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Chicago IL | IRS ruling year: 2009 | EIN: 83-0408830
Organization Mission
GREENLIGHT'S MISSION IS TO ACHIEVE THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES, YOUNG ADULTS, AND CHILDREN BY PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY SERVICES. ITS PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO PROV ... (More)
GREENLIGHT'S MISSION IS TO ACHIEVE THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES, YOUNG ADULTS, AND CHILDREN BY PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY SERVICES. ITS PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO PROVIDE ADOPTION AND GUARDIANSHIP FOR CHILDREN IN THE WELFARE SYSTEM. (Less)
Great
This charity's score is 96%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores, weighted as follows: 90% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
Score
Most Recent Fiscal Year:
FY 2022
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
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Full Credit
Partial Credit
No CreditMajority Independent Board Members - 100% independent members8 out of 8 points Majority Independent Board Members - 100% independent members8 out of 8 points
Industry professionals strongly recommend an independent governing body to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. We check to see if at least 50% of board members are indentified as independent on their tax form.
Source: IRS Form 990
Independent Board Size - 11 independent members7 out of 7 points Independent Board Size - 11 independent members7 out of 7 points
Industry professionals strongly recommend an independent governing body to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. For most organizations, we check to see if the organization has at least three board members. For large, donor-funded organizations, we check to see if the organization has at least five independent board members
Source: IRS Form 990
Independent Audit or Financial Review - Yes15 out of 15 points Independent Audit or Financial Review - Yes15 out of 15 points
An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:
| Total Revenue Amount | Expectation to Receive Credit |
| $2 million or higher and 40% or higher donor support | Expected to complete an audit and have an audit oversight committee |
| $1 million or higher | Expected to complete an audit |
| $500,000 - $1 million | Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation |
| Less than $500,000 | No expectation (removed from scoring methodology) |
Source: IRS Form 990
Material Diversion of Assets - None10 out of 10 points Material Diversion of Assets - None10 out of 10 points
A diversion of assets — any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft — also can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We review the charity's most recent IRS Form 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets.
Source: IRS Form 990
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditWebsite Listed on Tax Form - Listed2 out of 2 points Website Listed on Tax Form - Listed2 out of 2 points
Charity Navigator looks for a website on the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.
Nonprofits act in the public trust and reporting publicly on activities is an important component.
Source: IRS Form 990
Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed4 out of 4 points Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed4 out of 4 points
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy protects the organization and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer, director and/or key employee of the organization.
Source: IRS Form 990
Whistleblower Policy - Listed4 out of 4 points Whistleblower Policy - Listed4 out of 4 points
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.
Source: IRS Form 990
Document Retention and Destruction - Listed4 out of 4 points Document Retention and Destruction - Listed4 out of 4 points
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.
Source: IRS Form 990
Documents Board Meeting Minutes - Yes2 out of 2 points Documents Board Meeting Minutes - Yes2 out of 2 points
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the IRS Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.
An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.
Source: IRS Form 990
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditTax Form Posted on Nonprofit's Website - Missing0 out of 4 points Tax Form Posted on Nonprofit's Website - Missing0 out of 4 points
For almost all charities, we check the charity's IRS Form 990 to see if it discloses that the Form 990 is available on the charity's website. As with the audited financial statement, donors need easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well.
Source: IRS Form 990
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditLiabilities to Assets: Ratio - 20.75%15 out of 15 points Liabilities to Assets: Ratio - 20.75%15 out of 15 points
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent IRS Form 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization's solvency and/or long-term sustainability.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense: Ratio - 89.67%25 out of 25 points Program Expense: Ratio - 89.67%25 out of 25 points
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three IRS Forms 990). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
No Data Available
Salary data is coming soon.
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Greenlight Family Services) or EIN (830408830) in the 'Search Term' field.
Not Currently Scored
Greenlight Family Services cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Not Currently Scored
Greenlight Family Services cannot currently be evaluated by our Culture & Community methodology because we have not received data from the charity regarding its Constituent Feedback or Equity Practices strategies.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Score
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditMission 10/10 points Mission 10/10 points
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
GREENLIGHT'S MISSION IS TO ACHIEVE THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES, YOUNG ADULTS, AND CHILDREN BY PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY SERVICES. ITS PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO PROVIDE ADOPTION AND GUARDIANSHIP FOR CHILDREN IN THE WELFARE SYSTEM.
Vision 10/10 points Vision 10/10 points
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
We envision every child in Illinois thriving in a permanent, safe, and loving family and every campus sexual assault survivor achieving healing and wholeness.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals 20/20 points Goals 20/20 points
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Greenlight plans to expand Kinship Navigation services. This includes hiring a full-time grandfamily navigator to provide specialized support to grandparents raising grandchildren.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: We will expand the Greenlight Counseling program for survivors of campus sexual assault. We will increase student involvement in program outreach activities and strengthen our network of therapists.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Leadership Development 15/15 points Leadership Development 15/15 points
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Describe an investment in leadership
Greenlight Family Services invests in leadership through experiential learning. Greenlight hosts a Board Fellow from Northwestern’s Kellogg Golub Capital Board Fellows program each year. These board fellows gain valuable experience while contributing new skills and insight while working alongside Greenlight's executive and board leadership.
Mobilizing for Mission 15/15 points Mobilizing for Mission 15/15 points
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
Greenlight engages in strategic partnerships with public agencies, non-profits, and private businesses. Greenlight receives funding from the Illinois Department on Aging and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. We partner with several foundations, including the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, to implement their Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program, the VNA Foundation for the Greenlight Counseling program, and the Illinois Bar Foundation for the Legal Adoption Aid program. Greenlight values collective impact, participating as a member of Forefront and the Generations United community. Greenlight presented at the 2023 National Generations United Conference to discuss the importance of legal aid for grandfamilies. Greenlight conducts outreach to raise awareness about available services. We attend community events, speak at gatherings, share a monthly newsletter, post actively on social media, and host virtual and in-person workshops.
Adaptability Story 30/30 points Adaptability Story 30/30 points
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
Greenlight Family Services has long had a contract from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to provide legal aid for adoptions and guardianships. However, recently, DCFS has shifted its focus to intact services to preserve families rather than separating children from their birth family and pursuing adoption or guardianship. Greenlight’s contract was adjusted accordingly to include these intact services. Team Greenlight has extensive experience serving youth involved with DCFS and completing private adoptions and guardianships. These intact services are a new endeavor for Greenlight, and we have dedicated staff capacity to adapt to this latest approach to serving Illinois families. We are proud to expand our direct services to ensure the best outcomes for youth and families, whether that includes intact service support or proceeding with adoption or guardianship.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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