Chicago Lights
Chicago Lights is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliated with Fourth Presbyterian Church that delivers youth development (tutoring, summer enrichment, urban farming) and adult social services (food, clothing, housing, case management) to underserved Near North and Cabrini-Green communities, funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Chicago Lights does
Chicago Lights is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization affiliated with Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, founded in 1964 as a tutoring program for youth in the Cabrini-Green neighborhood and incorporated as an independent nonprofit in 1991 before being renamed in 2004. The organization delivers four interconnected programs serving Chicago's underserved youth and adults: Tutoring (one-to-one academic mentoring for grades 1–12 with career development, internships, and scholarships), Summer Day (six-week summer enrichment for grades 1–9), Urban Farm (urban agriculture, workforce development, and food distribution in the Cabrini-Green area), and Social Service Center (food pantry, clothing shop, case management, housing support, street outreach, and the Open Doors Program for adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness).
The organization's service portfolio is free to participants; the only paid offering is community garden plot rental at $120 per season at the Urban Farm. Revenue is generated exclusively through charitable channels: individual donations, corporate sponsorships (Bank of America, Kirkland & Ellis, Ulta Beauty, Conagra, Comcast NBCUniversal, Aetna, Ballard Spahr), foundation grants (Greer, Caerus, Dancing Skies), planned giving, in-kind contributions, and special events including the Gala of Hope (raising $600,000+ in 2026) and Summer Soiree. Operations rely on a lean staff of approximately 15 full-time employees plus volunteers, with Fourth Presbyterian Church providing close to half of all volunteers and a majority of overhead costs.
Service delivery uses Salesforce as its primary CRM for volunteer, participant, and outcome tracking, and Zoom for virtual tutoring. Chicago Lights reports serving 3,000+ people annually and 50,000+ since 1964, with documented outcomes including a 100% high school graduation rate among participants versus a 76% Chicago Public Schools average. The organization holds a 2025 Candid Platinum Seal and Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating.
Chicago Lights firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chicago Lights
- Legal name
- Chicago Lights
- Website
- https://chicagolights.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Chicago Lights is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliated with Fourth Presbyterian Church that delivers youth development (tutoring, summer enrichment, urban farming) and adult social services (food, clothing, housing, case management) to underserved Near North and Cabrini-Green communities, funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chicago Lights industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Development and Social Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community & Adult Education (Municipal/Community Schools) (EDAAAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)
Keywords
Where Chicago Lights is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Chicago Lights business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through the website, mail, and planned giving programs. The organization runs direct donation campaigns and year-end giving appeals.
- Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial sponsorships, in-kind contributions, workplace giving, volunteer grants, and event sponsorships. Companies like Kirkland & Ellis, Ulta Beauty, Conagra, Bank of America, and others support programs.
- Foundation and Grant Funding: Foundation grants from organizations such as Greer Foundation, Caerus Foundation, Dancing Skies Foundation, and others provide programmatic funding.
- Special Events: Annual events including Gala of Hope and Summer Soiree generate significant revenue. The 2026 Gala raised over $600,000.
- Planned Giving: Bequests, retirement assets, charitable gift annuities, and other planned giving vehicles provide long-term sustainable revenue.
- In-Kind Donations: Donations of goods (clothing, food, Amazon Wish List items) and services support Social Service Center and program operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Seasonal | Community Garden Plot Rental - $120/season |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Chicago Lights product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chicago Lights provides free youth development programs (one-to-one tutoring for grades 1-12, six-week Summer Day enrichment, and Urban Farm workforce development) and adult social services (food pantry, clothing shop, case management, housing support, and street outreach). All programs are delivered to Chicago youth and adults, particularly those from under-resourced communities including the Cabrini-Green neighborhood.
Product overview
Chicago Lights is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of four interconnected youth development and adult social service programs. The core offerings include: Tutoring (one-to-one academic mentoring for grades 1-12), Summer Day (six-week summer enrichment), Urban Farm (urban agriculture with workforce development), and Social Service Center (food, clothing, and case management for adults). These programs share a unified mission of building brighter futures by providing academic support, career development, job training, and basic needs services to youth and adults in Chicago's underserved communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tutoring
- Summer Day
- Urban Farm
- Social Service Center
- Community Garden Plot Rental
- Gala of Hope
- Summer Soiree
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% high school graduation rate for participants (vs. 76% Chicago Public Schools average)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Chicago Lights
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Chicago Lights technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Chicago Lights partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Fourth Presbyterian ChurchcoreChicago Lights is the youth development and adult social services nonprofit at Fourth Presbyterian Church. The church provides significant operational support including volunteers, funding, and overhead costs. The organization grew from the church's commitment to social justice and compassionate service.
- After School MatterscoreChicago nonprofit that provides out-of-school time programs. Partnership supports youth programming and workforce development opportunities.
- Greater Chicago Food DepositorycoreFood bank supplying the Social Service Center's food pantry through bi-monthly deliveries. Partnership ensures consistent food supply for distribution to those in need.
- Winfield Moody Health CentersupportingLocal health clinic partnered with Urban Farm for produce distribution to diabetes prevention patients in Cabrini-Green.
- AmeriCorpssupportingNational service program partnering with Illinois Justice Corps for volunteer fellows.
- Illinois Bar FoundationsupportingLegal nonprofit partnering with AmeriCorps and Chicago Bar Foundation for Illinois Justice Corps program.
- Chicago Bar FoundationsupportingLegal nonprofit partnering for Illinois Justice Corps program providing filing assistance to self-representing individuals.
Scale indicators17 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chicago Lights competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- After School Matters: Chicago-based nonprofit providing out-of-school-time programming and workforce development for teens — directly comparable youth development mission and explicitly listed as a Chicago Lights partner for shared programming.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago: Chicago affiliate of the national youth development network offering after-school academic support, mentoring, and enrichment — competing for similar donor and volunteer pools serving similar K-12 youth populations.
- Inspiration Corporation: Chicago nonprofit addressing homelessness and poverty through workforce training and social services — directly comparable to Chicago Lights' Social Service Center wraparound support for adults experiencing housing insecurity.
- Growing Home: Chicago-based nonprofit operating urban farms with workforce development for individuals with employment barriers — directly comparable to Chicago Lights Urban Farm's dual food-production and youth job-training mission.
- Thresholds: Chicago nonprofit serving individuals with mental health and substance use challenges, including homelessness services — comparable Social Service Center adult programming; Chicago Lights has hired from Thresholds, evidencing close labor-market overlap.
Broad incumbents
- YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago: Large established Chicago nonprofit offering youth development, summer programming, and community services at scale. Overlaps with Chicago Lights' tutoring, summer day, and social service offerings, with broader geographic reach.
- Chicago Urban League: Established Chicago civil rights and youth empowerment nonprofit offering education, workforce, and social service programs — comparable multi-program community development model with broader scale and national affiliation.
- Greater Chicago Food Depository: Chicago's regional food bank supplying the Chicago Lights Social Service Center food pantry through bi-monthly deliveries — comparable anti-hunger mission operating at significantly larger scale.
Emerging players
- Hubbard Street Dance Chicago: Chicago arts organization providing youth programming and where Chicago Lights' Foundation Relations Officer previously worked — comparable Chicago nonprofit in youth arts enrichment and shared grant-making ecosystem.
Regional players
- Teen Parent Connection: Chicago-area nonprofit supporting young parents through education and life-skills programming — comparable youth life-skills, transition support, and case management model serving similar Near North/near-West Side populations.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chicago Lights social profiles
Digital presenceChicago Lights financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chicago Lights leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Chicago Lights funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chicago Lights M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chicago Lights
What does Chicago Lights do?
Chicago Lights provides free youth development programs (one-to-one tutoring for grades 1-12, six-week Summer Day enrichment, and Urban Farm workforce development) and adult social services (food pantry, clothing shop, case management, housing support, and street outreach). All programs are delivered to Chicago youth and adults, particularly those from under-resourced communities including the Cabrini-Green neighborhood.
Is Chicago Lights a public or private company?
Chicago Lights is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Chicago Lights founded?
Chicago Lights was founded in 1964. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Chicago Lights based?
Chicago Lights is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chicago Lights make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships, foundation and Grant Funding, special Events, planned Giving and in-Kind Donations.
Who are Chicago Lights's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are After School Matters, Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, Inspiration Corporation, Growing Home and Thresholds. Broad incumbents are YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago Urban League and Greater Chicago Food Depository. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is listed as an emerging player. Teen Parent Connection is listed as a regional player.
Does Chicago Lights have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chicago Lights.
What industry is Chicago Lights in?
Chicago Lights's product category is Youth Development and Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAEAB, Community & Adult Education (Municipal/Community Schools), with a secondary code of EDAAAOAD, Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.