Firstperson Narratives logo

Firstperson Narratives

Private foundation · Grantmaker Winnetka, IL EIN: 84-5184645 Website

Firstperson Narratives offers holistic, trauma-sensitive, personal-storytelling, expressive arts, and posterity programs in chicagoland. With programming that promotes, encourages, and supports the mental, physical, and social well-being of communities.

Firstperson Narratives at a glance

In short: Firstperson Narratives gave $23K across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$22,500
Grants made (2025)
4
Average grant
$5,625
Median grant
$5,000
Total assets
$206,459
-10.1% vs 2024
Primary geography
Illinois (78% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Firstperson Narratives funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 3 recipients in 2025

Chicago Theatre Group Goodman: $10KChicago Theatre Group Goodman$10KOld Town School of Folk Music: $8K across 2 grantsOld Town School of Folk Music$8K · 2 grantsCenter for Belonging Folk School: $5KCenter for Belonging FolkSchool$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Chicago Theatre Group Goodman ($10K). Together the top 3 received $23K.

Grant Size Distribution

4 grants across all recorded years

4<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 4 grants of 4 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.

States

Cities

ChicagoDecorah

How Firstperson Narratives gives

  • In 2025 it paid out 204% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10K$20K$30K0 grants2020 0 grants2021 0 grants2022 0 grants2023 0 grants2024 4 grants2025

In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $23K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Chicago Theatre Group Goodman Chicago, ILCharitable Intentions - Furthering Music Enjoyment/Education$10,000
Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago, ILCommunity Singing Donationcharitable Intentions - Furthering Music Enjoyment/Education$5,000
Center for Belonging Folk School Decorah, IACommunity Singing Donationcharitable Intentions - Furthering Music Enjoyment/Education$5,000
Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago, ILCommunity singing donation (megan eberhardt)charitable intentions - furthering music enjoyment/education$2,500
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$206,459$7,939$31,079$22,5004$22,500$7,939$11,019
2024$229,599$14,150$14,447———$9,850—
2023$229,895$204,143$19,012———$3,506—
2022$44,764$2,570$7,381———$70—
2021$72,454$116,043$53,100———$-240—
2020——$13,368—————

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Firstperson Narratives reported a distributable amount of $11K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

About Firstperson Narratives

Based on IRS filings

Firstperson Narratives is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Winnetka, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $206K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $23K. Net investment income was $8K.

Focus Areas

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Firstperson Narratives is led by Jennifer Grob D'Souza, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Jennifer Grob D'Souza

    President

    On filings since 2020

    10 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Anil Gerard D'Souza

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christabel D'mello

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

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.

Frequently asked questions about Firstperson Narratives

How much does Firstperson Narratives give each year?

Firstperson Narratives gave $23K across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

What is Firstperson Narratives's typical grant size?

Firstperson Narratives's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,625, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Firstperson Narratives give grants?

Firstperson Narratives gives mostly in Illinois: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Iowa (22%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (3 grants).

Does Firstperson Narratives give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on Firstperson Narratives's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

How large is Firstperson Narratives?

Firstperson Narratives reported $206K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $23K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $11K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Firstperson Narratives?

Firstperson Narratives is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Winnetka, IL. It holds $206K in total assets as of 2025.

What is Firstperson Narratives's EIN?

Firstperson Narratives's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-5184645. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(1)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 25, 2026)

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Firstperson Narratives'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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