Inner-city Computer Stars Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
364253411
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
Phone
3126403850
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Employment Procurement Assistance

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,858,400
Expenses
$2,558,834
Assets
$10,065,613
Liabilities
$3,091,602

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • KARIN NORINGTON-REAVES (CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • SANDEE KASTRUL (CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER): $301,134 total reported compensation
  • ANDREW DUDDLESTON (COO): $201,727 total reported compensation
  • CHERYL CAMACHO (CHIEF LEARNING & PROGRAM OFFICER): $186,314 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

I.c.stars provides paid 4-month technology training to low-income adults, followed by 20 months of support. Through project-based learning and employer partnerships, participants gain technical skills, professional development, and industry connections to launch it careers. Our comprehensive approach includes leadership development and wraparound support services. Since 1999, the program has transformed participants into successful tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and homeowners while helping employers embrace non-traditional talent.

What it reported doing in 2024

During the four-month stub year, i.c.stars provided intensive workforce development training to 72 participants across chicago, milwaukee, and Kansas cityincluding 12 learners in the i.c.moms cohortadvancing pathways to economic mobility through technology and leadership education.participants completed a 14-week project-based curriculum focused on developing tech solutions while gaining durable skills such as critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and adaptability. The program emphasized employer engagement and social capital development through mentorship and networking opportunities.following the initial training, graduates entered a 20-month residency program offering continued support in employment readiness, barrier reduction, and attainment of industry-recognized credentials.approximately 90 volunteers contributed to learner success by facilitating mock interviews and job shadowing experiences, providing valuable industry insights.i.c.stars also hosted three major tech ecosystem events, including a 25th anniversary gala, collectively engaging approximately 650 attendees. Additionally, the organization led a hackathon focused on black maternal health in partnership with pfizer and the university of chicago.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 82% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 84
  • Transparency & Controls: 70
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 29
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 75%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: $8.64 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -37.7%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.93; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.31; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 50.7%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 10.1% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 13.9% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 28% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 75% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $301K · 17 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $230K reported
  • Consistency: 35 of 35 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2014 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 3 filed related-organization links
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 33/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 4/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 2/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 24/100.