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Animals : Animal Rights, Welfare, and Services

PAWS Chicago

Pets are worth saving

four stars

96.50

1997 North Clybourn Ave. Chicago, IL 60614
tel: (773) 935-7297   Web Site
EIN: 36-4219778

Board Leadership
Paula Fasseas
Founder and Chair

CEO
Kristin Leonard Pearson
Chief Executive Officer

 
 
  Score
(out of 100) 		Rating
Overall Score & Rating 96.50 four stars
  Financial 95.06 four stars
  Accountability & Transparency 100.00 four stars
This rating was published 05/01/2019 and includes data from FY2017, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?

PAWS Chicago is the city's largest no kill humane organization, focused on implementing solutions to end the killing of homeless pets. Since PAWS Chicago's founding in 1997, the number of homeless dogs and cats killed annually has dropped by nearly 80 percent: from more than 42,000 homeless pets killed in 1997 to under 10,000. PAWS Chicago is working to build a no kill Chicago - a city where pets are no longer destroyed just because they are homeless. PAWS Chicago will find new homes for nearly 6,000 homeless pets this year at the state-of-the-art Pippen Fasseas Lincoln Park Adoption, the satellite Glenn L. Felner North Shore Adoption Center and nearly weekly on- and off-site adoption events. The PAWS Chicago Lurie Spay/Neuter Clinic, the largest free spay/neuter clinic in Midwest, will sterilize more than 18,000 pets of low-income families this year.

PAWS Chicago is the city's largest no kill humane organization, focused on implementing solutions to end the killing of homeless pets. Since PAWS Chicago's founding in 1997, the number of homeless dogs and cats killed annually has dropped by nearly 80 percent: from more than 42,000 homeless pets killed in 1997 to under 10,000. PAWS Chicago is working to build a no kill Chicago - a city where pets are no longer destroyed just because they are homeless. PAWS Chicago will find new homes for nearly 6,000 homeless pets this year at the state-of-the-art Pippen Fasseas Lincoln Park Adoption, the satellite Glenn L. Felner North Shore Adoption Center and nearly weekly on- and off-site adoption events. The PAWS Chicago Lurie Spay/Neuter Clinic, the largest free spay/neuter clinic in Midwest, will sterilize more than 18,000 pets of low-income families this year.

Impact Information

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GuideStar is Charity Navigator's trusted partner in sharing information on how this organization seeks impact.  GuideStar has recognized this organization with a Platinum Seal of Transparency for voluntarily and publicly sharing information about how they measure their progress and results.  Learn More about Impact Information.
Reported Results
Showing 3 of 5
Total in 2018
Number of animal adoptions
5,591
Number of animals spayed and neutered
16,750
Maintain Charity Navigator 4-star rating
4
Hours of volunteer service
143,933
Number of special operations performed
660
This organization has earned a GuideStar's Platinum Seal of Transparency by voluntarily sharing the measures of progress and results they use to pursue their mission. Organizations earn Platinum Seals by selecting from a catalog of over 900 expert recognized metrics or by creating a new metric that best fits their work. This information is reported by the organization and displayed publicly on their GuideStar Nonprofit Profile. With over 1.6 million Nonprofit Profiles, 9 million annual visitors and over 200 data partners, GuideStar is the world's leading source of information about nonprofit organizations. A nonprofit itself, GuideStar is dedicated to providing better data for better decisions for a better world.
This impact information is current as of January 2020, when it was provided to us by GuideStar. At this time, Impact information published on this organization's page has no effect on its rating per our methodology.

Learn more about how we calculate the overall score and rating.

Financial

four stars

95.06

Accountability & Transparency

four stars

100.00

This rating was published 05/01/2019 and includes data from FY2017, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?
Overall Rating Chart
  Program Expenses
(Percent of the charity's total expenses spent on the programs
and services it delivers)		 88.3%
  Administrative Expenses 6.8%
  Fundraising Expenses 4.7%
  Fundraising Efficiency $0.03
  Working Capital Ratio (years) 4.82
  Program Expenses Growth 5.1%
  Liabilities to Assets 1.5%
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by PAWS Chicago on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by PAWS Chicago on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
Information Provided on the Form 990  
  Independent Voting Board Members
  No Material diversion of assets
  Audited financials prepared by independent accountant
  Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From related parties
  Documents Board Meeting Minutes
  Provided copy of Form 990 to organization's governing body in advance of filing
  Conflict of Interest Policy
  Whistleblower Policy
  Records Retention and Destruction Policy
  CEO listed with salary
  Process for determining CEO compensation
  Board Listed / Board Members Not Compensated
Is the following information easily accessible on the charity's website?  
  Donor Privacy Policy
  Board Members Listed
  Audited Financials
  Form 990
  Key staff listed

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
PAWS Chicago (IL) 96.50 four stars
The Humane Society Naples (FL) 96.66 four stars
Humane Society of Pulaski County (AR) 93.23 four stars
Kent Animal Shelter (NY) 90.46 four stars
Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA (AZ) 93.87 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

REVENUE  
Contributions  
   Contributions, Gifts & Grants $11,313,505
   Federated Campaigns $0
   Membership Dues $0
   Fundraising Events $2,963,774
   Related Organizations $0
   Government Grants $0
Total Contributions $14,277,279
   Program Service Revenue $2,071,074
Total Primary Revenue $16,348,353
   Other Revenue $1,508,611
TOTAL REVENUE $17,856,964
   
EXPENSES  
   Program Expenses $8,465,544
   Administrative Expenses $724,835
   Fundraising Expenses $440,182
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES $9,630,561
   
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $8,226,403
   
Net Assets $57,734,599

Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.

Program Name Amount Spent % of Program Expenses
Prevention & Spay/Neuter Services $1,899,631 22.4%
Animal Health and Behavior $1,768,841 20.9%
Adoption Center $1,768,841 20.9%
Volunteers $1,105,560 13.1%

Ratings History
PAWS Chicago has received 17 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator.

Form 990 FYE Date Published Overall Score Overall Rating
CN 2.1
2017-12 05/01/2019 96.50 four stars
2016-12 06/01/2018 100.00 four stars
2015-12 06/01/2017 100.00 four stars
2014-12 02/01/2017 100.00 four stars
2014-12 06/01/2016 97.87 four stars
 
CN 2.0
2013-12 04/01/2015 99.26 four stars
2012-12 09/01/2014 96.21 four stars
2012-12 06/01/2014 95.27 four stars
2011-12 03/01/2013 99.46 four stars
2011-12 02/01/2013 95.02 four stars
2010-12 12/01/2011 99.37 four stars
2009-12 11/01/2011 97.13 four stars
2009-12 09/20/2011 92.20 four stars
 
CN 1.0
2009-12 03/01/2011 99.35 four stars
2008-12 04/01/2010 97.61 four stars
2007-12 06/01/2009 99.20 four stars
2006-12 05/01/2008 98.92 four stars
2005-12 02/01/2007 98.88 four stars
2004-12 01/01/2006 99.09 four stars
2003-12 12/01/2004 91.98 four stars

The data displayed on this tab is provided by the IRS in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).

EIN 36-4219778
Name in IRS Master File PAWS CHICAGO
NTEE Code D20
NTEE Classification Animal Protection and Welfare
NTEE Type Animal-Related
Classification Organization to Prevent Cruelty to Animals
Subsection 501(c)(3)  (View the list of codes)
Activities
Foundation Status Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public   170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
Deductibility Contributions are deductible
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).
Group Name [Not Applicable]
Ruling Date February, 1999
Filing Requirement 990 (all other) or 990EZ return
Fiscal Year End December
IRS Forms 990
(provided courtesy of Foundation Center)		 (Log In or Register Now to View Forms 990!)
  • December, 2017
  • December, 2016
  • December, 2015
  • December, 2014
  • December, 2013
Compensation % of Expenses Paid to Title
$164,127 1.70% Kristin Pearson Chief Executive Officer
Other Salaries of Note
$177,986 1.84% Jessica Von Waldau Chief Veterinarian

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
PAWS Chicago (IL) 96.50 four stars
Southern Oregon Humane Society (OR) 88.91 three stars
Seattle Humane (WA) 92.82 four stars
Faithful Friends Animal Society (DE) 89.95 three stars
Elmbrook Humane Society (WI) 94.04 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

This charity has an official representative registered with Charity Navigator.

Charity Contact Info

PAWS Chicago
1997 North Clybourn Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614
tel: (773) 935-7297
fax: (773) 281-8146
EIN: 36-4219778

Visit Web Site

Board Leadership

Paula Fasseas
Founder and Chair

CEO

Kristin Leonard Pearson
Chief Executive Officer

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