 |
| Hope Clinical Care Springfield, IL | To serve children with developmental disabilities and mental illness. | $522,646 |
| Illinois State University Normal, IL | To serve children with developmental disabilities and mental illness. | $512,793 |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL | To serve children with developmental disabilities and mental illness. | $362,449 |
| Easterseals Central Illinois Peoria, IL | To serve children with developmental disabilities and mental illness. | $316,074 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chicago, IL | To serve children with developmental disabilities and mental illness. | $295,249 |
| Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL | To serve children with developmental disabilities and mental illness. | $242,111 |
| Kreider Services Inc Dixon, IL | To serve children with developmental disabilities and mental illness. | $241,733 |
| Trinity Services Inc New Lenox, IL | To serve children with developmental disabilities and mental illness. | $229,275 |
| Easterseals Metropolitan Chicago, IL | To serve children with developmental disabilities and mental illness. | $222,840 |
Ready to take the next step with The Hope School?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,095,800 | $34,241,799 | $31,920,532 | $3,874,483 | 14 | $8,177 |
| 2024 | $22,903,944 | $33,123,677 | $30,440,048 | $4,093,581 | 14 | $10,963 |
| 2023 | $19,562,083 | $35,421,274 | $35,296,731 | $4,159,055 | 14 | $2,403 |
| 2022 | $18,771,545 | $30,837,114 | $32,217,696 | $3,598,898 | 14 | $1,440 |
| 2021 | $21,982,147 | $30,686,089 | $28,497,385 | $3,619,630 | 14 | $3,933 |
| 2020 | $27,813,904 | $33,665,540 | $30,915,662 | $3,716,281 | 15 | $225,637 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s 2024 filing states that The Hope Learning Academy serves children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and neurological disorders and their families through homes, schools, clinics, research, and training.
The filing describes services that include residential care and supportive services for youth; specialized education and vocational training; therapeutic education for students with emotional and behavioral challenges; autism screenings, evaluations, therapy, family support, and training; behavioral health services; and community day programming for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The Hope Foundation’s website says its mission is to support Hope’s programs and services. Its assistance programs also offer financial help to eligible families receiving services at Hope and educational assistance to Hope employees for job-related study.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, The Hope School reported 14 grants totaling $3,874,483. Grant amounts ranged from $29,311 to $645,565, with a median of $241,922. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois. The filing describes the grants’ purpose as serving children with developmental disabilities and mental illness.
The largest reported grants were $645,565 to University of Illinois Chicago, $522,646 to Hope Clinical Care, $512,793 to Illinois State University, $362,449 to Southern Illinois University, and $316,074 to Easterseals Central Illinois.
Among the grantees, Hope Clinical Care describes its mission as providing clinical and educational services and support to individuals with autism and related disorders. Easterseals Central Illinois says it provides services to help children with developmental delays, disabilities, and other special needs reach their potential. Kreider Services says it provides rehabilitative services and residential facilities for people with disabilities in several Illinois counties. Trinity Services says it assists people with developmental disabilities and mental illness to live full lives. Have Dreams says it helps people with autism learn, function independently, and socialize.
The Foundation’s website says families receiving services at Hope who are uninsured, underinsured, or otherwise unable to pay may apply for grant assistance for services at Hope. It also offers Hope employees assistance for continuing education at approved institutions when the study relates generally to Hope’s mission or the employee’s work. The employee application asks about the proposed study, its connection to Hope’s mission and the employee’s work, and the employee’s goals; it requests documentation of acceptance into the institution and program. These are assistance programs for Hope families and employees, not application instructions for outside organizations seeking grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Clint Paul as CEO and president; Erin Bromley as chair; Jennifer Call, Raylene Grischow, Collin Hitt, and Ashton Sheehan as members; Amanda Brott as executive director and COO; Steve Helm as CFO; James Lee as superintendent; and Kathy Hulcher as principal.
The Hope School is led by Clint Paul, CEO & President on every filing since 2020; 4 of 11 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Clint Paul
CEO & President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amanda Brott
Executive Director & COO
COO → Executive Director & COO, 2025
On filings since 2020
60 hrs/week
$159K (2020) → $182K (2025)
Erin Bromley
Chair
Member → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shannon Dyson
Tap Director
On filings since 2023
60 hrs/week
$101K (2023) → $101K (2025)
James Lee
Superintendent
On filings since 2021
60 hrs/week
$101K (2021) → $137K (2025)
Kathy Hulcher
Prinicpal
New on the 2025 filing
60 hrs/week
$106K (2025)
Steve Helm
CFO
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ashton Sheehan
Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Collin Hitt
Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Raylene Grischow
Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Call
Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Bridget Ingebrigtsen (2020–2024) — Member
- Former: Loren Hughes (2020–2024) — Chair
- Former: Mike Jakubowski (2020–2023) — Principal
- Former: Ashton Nowlan (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Erica Beeman (2020–2021) — Chair
- Former: Megan Defrain (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Mike Aiello (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Nick Petrone (2020–2021) — Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $182K, to Amanda Brott (Executive Director / COO). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Hope School
How much does The Hope School give each year?
The Hope School gave $3.9M across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $4.1M across 14 grants.
What is The Hope School's typical grant size?
The Hope School's median grant in 2025 was $241,922, and its average grant was $276,749, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does The Hope School give grants?
The Hope School 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 The Hope School give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on The Hope School's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Hope School's largest grantees?
The Hope School's largest 2025 grantees include Univeristy of Illinois Chicago ($645,565), Hope Clinical Care ($522,646) and Illinois State University ($512,793), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Hope School?
The Hope School reported $26.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $34.2M.
What does The Hope School fund?
The organization’s 2024 filing states that The Hope Learning Academy serves children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and neurological disorders and their families through homes, schools, clinics, research, and training. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Hope School?
The Hope School has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check hope.us for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Hope School's EIN?
The Hope School's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-0768616. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- 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 17, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 26, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Hope School funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Hope School's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Hope School funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-hope-school-morg_21508f6e480f42598f2241fc965a24d0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_370768616_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Hope School funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-hope-school-morg_21508f6e480f42598f2241fc965a24d0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Hope School'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.
The Hope School down — hundreds of funders to go?