Chicago Foundation for Women
Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW) is a 501(c)(3) public charity and community foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1985, CFW has spent four decades building a network of funders and frontline leaders to drive community-led change. The organization operates as both a funder and fundraiser, working to advance gender equity and improve the lives of women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals across the Chicago region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$25.6M
+8.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.8M
-16.9% YoY
Grant Count
184
+32.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
-37.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Chicago Foundation for Women invests in women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals as catalysts, building strong communities for all.
CFW takes a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges facing women and girls, with primary focus areas including:
- Economic security
- Freedom from violence
- Access to health care services and information
- Health advancement
- Safety
The organization identifies itself as the only organization in the region to take a comprehensive approach to understanding and addressing the issues impacting Chicago-area women and girls.
Grantmaking
CFW operates as a grantmaking foundation with the following characteristics:
Average Grant
s serve organizations working across the greater Chicago area
Ready to take the next step with Chicago Foundation for Women?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CFW supports organizations and their leaders throughout the greater Chicago area, including:
- Cook County
- Lake County
- DuPage County
- Will County
- McHenry County
- Kane County
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $25,617,006
- Total Revenues: $6,835,065
- Total Expenses: $5,889,259
- Total Giving: $2,787,515
Staff: 18 employees
Donor Base: Works with nearly 3,000 donors and local partners
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $25,617,006 | $23,723,909 | $20,116,109 |
| Revenue | $6,835,065 | $7,924,915 | $10,062,657 |
| Expenses | $5,889,259 | $6,397,441 | $6,384,476 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $789,730 | $1,014,229 | $1,063,207 |
| 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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Chicago Foundation for Women
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
CFW was founded in 1984 by four leaders of Chicago's philanthropic community:
- Marjorie Benton
- Sunny Fischer
- Iris Krieg
- Lucia Woods Lindley
These founders launched planning groups that laid the financial and programmatic groundwork for the organization, recognizing that only 3 percent of philanthropic dollars in 1984 were being spent to address women's specific needs.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JESSICA SOHL | BOARD CHAIR | 3 | — |
| TANYA G DAVIS | TREASURER | 3 | — |
| ANGELA L PUTNAM | SECRETARY | 3 | — |
| ANN MARIE WRIGHT | IMMED PAST CHAIR | 1 | — |
| NAILA ALEXANDER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOAN BACON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ALICIA C L BAILEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| REBECCA BROKMEIER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DEBORAH B COLE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| REGINA CROSS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LAUREN DENSHAM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ERICA DUNCAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GEORGINA E HEARD-LABONNE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| FRAYA LYNN HIRSCHBERG | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NORMAN B JONES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SUSAN M KUROWSKI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| EMILY LONIGRO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JILL LYONS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANITA MITAL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GRETCHEN WOLF | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SUNNY FISCHER | INTERIM CEO (THRU MAY-24) | 40 | $32,333 |
| FELICIA BLAKLEY | PRESIDENT & CEO (THRU AUG 2023) | 40 | $151,431 |
| LORA YORK | SR. PROGRAM OFFICER | 40 | $118,959 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**40th Anniversary (2025):**
CFW celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2025
Held a 40th Anniversary Luncheon on September 25, 2025, at the Hilton Chicago with over 1,000 attendees
Raised over $1 million at the anniversary event to advance equity, opportunity, and safety for women, girls, and gender-expansive people
Featured speaker: Olympic icon Allyson Felix
**Upcoming:**
41st Annual Luncheon scheduled for October 20, 2026, at the Hilton Chicago
Sponsorship and host committee opportunities available
**Organizational Recognition:**
Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since April 1985
Operates a donor-advised fund
Received a four-star rating based on accountability and finance metrics
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Green and Blue Foundation
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
—
Grants
3
Total Given
$51K
Above and Beyond Daycare Center
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, IL
Assets
—
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Primo Center for Women & Children
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$9.7M
Grants
1
Total Given
$35K
Rose Lafferty Educational Fund Xxxxx9006
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$3.4M
Grants
1
Total Given
$228K
The John Crerar Foundation
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$991K
Grants
1
Total Given
$35K
Fostering Success
WAYNE, IL
Assets
$38K
Grants
1
Total Given
$2K
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Chicago Foundation for Women on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities