Chicago Coalition for the Homeless

What Chicago Coalition for the Homeless does

Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness (CCH), formerly Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1980 and legally incorporated in 1982, headquartered at 70 E Lake St., Suite 720, Chicago. It organizes, advocates, and provides direct services to prevent and end homelessness across Chicago and Illinois — explicitly refusing government funding to maintain independence. CCH serves people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, with primary segments including unaccompanied youth (ages 14-24), students experiencing homelessness, families, justice-involved individuals, and people seeking public benefits. Its program portfolio spans four pillars: (1) the Law Project — the only legal aid program in Illinois exclusively focused on homelessness, covering housing, education, public benefits, family law, and civil rights; (2) organizing and advocacy — including the State Network of 30+ housing providers, the Homeless Youth Committee of 30+ organizations, and the Bring Chicago Home campaign; (3) direct services — including the Youth Futures mobile legal clinic, Streetlight Chicago mobile app (built with Young Invincibles), the Edrika Fulford Mutual Aid Fund ($500 biannual cash grants; $500K+ distributed to 1,100+ households since May 2020), and the College Scholarship Program ($860K+ awarded to 100 students since 2004); and (4) data and research — anchored by a census-based methodology for estimating doubled-up homelessness, co-developed with Vanderbilt University and Heartland Alliance Social IMPACT Research Center and published in Housing Policy Debate. The organization holds a Charity Navigator four-star rating and Candid Platinum Transparency 2026 designation, with EIN 363292607.

CCH's revenue model is donation-dependent and diversified across at least six streams: individual donations (one-time, recurring monthly, stock), corporate philanthropy (Justice Circle membership, matching gifts, payroll giving), planned giving (bequests, donor-advised funds, QCDs from IRAs), foundation grants, event fundraising (Hope for Homes, Winter Walk Chicago, Justice Circle gatherings), and merchandise sales through Raygun Custom. It also accepts cryptocurrency donations. Pricing is not applicable as services are free to recipients; the Justice Circle operates as an annual giving program for legal-community supporters of the Law Project. Distribution is regional (Chicago and Illinois), delivered through direct outreach, a toll-free Law Project helpline, mobile legal clinics, the Streetlight Chicago app, and a network of partner schools, shelters, and Continuums of Care. Headcount sits at 11-50 employees with 30+ named staff across Administration, Development, Communications, Organizing, Advocacy & Public Policy, and Law Project departments, led by Executive Director Doug Schenkelberg and Board President Richard Ducatenzeiler (CEO of The Boulevard).

Name

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless

Legal name

Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness

Website

https://chicagohomeless.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1980 that prevents and ends homelessness in Chicago and Illinois through community organizing, policy advocacy, free legal aid, mutual aid cash grants, and youth-focused programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness Advocacy and Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services (EDAJAEAG), Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL)

Keywords

• Homelessness advocacy services
• Legal aid nonprofit
• Community organizing
• Policy advocacy nonprofit
• Social services coalition

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individual donors made through online portal, mail, recurring monthly contributions, and stock gifts
2. Corporate Philanthropy: Justice Circle membership supporting the Law Project, matching gifts from employers, payroll giving programs, cryptocurrency donations
3. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts through will bequests, Donor-Advised Funds, Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs
4. Foundation Grants: Grant funding from private foundations supporting advocacy, organizing, legal aid, and research programs
5. Event Fundraising: Revenue from events including Hope for Homes virtual event, Winter Walk Chicago, Justice Circle gatherings
6. Merchandise Sales: CCH branded merchandise including t-shirts, sweatshirts, and beanies sold through Raygun Custom

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness is a nonprofit organization that delivers free direct services, legal aid, policy advocacy, and community organizing to prevent and end homelessness across Chicago and Illinois. Its core programs include the Law Project (legal aid for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness), the Streetlight Chicago app and website (resources for unstably housed youth), the Edrika Fulford Mutual Aid Fund (cash grants), the College Scholarship Program, Youth Futures mobile legal clinic, the Speakers Bureau, and the Homelessness Data Project (annual research estimates).

Product overview

Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness (CCH) is a nonprofit organization that operates as a coalition-based advocacy and direct services organization, not a technology product company. The organization offers a portfolio of programs and services focused on preventing and ending homelessness through community organizing, policy advocacy, legal aid, and community education. Key programs include: the Law Project (legal aid), Streetlight Chicago (mobile app for youth resources), Edrika Fulford Mutual Aid Fund (emergency cash grants), College Scholarship Program, Youth Futures (mobile legal clinic), Horizons Creative Writing Program, Speakers Bureau, Homelessness Data Project (research), and Know Your Rights Materials. These programs are offered as distinct service initiatives rather than a unified software product with modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Streetlight Chicago: A free app and website with up-to-date resources for young people experiencing housing instability, providing information on accessing shelters, drop-in centers, health care, food, and much more.
• Illinois Bill of Rights for the Homeless Act
• Horizons Creative Writing Program
• Edrika Fulford Mutual Aid Fund
• The Law Project
• Youth Futures

Products and services

• Law Project Legal Aid Program The Law Project provides free legal services exclusively for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Illinois. It covers educational rights, public benefits (SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, SSI), family law, housing, civil rights, and criminal records relief. Available to adults, youth, and families through a toll-free helpline and direct representation.
• Streetlight Chicago Mobile App and Website A free iOS and Android mobile app and website (streetlightchicago.org) that connects unstably housed young people with up-to-date resources including shelters, drop-in centers, health care, food, and other essential services. Built specifically for youth experiencing housing instability in Chicago.
• Edrika Fulford Mutual Aid Fund A biannual $500 cash grant program providing emergency grants to Illinois individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Since May 2020, has distributed over $500,000 to more than 1,100 households.
• College Scholarship Program Provides renewable $4,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors who experienced homelessness and succeeded in school. Since 2004, has awarded over $860,000 to 100 students.
• Youth Futures Mobile Legal Clinic A mobile legal clinic for youth ages 14-24, providing on-site legal services at schools, shelters, and drop-in centers across Chicago. Helps young people with pressing legal needs including access to housing, health care, education, and public benefits.
• Horizons Creative Writing Program Creative writing workshops offered at shelters across Chicago, culminating in an annual community showcase where participants share their stories.
• Speakers Bureau Grassroots leaders with lived experience of homelessness provide educational presentations about homelessness issues at schools, universities, and civic groups, reaching approximately 2,000 people per year.
• Homelessness Data Project An annual research estimate of Chicago's homeless population—including people temporarily staying with others (doubled-up)—using a peer-reviewed census-based methodology co-developed with Vanderbilt University and Heartland Alliance Social IMPACT Research Center.
• Housing Insecurity and Homelessness in Illinois Among the Pregnant and Parenting (HIHIPP) A 10-year action plan to prevent and end homelessness for expectant parents, young children, and their families in Illinois, developed in collaboration with Start Early and the UIC Center for Research on Women and Gender.
• Policy & Budget Advocacy Advocacy for policies and funding at city and state levels to prevent and end homelessness, including the Bring Chicago Home campaign for dedicated revenue streams for permanent affordable housing, the State Network mobilizing 30+ housing providers, and an annual legislative agenda.
• Community Organizing Grassroots organizing that centers people who have experienced homelessness. Includes the Homeless Youth Committee (30+ organizations), State Grassroots Leadership Table, Reentry Project, and related leadership development programs.
• Illinois Homeless Youth Handbook An online legal resource for young people ages 14-24, created with Baker McKenzie law firm. Provides youth-focused legal information and self-help resources.
• Know Your Rights Materials Over 20 types of educational materials covering health care, public benefits access, educational rights, obtaining legal identification documents, and sealing/expunging cannabis records. Made freely available to the public.

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Vanderbilt UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partnership to develop census-based methodology for estimating doubled-up homelessness using U.S. Census American Community Survey data. Published in peer-reviewed journal Housing Policy Debate.
• Heartland Alliance Social IMPACT Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partnership to develop methodology for quantifying doubled-up homelessness. Also collaborated on TANF participatory research project examining inequities in accessing TANF program in Illinois.
• Start EarlycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on Housing Insecurity and Homelessness in Illinois Among the Pregnant and Parenting (HIHIPP) project, developing a 10-year action plan to prevent and end homelessness for expectant parents, young children, and families.
• University of Illinois Chicago Center for Research on Women and GendercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in HIHIPP project alongside Start Early, developing action plan for pregnant/parenting individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Young InvinciblescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create Streetlight Chicago, a free app and website with resources for unstably housed young people.
• Baker McKenziesupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm partnership to create the Illinois Homeless Youth Handbook, an online legal resource for young people ages 14-24.
• ACLU of IllinoiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Housing Not Handcuffs campaign to decriminalize homelessness. Together persuaded 12 Illinois cities to repeal unconstitutional panhandling ordinances. Challenged state's vehicle solicitation statute on First Amendment grounds.
• Schiff Hardin LLPsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm partnership challenging state's vehicle solicitation statute on behalf of individuals experiencing homelessness, resulting in damages and law repeal.
• Porter WrightsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm partnership obtaining settlement for young client assaulted and falsely arrested by Chicago Police.
• Cabrini Green Legal AidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Restoring Rights and Opportunities Coalition of Illinois (RROCI) working on statewide reentry measures, enacting ten laws supporting housing and jobs access.
• Family PromisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner advocating for HUD to amend definition of homelessness to include people living doubled-up.
• National Network for YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy partner for amending HUD's homelessness definition to include doubled-up population.
• SchoolHouse ConnectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy partner for policy change on youth homelessness and amending HUD's definition.
• Housing Action IllinoiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide coalition partner for affordable housing advocacy. Co-led Community Safety Through Stable Homes Act (SB 2264) and Decriminalization of Homelessness (HB 1429) legislation efforts.
• Shriver CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fair Credit Reporting Act case settlement for formerly homeless mother of four denied subsidized housing due to inaccurate background report.
• Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dbn LtdsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fair Credit Reporting Act case resulting in $21,500 settlement for client denied housing.
• ForefrontcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Health and Human Services and Contracting groups in Community Partner Fair Contracting Act (HB4340) advocacy after three years of collaboration.
• Illinois Partners for Human ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Health and Human Services and Contracting groups in advocacy for community-based organizations.
• Supportive Housing Providers Association (SHPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizational partner advocating against cuts to Home Illinois program and for housing and homelessness services funding.
• Community Renewal SocietysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer partner in RROCI coalition working on statewide reentry measures.
• Inclusive Economy Lab (University of Chicago)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on 6-month qualitative research project evaluating Edrika Fulford Mutual Aid Fund impact.
• Greater Chicago Food DepositorysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Save Our SNAP coalition advocating for emergency food assistance during federal benefit cuts.
• Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust FundsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner1994 settlement launched first funding for Trust Fund, now subsidizing rental housing for 2,500 very low-income households.
• Chicago Housing AuthoritysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner2013 partnership to adopt pilot program allowing select justice-involved people to access subsidized housing.
• Housing Authority of Cook CountysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner2016 partnership to adopt pilot program for justice-involved individuals to access public housing.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Alliance to End Homelessness: The leading national advocacy organization working to end homelessness in the U.S. Direct comparable to CCH in mission (policy advocacy, public education, research) but operating at the federal level rather than a single state.
• National Low Income Housing Coalition: National advocacy organization dedicated solely to achieving socially just public policy that ensures people with the lowest incomes have affordable and decent homes. Highly comparable to CCH on federal housing policy advocacy and research dissemination.
• National Coalition for the Homeless: National advocacy network founded in 1982 with mission closely parallel to CCH's. Comparable in policy advocacy, public education, and grassroots organizing focus on homelessness as a national issue.

Direct peers

• Heartland Alliance: Chicago-based anti-poverty and human services organization that co-developed CCH's census-based homelessness methodology. Operates overlapping direct services (housing, legal aid, healthcare for people experiencing homelessness) in the same geography.
• Housing Action Illinois: Statewide coalition partner of CCH advocating for affordable housing in Illinois. Co-leads legislation including the Community Safety Through Stable Homes Act (SB 2264), making it a direct peer in state-level housing and homelessness advocacy.
• Family Promise: National nonprofit working to end family homelessness, partnering with CCH on advocacy to amend HUD's homelessness definition to include doubled-up households. Comparable in advocacy-and-direct-services hybrid model.
• Cabrini Green Legal Aid: Chicago-based legal aid organization and CCH's RROCI coalition partner. Provides free legal services to people affected by the criminal-legal system facing housing instability — directly overlapping CCH's Law Project focus on housing and reentry.
• Legal Aid Chicago: Major Chicago civil legal aid provider and former employer of several CCH Law Project staff. Comparable in mission (free legal services for low-income Chicagoans) and has overlapping practice areas in housing and public benefits.
• SchoolHouse Connection: National organization working to overcome homelessness through education, a national advocacy partner of CCH on youth homelessness and HUD definition reform. Directly comparable in serving students experiencing homelessness and McKinney-Vento advocacy.

Regional players

• Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust Fund: Chicago-focused rental subsidy program that emerged from a 1994 CCH-supported settlement, now subsidizing 2,500 very low-income households. CCH staff also serve on its board. Highly comparable geographically and mission-aligned.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chihomeless

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chicago Coalition for the Homeless