Open Foundations · Illinois

Helen Brach Foundation

Chicago, Illinois · EIN 237376427. Its Form 990-PF says giving is not restricted to organizations picked in advance, which is how a private foundation files that it accepts unsolicited requests. It paid $5.8M across 534 grants in 2024, a median of $10K each.

All Illinois foundations · All states

$5.8M
paid in 2024
534
grants paid
$10K
median grant
8%
to first-time recipients
$127.9M
assets on file

How to apply, as filed

Straight off Part XV of the return. Where the foundation left a line blank, this says so rather than guessing.

Send requests to
Joseph J Griseta
Address
104 S Michigan Ave Suite 1310, Chicago, IL, 60603
Phone
3123724471
Email
Not stated in the filing
Form the request should take
Application form, available upon request
Submission deadline
December 31 for consideration in year ending March 31
Restrictions on awards
Must be organization exempt under Sect 501c3

As filed on the Form 990-PF for tax year 2024, IRS filing object id 202501709349100105. Printed word for word, including the entries that only say to see a website or an attachment.

What it funds, in its own words

The words that come up most often across the purposes it wrote on its 2024 grants. These are the foundation's own words, not a category we assigned.

matchingdiscretionarywhichchildrenstudentsincluding

Biggest grants in 2024

The 15 largest of the 534 grants paid in 2024, with the purpose the foundation wrote for each.

#RecipientStateAmountPurpose as filed
1Big Shoulders FundIL$100,000To provide scholarships, leadership development for school leaders and educators and academic enrichment programs
2Loyola University of ChicagoIL$100,000For the LU-CHOICE teacher program, the Arrupe Hardship Fund, Nursing student visits to Pine Ridge, and the School of Law
3Lincoln Park ZooIL$75,000To provide an admission-free wildlife experience while advancing the highest quality animal care, education, science and conservation
4MisericordiaIL$75,000To support variety of programs and services for residents with moderate to profound intellectual and developmental disabilities
5Access Living of ChicagoIL$50,000To support the Access Living Youth Institute to give youth with disabilities the tools they need to live independent lives
6Catholic Charities ChicagoIL$50,000For general operating support in Fiscal Year 2025
7Catholic Extension Soc UsaIL$50,000For the needs of mission dioceses, including support of religious education and faith formation programs, building churches and facilities
8Catholic Theological UnionIL$50,000To support the Brach Scholars-Leaders in Ministry program for exceptional students pursuing graduate degree in theology
9Chicago Zoological Society Brookfield ZooIL$50,000For the Dept. of Animal Health, Welfare and Science supporting scientific initiatives in animal welfare and daily care of animals
10Dominican UniversityIL$50,000For the Brach Hardship Fund the St. Catherine of Siena Center and the Caritas Veritas Symposium
11Greater Chicago Food DepositoryIL$50,000To support the Food Purchase for Hunger Relief Initiatives so community members have access to healthy food
12Nijc- National Immigrant Justice CtrIL$50,000To support the National Immigrant Justice Center to defend justice and human rights in a complex immigration system
13Northern Il Food BankIL$50,000To provide nutritious food through new and established programs to meet increased demand across 13 counties
14Red Cloud Indian SchoolSD$50,000To support K-12th grade Spiritual Formation Program for Lakota students for 2024-2025 school year
15St Ignatius College PrepIL$50,000To support the Saint Ignatius- 1055 Roosevelt Building athletic training space to provide medical examination areas and equipment

Giving by year, and who received it

Grants paid by year

Every year of this foundation's grants that Civly holds
Tax yearGrantsPaid
2020521$4.4M
2021564$6.3M
2022538$6.8M
2023508$6.5M
2024534$5.8M

Where the money went

Share of 2024 grant dollars by recipient state
Illinois79%
Ohio5%
District of Columbia3%
New York2%
Wisconsin2%

Who decides

Officers, directors and trustees as filed, with the year of the return they appeared on.

Charles a VorheesDirector · 2024
Cherryl T ThomasDirectoor · 2024
John J SheridanDirector · 2024
Joseph J GrisetaAssociate Director · 2024
Mark T SimonMember · 2024
R Matthew SimonMember · 2024
Stephanie SimonMember · 2024
Virginia Groark HaleMember · 2024

Every figure on this page is that foundation's own latest filed year, which is 2022 or later. This foundation is listed because its Form 990-PF says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and it paid at least 5 grants totaling $100K or more that year. Latest-year grants and terms per foundation from IRS 990-PF e-file returns; the newest tax year is partial until the IRS finishes releasing it. Grants are de-duplicated on funder, year, recipient and amount, so identical repeat grants collapse into one and totals can run low. Full method.

Source: IRS Form 990-PF e-file releases (public domain). Analysis: Civly.

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