Quinn Adamowski, President at Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project | https://media.licdn.com/
Quinn Adamowski, President at Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project | https://media.licdn.com/
This appropriation represents state-level funding authorized by lawmakers, reflecting what was approved in the budget, not necessarily disbursed. The funds cover only State of Illinois support and exclude federal, local, or other public sources.
Founded in 2002, Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project Fund states that its mission is: “The Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project Fund was created for the development of tourism, through education and interpretation, preservation, and promotion of the former US Illinois Route 66 in Illinois.”
You can learn more about the organization at its website.
In its most recent IRS Form 990 filing filing for tax year 2024, the organization reported $1,560,160 in total revenue. Of that, $1,242,760 came from government grants including federal, state, or local sources, making up 79.7% of total revenue.
The nonprofit listed $1,272,300 in contributions overall.
At the beginning of 2024, Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project Fund had $168,715 in assets. By the end of 2024, that figure had changed to $149,464, indicating an 11.4% decline in overall holdings.
According to its filing, public funding to Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project Fund surged in the last year. The group received $25,320 in government grants in 2023, compared to $1,242,760 in 2024—an increase of 4808.2% year-over-year.
However, a Chicago City Wire analysis found that IRS filings frequently contain discrepancies when compared with publicly disclosed government grant reports and budgets.
Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project Fund is one of hundreds of nonprofits across Illinois that receive substantial support from state taxpayers while also fundraising privately.
In 2025, Illinois lawmakers introduced House Bill 1266, also known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Act. The proposal would create a new oversight body within the Office of the Auditor General tasked with identifying cost-saving measures, reviewing agency performance, and advising on audit priorities. If passed, DOGE could bring additional scrutiny and performance evaluation to taxpayer-funded organizations.
According to ProPublica, Illinois has more than 78,000 active tax-exempt organizations, including nearly 60,000 classified as charitable nonprofits. In their most recent IRS filings, these groups reported a combined revenue exceeding $156 billion.
| Term | Name | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2024 | Beth Buenger | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Bob Navarro | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Casey Claypool | Executive Director |
| 2024-2024 | Geoffrey N Ladd | Assistant Director |
| 2024-2024 | Jeff Woodard | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Joi Cuartero Austin | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Liz Vincent | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Quinn Adamowski | President |
| 2024-2024 | Sarah Waggoner | Treasurer |
| 2024-2024 | William E Thomas Jr | Secretary |
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