ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE PLATFORM FOR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE PLATFORM FOR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS

September 10, 2025

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced a new online portal and updated database created to help charitable organizations more easily comply with state law and to improve potential donors' access to information about charitable organization before making donations. The new system will allow charitable organizations to fill out and submit required forms to the Attorney General's Charitable Trust Bureau, request filing extensions if needed and pay required fees electronically. Potential donors will be able to better search for charitable organizations' registration and financial information using the office's newly updated Charitable Trust Database.

"The new online filing system will greatly improve the ability of charitable organizations to interact with my office's Charitable Trust Bureau, making it easy for organizations to comply with Illinois law," Raoul said. "Potential donors in Illinois have a right to know about charitable organizations before donating, including how their donations will be spent. The updated Charitable Trust Database gives the public enhanced access to real-time information on charities they are considering supporting."

State law requires all charitable organizations that solicit donations or hold charitable assets in Illinois to register with the Attorney General's Charitable Trust Bureau. Approximately 35,000 charitable organizations are currently registered with the office, with around 150 to 200 new charitable organizations filing to become registered every month.

Before the creation of the online filing system, organizations were required to complete registration forms and reports on paper and submit them through the mail. In addition, any fees had to be submitted via a paper check. The new online system is entirely paperless, allowing organizations to complete and sign forms, pay fees and submit reports online.

Charitable organizations that utilize the new portal will have an online account that can be used to check the status of submissions to the Charitable Trust Bureau, request an extension to file necessary paperwork if needed and request a letter of good standing. Members of the public will also be able to access the updated database for real-time updates to ensure charitable organizations are compliant with state law and current with their registrations to the office. An online filing system for professional fundraisers and professional consultants is currently being developed.

Attorney General Raoul's Charitable Trust Bureau acts to ensure compliance with statutory registration and reporting requirements, reviews transactions involving charitable assets, investigates possible breaches of fiduciary duty, misuses of charitable assets, and improper solicitation activities and, when appropriate, brings court actions seeking relief.

More information can be found on the Attorney General's website or by calling the Charitable Trust Bureau at 312-814-2595.