Bill Nygren Foundation
The Bill Nygren Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1995, it operates as a corporate foundation with a focus on grantmaking to various charitable organizations across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+11.2% YoY
Grant Count
33
-13.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$41K
+28.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not provide a publicly stated mission statement. However, its primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
The foundation indicates it makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds.
Grant Range
$1,000 – $205,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Michigan
- Illinois
- California
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total assets: $10,921,565
- Total revenues: $1,678,938
- Total expenses: $1,393,391
- Total grants, contributions, etc.: $1,032,346
- Investment income and dividends: $276,894
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $369,698
Number of employees: 0 (paid staff)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
161 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Berrien Community Foundation ($205,000), Strides for Peace ($135,000), Tri-county Council for Child Development Inc ($135,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC MEDICAL CTR FDN CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $10,000 |
| BENTON HARBOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP BENTON HARBOR, MI | UNRESTRICTED | $100,000 |
| BERRIEN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ST JOSEPH, MI | UNRESTRICTED | $205,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $50,000 |
| CARING CONNECTION BENTON HARBOR, MI | UNRESTRICTED | $15,000 |
| CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $17,500 |
| CHICAGO SURVIVORS CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $1,250 |
| CHRIST CHILD SOCIETY OF CHICAGO ORLAND PARK, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $1,000 |
| COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATESSW MICHIGAN BENTON HARBOR, MI | UNRESTRICTED | $25,000 |
| DAWN FARMS TREATMENT CENTER YPSILANTI, MI | UNRESTRICTED | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- William C. Nygren – President & Director, Treasurer
- Thomas Win Murray – Director
- Mark Nygren – Director
- Michelle Ochoa – Director
The foundation operates with limited staffing and relies on volunteer board members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM C NYGREN | PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| THOMAS WIN MURRAY | DIRECTOR | 0.05 | — |
| WILLIAM C NYGREN | TREASURER | — | — |
| MARK NYGREN | DIRECTOR | 0.05 | — |
| MICHELLE OCHOA | DIRECTOR | 0.05 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bill Nygren Foundation fund?
The foundation does not provide a publicly stated mission statement. However, its primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Bill Nygren Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving (2024): $1,340,750 • Number of grants (2024): 33 grants • Median grant amount: $18,000 • Grant range: $1,000 – $205,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • Berrien Community Foundation: $205,000 (Unrestricted) • Tri-County Head Start (TCHS): $135,000 (Unrestricted) • Strides for Peace: $135,000 (Unrestricted) • Re-Connect Chicago: $5,000 (Unrestricted) **Application Process:** The foundation indicates it makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only…
Where does Bill Nygren Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Michigan • Illinois • California
What size grants does Bill Nygren Foundation award?
In 2024, Bill Nygren Foundation awarded 33 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $41K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Bill Nygren Foundation's EIN?
Bill Nygren Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3987600. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bill Nygren Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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