Friends of the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
881249544
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2023–2025
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2025, Form 990-N 2022
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
Phone
8473236344
Rating
59
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
History Museums

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$160,318
Expenses
$40,663
Assets
$215,130

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Kurt Lentsch (President)
  • Marie Huscher (Vice President)

People named in this filing

  • Kurt Lentsch (President)
  • Marie Huscher (Vice President)
  • Nicholas Michael Naber (Treasurer)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The mission of Friends of the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse is to Preserve, Restore and Celebrate the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse

What it reported doing in 2025

In 2025, Friends of the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse (FOCHL) continued advancing its mission to preserve, restore, and promote the historic Chicago Harbor Lighthouse. The organization achieved key milestones in the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act (NHLPA) transfer process, including submission of required materials and securing State Historic Preservation Office support. FOCHL expanded public engagement through educational outreach, volunteer initiatives, and increased digital communications, strengthening awareness of the lighthouses historic significance. The annual Light the Way fundraising event sold out and generated meaningful support for restoration efforts, complemented by successful Giving Tuesday participation and major donor commitments. FOCHL also enhanced member and visitor engagement through participation in the U.S. Lighthouse Society Passport Program and ongoing public presentations. The organization maintained its strong commitment to transparency, governance, and responsible stewardship as it builds toward long-term restoration and preservation of the lighthouse.

Operating model

Revenue model
Other-operating. 63% of the money available for current operations came from other operating revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and revenue comfortably covers expenses. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 24
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Sustainability: 81
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 13.2%; rating input score 13
  • Program expense ratio: 41.4%; rating input score 41

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 74.6%; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.29; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: 49.2% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 62% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 13.2% of revenue deployed · 41.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $17K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 4 people listed
  • Consistency: 6 of 6 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2023 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 13/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 41/100.