Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund
The Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its grantmaking supports education, including scholarships and related support for students pursuing college degrees.
Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund at a glance
In short: Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund gave $3.0M across 96 grants in 2025 (avg $31K), top state Illinois. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,967,198
- -5.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 96
- -11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $30,908
- +5.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $69,263,326
- +18.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (12 of 95, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (47% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund
- How to Apply
-
The website provides an application process for the Wentcher Scholarship. The 2023 filing lists the materials and eligibility requirements for CPS and Oakton applicants described above.
- Contact
Application contact: Chris Broughton
Mailing address: 233 S Wacker Drive, Suite 4400, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 722-6949
Email: chris@wentcherfoundation.org
Website: https://wentcherfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Univ of Illinois Urbana ($474K). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
549 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 492 grants of 549 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated scholarship focus is on graduating Chicago Public Schools seniors. In 2025, 47% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 11% to Michigan, 7% to California, 5% to Washington, D.C., and 5% to New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 96 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 95 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $34K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 83% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 105% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.7M (2021) to $3.2M (2024). In 2025 it made 96 grants totaling $3.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Univ of Illinois Urbana Champaign, IL | Education | $473,652 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Education | $319,566 |
| Depaul Univ Chicago, IL | Education | $170,273 |
| Univ of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL | Education | $153,465 |
| Howard University Washington, DC | Education | $121,356 |
| Univ of Wisconsin Madison, WI | Education | $101,325 |
| Loyola University Chicago, IL | Education | $97,500 |
| Univ of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | Education | $97,483 |
| Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Education | $87,927 |
| Cornell Univ Ithaca, NY | Education | $84,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $69,263,326 | $6,151,374 | $4,134,862 | $2,967,198 | 96 | $3,917,148 | $5,927,909 | $3,734,948 |
| 2024 | $58,447,835 | $2,310,002 | $4,144,056 | $3,154,193 | 108 | $3,924,636 | $2,090,582 | $3,484,133 |
| 2023 | $60,936,960 | $1,815,535 | $3,911,387 | $2,999,561 | 118 | $3,668,599 | $1,645,818 | $3,299,448 |
| 2022 | $63,025,469 | $4,496,359 | $3,716,285 | $2,840,760 | 115 | $3,575,004 | $4,469,773 | $3,685,215 |
| 2021 | $62,134,885 | $3,752,019 | $4,484,753 | $2,652,283 | 112 | — | $3,406,977 | $3,470,297 |
| 2020 | $64,087,456 | $5,274,684 | $2,984,156 | $2,675,353 | 99 | — | $5,052,405 | $3,159,277 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund reported a distributable amount of $3.7M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to increase educational and economic opportunity by empowering talented Chicago graduating seniors to achieve a college degree. Its website says it identifies graduating Chicago Public Schools seniors with academic excellence, high character, and financial need for renewable scholarships. Scholars may attend eligible U.S. colleges and participate in for-credit study abroad programs; the foundation also describes providing academic, social, and emotional support.
The 2025 filing lists education as the purpose of the largest grants, which went to universities and colleges. Those grantees have varied missions: Howard University says it educates students, develops professionals, conducts research, and serves patients; Northwestern University describes a commitment to teaching, research, and student growth; and Dominican University says it provides instruction to students seeking degrees and other credentials.
Grantmaking
The fund reported 96 grants totaling $2,967,198 in 2025. Individual grants ranged from $380 to $473,652, with a median of $10,000. The largest grants included $473,652 to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, $319,566 to the University of Michigan, $170,273 to DePaul University, $153,465 to the University of Illinois Chicago, and $121,356 to Howard University. The filing lists education as the purpose of these grants.
The foundation’s website describes its Wentcher Scholarship as an award of up to $10,000 per year, renewable for up to four years. Its 2026 application page lists Chicago Public Schools seniors graduating in June, a minimum 3.3 unweighted GPA, high character, and eligibility to apply for federal financial aid among the criteria. The application timeline lists an opening date of December 15, 2025, and a closing date of February 10, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Central Time. The website also says applicants submit character reflections, a recommendation letter, and a transcript.
The 2023 filing describes separate application requirements for Chicago Public Schools applicants and Oakton Community College post-graduate applicants. For CPS applicants, it lists an application, high school transcript, teacher and counselor recommendations, an essay, and a student aid report. For Oakton applicants, it lists an application, Oakton transcript, teacher recommendations, and an essay. It gives spring of each year as the deadline and identifies Chris Broughton as the contact for applications. The filing describes eligible applicants as FAFSA-eligible CPS seniors and successful FAFSA-eligible Oakton Community College Wentcher Scholar graduates.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Chris Broughton as Executive DI, Brian Fitzpatrick as President, Robert Wise as Vice Preside, and Dan Williams as Treasurer. It also lists Sally Tomlinson, Robert Slay, Lucy Tuck, Laura Farr, and Richard Helmholtz as board members.
Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund is led by Brian Fitzpatrick, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 9 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brian Fitzpatrick
President
Executive Director → Executive Di, 2022
Executive Di → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$108K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Chris Broughton
Executive Di
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$94K (2023) → $234K (2025)
Dan Williams
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lucy Tuck
Board Member
Treasurer → Director, 2021
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Helmholz
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Wise
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Farr
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Slay
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sally Tomlinson
Board Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Laura Bordine (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Marilyn Appelson (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $234K, to Chris Broughton (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund
How much does Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund give each year?
Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund gave $3.0M across 96 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.2M across 108 grants.
What is Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund's typical grant size?
Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $30,908, across 96 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund that year got $12K on average.
Where does Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund give grants?
Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund's top state is Illinois, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Michigan (11%) and California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (9 grants), Atlanta, GA (3 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 96 grants with a stated purpose on Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (96 grants).
Who are Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund's largest grantees?
Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Univ of Illinois Urbana ($473,652), University of Michigan ($319,566) and Depaul Univ ($170,273), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund?
Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund reported $69.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to increase educational and economic opportunity by empowering talented Chicago graduating seniors to achieve a college degree. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund?
The website provides an application process for the Wentcher Scholarship. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund's EIN?
Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4170236. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 18, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 25, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ernest-wentcher-educational-fund-morg_c21774fde19a484da4c394771b390f56
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364170236_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ernest-wentcher-educational-fund-morg_c21774fde19a484da4c394771b390f56},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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