2025-11-07T10:53:56-06:00 2024-12-31 881478669 CBIZ ADVISORS LLC 9 PARKWAY NORTH SUITE 200 DEERFIELD IL 60015 990 2024-01-01 360802950 BETTER GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION INC BETT 3124278330 223 W JACKSON BOULEVARD 300 CHICAGO IL 60606 DAVID GREISING PRESIDENT & CEO 3124278330 2025-11-07 1 1 ARIANA N JORDAN P01441395 8472826300 2025-11-07 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z CHRISTOPHER SHOUP 223 W JACKSON BOULEVARD 300 CHICAGO IL 60606 7524553 0 X WWW.BETTERGOV.ORG X 1923 IL THE ORGANIZATION WORKS TO FIGHT WASTE, CORRUPTION, AND INEFFICIENCY IN GOVERNMENT, IN ILLINOIS, BY USING INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM TECHNIQUES, LITIGATION, AND PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES TO EXPOSE PROBLEMS, INFORM CITIZENS ABOUT THE OPERATIONS OF THEIR GOVERNMENT AND LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR SUBSTANTIVE LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS. 27 27 34 27 0 0 4535633 4311332 0 0 -62327 355599 -126276 -118384 4347030 4548547 0 0 0 0 3322030 3684574 0 0 805391 1093958 1031462 4415988 4716036 -68958 -167489 3981316 5353536 176644 1661698 3804672 3691838 X THE BETTER GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION, INC. (THE ORGANIZATION") WORKS TO FIGHT WASTE, CORRUPTION, AND INEFFICIENCY IN GOVERNMENT, IN ILLINOIS BY USING INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM TECHNIQUES, LITIGATION, AND PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES TO EXPOSE PROBLEMS, INFORM CITIZENS ABOUT THE OPERATIONS OF THEIR GOVERNMENT AND LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR SUBSTANTIVE LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS. 0 0 2143426 INVESTIGATIVE: THE BGA'S TEAM OF AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISTS EXAMINES THE USE AND MISUSE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN CHICAGO, THE SUBURBS, AND THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. IT EXPOSES MISCONDUCT, HYPOCRISY AND WASTE WHILE ALSO BREAKING DOWN COMPLEX ISSUES THROUGH IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATIVE STORIES, DETAILED EXPLANATORY PIECES, AND POLITIFACT FACT-CHECKS. IT WORKS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE BGA'S ADVOCACY EFFORTS. 628697 CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: IS A VITAL CONDUIT BETWEEN THE NEWSROOM, POLICY TEAM AND THE PUBLIC BY INITIATING AND PARTICIPATING IN MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH RESIDENTS AND FOSTERING ALLIANCES WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHILE CHALLENGING AND DISMANTLING BREAKDOWNS IN GOVERNMENT AND SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES IN SOCIETY. 610706 POLICY TEAM: THE BGA'S POLICY TEAM ADVOCATES FOR A MORE TRANSPARENT, ACCOUNTABLE, AND EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY REFORMS. WE WORK TO PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN ILLINOIS' FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT AND OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND TO PROPOSE POLICY SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT CORRUPTION, INEFFICIENCY, AND WASTE IN GOVERNMENT. THE POLICY TEAM ADVOCATES FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT ACROSS ILLINOIS BY CRAFTING LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. WE TRACK TRENDS AND RESEARCH BEST PRACTICES IN GOOD GOVERNMENT AND PUBLISH ANALYSES AND PERSPECTIVES ON OUR WEBSITE AND WITH MEDIA PARTNERS. 3382829 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 26 0 1 34 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 27 27 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 IL X X CHRISTOPHER SHOUP 3128219029 223 W JACKSON BLVD SUITE 300 CHICAGO IL 60606 ANNE DOOLEY DIR. UNTIL 11/24, THEN VICE CHAIR 1.00 X 0 0 0 D CARROLL JOYNES DIR. UNTIL 11/24, THEN VICE CHAIR 1.00 X 0 0 0 STEVE MILLER VICE CHAIR - UNTIL 12/24 1.00 X X 0 0 0 HEATHER STEANS VICE CHAIR UNTIL 11/24, THEN CHAIR 1.00 X 0 0 0 ROBERT LEVIN TREASURER - UNTIL 12/24 1.00 X 0 0 0 NYKIA WRIGHT SECRETARY 1.00 X X 0 0 0 JORGE CABRERA DIRECTOR - UNTIL 06/24 1.00 X 0 0 0 PHIL CALIAN DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 KEVIN COOK DIRECTOR - UNTIL 12/24 1.00 X 0 0 0 FELICIA DAVIS-BLAKELY DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 PAULETTE DODSON CHAIR UNTIL 11/24, THEN DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 TIM FRANKLIN DIRECTOR - UNTIL 06/24 1.00 X 0 0 0 ALICIA GARCIA-ABNER DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 HILL HAMMOCK DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 GEETA MALHOTRA DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 JACK MODZELEWSKI DIRECTOR - UNTIL 12/24 1.00 X 0 0 0 JESSICA NOLAN DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 CHRIS ROONEY DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 MARK RUST DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 BRIAN SHER DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 SCOTT SOLOMON DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 JOHN SVOBODA DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 WADE THOMSON DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 MARYANN WARYJAS DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 JILL WINE-BANKS DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 DAVID GREISING PRESIDENT & CEO 40.00 X 387058 0 14696 CHRISTOPHER SHOUP VP OF OPERATIONS 40.00 X 222500 0 6380 RUBY BAILEY EDITOR IN CHIEF 40.00 X 211108 0 15835 BRYAN ZAROU VP OF POLICY 40.00 X 185000 0 9097 AMBER BEL CHER VP, DEVELOPMENT 40.00 X 185000 0 9251 STEVE WARMBIR INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR 40.00 X 151688 0 32655 MADISON HOPKINS SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER 40.00 X 135400 0 2156 PETER NICKEAS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER 40.00 X 113922 0 19158 1591676 0 109228 8 0 1 0 0 1324493 2986839 9919 4311332 87109 87109 3111352 2842862 268490 268490 268490 14760 1324493 133144 -118384 -118384 4548547 0 0 237215 1245924 816707 108839 320378 1881579 1507333 137400 236846 40324 33758 2862 3704 297609 240916 17003 39690 219138 163090 17206 38842 26208 26208 99635 99635 9702 9702 33948 10259 23689 8904 8904 44959 8209 11625 25125 30247 22847 2819 4581 157345 117720 15982 23643 55695 51744 1387 2564 26741 9312 12523 4906 45082 13951 27621 3510 101423 49790 29850 21783 EVENTS 135377 136474 -1097 PRODUCITIVTY AIDS 126803 62473 7103 57227 CONTENT 93086 93035 51 0 POLICY & GOV AFFAIRS 36307 36307 4716036 3382829 527816 805391 429660 506078 892395 2742276 540266 135589 36414 45932 313449 289718 27985 23731 1865955 1288761 188641 611169 3981316 5353536 176644 661698 1000000 176644 1661698 X 3084111 3197172 720561 494666 3804672 3691838 3981316 5353536 -167489 54655 0 X 0 1 X 0 0 X 2949728 3120260 4189628 4535633 4301413 19096662 2949728 3120260 4189628 4535633 4301413 19096662 7479483 11617179 24920 32688 51971 93060 87109 289748 19386410 19345 0.59920 0.66400 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 10557 6202 4355 228673 214472 14201 74219 69044 5175 23731 OPERATING LEASE RIGHT-OF-USE-ASSET 517985 WEBSITE & SOFTWARE 86793 LEASE DEPOSIT 6391 611169 X 4729644 54655 3000 57655 4671989 9702 -133144 -123442 4548547 4842478 3000 133144 136144 4706334 9702 9702 4716036 PART X, LINE 2: THE ORGANIZATION EVALUATES ALL SIGNIFICANT TAX POSITIONS AS REQUIRED BY GAAP. THE ORGANIZATION DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT IT HAS TAKEN ANY TAX POSITIONS THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE RECORDING OF ANY ADDITIONAL TAX LIABILITY NOR DOES IT BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ANY UNREALIZED TAX BENEFITS THAT WOULD EITHER INCREASE OR DECREASE WITHIN THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS. IF THE ORGANIZATION WERE TO INCUR AN INCOME TAX LIABILITY IN THE FUTURE, THE INTEREST ON ANY TAX LIABILITY WOULD BE REPORTED AS INTEREST EXPENSE AND PENALTIES ON ANY INCOME TAX LIABILITY WOULD BE REPORTED AS INCOME TAX EXPENSE. THE ORGANIZATION'S INCOME TAX RETURNS ARE SUBJECT TO EXAMINATION BY THE APPROPRIATE TAXING JURISDICTIONS. THE ORGANIZATION'S INCOME TAX RETURNS GENERALLY REMAIN OPEN FOR EXAMINATION FOR THREE YEARS FROM THE DATE FILED WITH EACH TAXING JURISDICTION AND THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO EXAMINATIONS PENDING OR IN PROGRESS. PART XI, LINE 4B - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: FUNDRAISING EXPENSES -133,144. PART XII, LINE 2D - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: FUNDRAISING EXPENSES 133,144. ANNUAL LUNCHEON 1339253 1324493 14760 15602 36880 80662 1339253 1324493 14760 15602 36880 80662 133144 -118384 X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 DAVID GREISING PRESIDENT & CEO 314558 0 72500 0 0 0 12357 0 2339 0 401754 0 0 0 CHRISTOPHER SHOUP VP OF OPERATIONS 200000 0 22500 0 0 0 3919 0 2461 0 228880 0 0 0 RUBY BAILEY EDITOR IN CHIEF 206108 0 5000 0 0 0 4802 0 11033 0 226943 0 0 0 AMBER BEL CHER VP, DEVELOPMENT 180000 0 5000 0 0 0 7437 0 1814 0 194251 0 0 0 BRYAN ZAROU VP OF POLICY 180000 0 5000 0 0 0 7437 0 1660 0 194097 0 0 0 STEVE WARMBIR INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR 148688 0 3000 0 0 0 6163 0 26492 0 184343 0 0 0 PART I, LINE 7 ALL BONUSES REPORTED IN THIS RETURN WERE AWARDED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. BONUS AMOUNTS ARE REPORTED FOR THE FOLLOWING: DAVID GREISING | $72,500 RUBY BAILEY | $5,000 AMBER BEL CHER | $5,000 BRYAN ZAROU | $5,000 CHRISTOPHER SHOUP | $22,500 STEVE WARMBIR | $3,000 MADISON HOPKINS | $1,500 PETER NICKEAS | $1,500 FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B THE VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS, PRESIDENT, AND CEO WILL ENSURE THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE FORM 990 BEFORE IT IS FILED. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C POLICY IS REVIEWED WITH SENIOR STAFF EACH YEAR FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 CONTRACT WAS CREATED IN 2023 AND IS REVIEWED ANNUALLY WITH THE CHAIRPERSON AND SELECT BOARD MEMBERS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 THE ORGANIZATION MAKES ITS BYLAWS AVAILABLE ON ITS WEBSITE AND THE CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST POLICY AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UPON REQUEST.