Ojala Foundation
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 825330324
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2024–2025
- Forms available
- Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2023
- Location
- Berwyn, IL, USA
- Phone
- 3129334469
- Rating
- 68
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Islam
- Affiliation
- Islam
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $1,161,963
- Expenses
- $284,786
- Assets
- $1,565,246
- Liabilities
- $50,000
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
3 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- CHRISTOPHER PAVLICEK (PRESIDENT)
Highest reported compensation
- CHRISTOPHER PAVLICEK (PRESIDENT): $62,400 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
Ojala foundation, a nonprofit organization, prides itself on the bridges it builds between the muslim and latino communities, while also establishing and maintaining community spaces at the intersectionality of those identities. Inaugurated by latino muslims, we always endeavor to have an open and welcoming community, one united under islamic principles and education, and driving a positive force for our members and through our networks.
What it reported doing in 2025
Dawah & convert care: many reverts are extremely grateful to the individual who allowed us to reflect on the concept of god, to initiate our thought process on what it means to be muslim. This is our method to pay it forward. Ojala foundation sets up shop at various locations across chicago to invite people to learn about islam and muslims and welcome them to reflect on their own connection with the creator. Literature and material are distributed free of charge, extending to any individual who requests material through mail or virtual resources. Dawah is the responsibility of every muslim and an honor to fulfill. Our efforts continue to reach people who might have never considered islam. We are proof that it can be, that the journey might be difficult but that it is fruitful and possible. The journey has been taken by every member, whether born muslim or found through other's efforts of dawah. Through dialogue and education, we hope to bring a better understanding of our faith and build a stronger relationship with the diverse community in chicago.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 100% 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.
The verdict
SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 44
- Transparency & Controls: 92
- Accountability: 69
- Sustainability: 77
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 23.3%; rating input score 23
- Program expense ratio: 95%; rating input score 95
- Fundraising efficiency: Limited
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: Limited
- 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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
- Whistleblower policy: Fail
- Document-retention policy: Fail
- CEO compensation review process: Pass
- Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Missing
- Independent financial-statement audit: Fail
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 75.5%; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.5; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 21.9%; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 81.6% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 56.9% per year; rating input score 100; 96th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 63.4% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 23.3% of revenue deployed · 95% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 3 of 3 board members independent · 2 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $271K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $62K · 3 people listed
- Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
- Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 2 filing years from 2024 to 2025
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
- Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
- 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 23/100.
- High — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 7 not reported.
- High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 14/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 48/100.