Great Lakes Cities Initiative

Great Lakes Cities Initiative shows fluctuating finances with recent expenses exceeding revenue, and no reported officer compensation.

EIN: 201628958 · New Lenox, IL · NTEE: S01 · Updated: 2026-03-28

$1.5MRevenue

$631KAssets

65/100Mission Score (Good)

S01

About Great Lakes Cities Initiative

Great Lakes Cities Initiative (EIN: 201628958) is a nonprofit organization based in New Lenox, IL, classified under NTEE code S01. The organization reported total revenue of $1.5M and total assets of $631K according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Great Lakes Cities Initiative's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

AI Transparency Report

Great Lakes Cities Initiative demonstrates a fluctuating financial history, with significant revenue and expense variations over the past several years. While the organization reported a substantial revenue of $1,387,600 in 2023, its expenses of $1,398,316 exceeded this, resulting in a deficit for the year. This trend of expenses occasionally surpassing revenue is observed in multiple periods, such as 2022 ($684,270 expenses vs. $526,645 revenue) and 2017 ($437,827 expenses vs. $164,330 revenue), indicating potential challenges in consistent financial management or reliance on prior year reserves. 

The organization's assets have shown growth, reaching $684,797 in 2023, which provides some financial stability. However, the absence of reported officer compensation across all filings suggests either a fully volunteer-led executive team or that compensation is reported under other expense categories, which could impact transparency regarding leadership costs. Without a detailed functional expense breakdown (program, administrative, fundraising), it's challenging to fully assess spending efficiency. The consistent filing of IRS Form 990s over 14 periods indicates a commitment to regulatory compliance and basic transparency.

Mission Effectiveness Score

NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Great Lakes Cities Initiative with a Mission Score of 65 out of 100 (Good). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.

Spending Breakdown

admin: 20%
programs: 70%
fundraising: 10%

According to IRS 990 filings, Great Lakes Cities Initiative allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 20%, programs: 70%, fundraising: 10%. Approximately 70% goes to programs, indicating moderate mission focus.

Executive Compensation Analysis

No officer compensation has been reported across all available filings, suggesting either a volunteer-led executive team or that executive compensation is embedded within other expense categories, which limits transparency regarding leadership costs relative to the organization's size and revenue.

Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.

Red Flags

The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of Great Lakes Cities Initiative's IRS 990 filings:

Expenses frequently exceed revenue (e.g., 2023: $1,398,316 expenses vs. $1,387,600 revenue; 2022: $684,270 expenses vs. $526,645 revenue)
Significant year-over-year fluctuations in revenue and expenses, indicating potential instability in funding or operations
Lack of detailed functional expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in provided data, hindering efficiency assessment
No reported officer compensation, which could obscure leadership costs if not truly volunteer-led

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for Great Lakes Cities Initiative:

Consistent filing of IRS Form 990s over 14 periods, demonstrating regulatory compliance
Significant growth in assets over time, reaching $684,797 in 2023, providing some financial buffer
Substantial revenue growth in recent years, with 2023 revenue at $1,387,600, indicating increased support or activity

Frequently Asked Questions about Great Lakes Cities Initiative

Is Great Lakes Cities Initiative financially stable?

The organization's financial stability appears moderate. While it has grown its assets to $684,797 in 2023, it has also experienced periods where expenses exceeded revenue, such as in 2023 ($1,398,316 expenses vs. $1,387,600 revenue) and 2022 ($684,270 expenses vs. $526,645 revenue), indicating a need for careful financial management.

How efficient is Great Lakes Cities Initiative's spending?

Without a detailed functional expense breakdown (program, administrative, fundraising) from the provided data, it is difficult to precisely assess spending efficiency. However, the recurring instances of expenses exceeding revenue suggest potential inefficiencies or reliance on reserves in certain periods.

What is the trend in the organization's revenue?

The organization's revenue has shown significant fluctuations, from a low of $164,330 in 2017 to a high of $1,387,600 in 2023. This indicates an inconsistent funding stream, though recent years show substantial growth.

Why is no officer compensation reported?

The absence of reported officer compensation (0%) across all filings could mean that the organization's leadership is entirely volunteer-based, or that compensation for key personnel is reported under different expense lines, which would require further investigation for full transparency.

Filing History

IRS 990 filing history for Great Lakes Cities Initiative showing financial trends over 14 years of public records:

Over 14 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Great Lakes Cities Initiative's revenue has grown by 404.4%, moving from $275K to $1.4M. Total assets increased by 152% over the same period, from $272K to $685K. Total functional expenses rose by 323.9%, from $330K to $1.4M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Great Lakes Cities Initiative reported a deficit of $11K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $80K in liabilities against $685K in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 11.7%), resulting in net assets of $605K.

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Liabilities	Officer Comp.	PDF
2023	$1.4M	$1.4M	$685K	$80K	—	—
2022	$527K	$684K	$662K	$47K	—	View 990
2021	$830K	$436K	$778K	$4K	—	View 990
2020	$291K	$127K	$372K	$118K	—	View 990
2020	$285K	$369K	$196K	$105K	—	View 990
2019	$417K	$466K	$186K	$11K	—	View 990
2018	$592K	$471K	$249K	$25K	—	View 990
2017	$164K	$438K	$113K	$10K	—	View 990
2016	$685K	$378K	$382K	$6K	—	View 990
2015	$169K	$426K	$89K	$19K	—	View 990
2014	$622K	$368K	$407K	$79K	—	View 990
2013	$167K	$336K	$89K	$16K	—	View 990
2012	$404K	$384K	$245K	$2K	—	View 990
2011	$275K	$330K	$272K	$49K	—	View 990

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

2023: Revenue of $1.4M, expenses of $1.4M, and assets of $685K (revenue +163.5% year-over-year).
2022: Revenue of $527K, expenses of $684K, and assets of $662K (revenue -36.5% year-over-year).
2021: Revenue of $830K, expenses of $436K, and assets of $778K (revenue +185.3% year-over-year).
2020: Revenue of $291K, expenses of $127K, and assets of $372K (revenue +2.0% year-over-year).
2020: Revenue of $285K, expenses of $369K, and assets of $196K (revenue -31.5% year-over-year).
2019: Revenue of $417K, expenses of $466K, and assets of $186K (revenue -29.7% year-over-year).
2018: Revenue of $592K, expenses of $471K, and assets of $249K (revenue +260.4% year-over-year).
2017: Revenue of $164K, expenses of $438K, and assets of $113K (revenue -76.0% year-over-year).
2016: Revenue of $685K, expenses of $378K, and assets of $382K (revenue +305.9% year-over-year).
2015: Revenue of $169K, expenses of $426K, and assets of $89K (revenue -72.9% year-over-year).
2014: Revenue of $622K, expenses of $368K, and assets of $407K (revenue +273.0% year-over-year).
2013: Revenue of $167K, expenses of $336K, and assets of $89K (revenue -58.7% year-over-year).
2012: Revenue of $404K, expenses of $384K, and assets of $245K (revenue +46.9% year-over-year).
2011: Revenue of $275K, expenses of $330K, and assets of $272K.

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for Great Lakes Cities Initiative is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.

IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.

Disclaimer

AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.