Franklin Square Foundation
Franklin Square Foundation is a private foundation located in Evanston, Illinois. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in several states, including organizations working in areas such as youth services, education, theatre, and environmental programs.
Franklin Square Foundation at a glance
In short: Franklin Square Foundation gave $223K across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Illinois. 43% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $222,500
- +5.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- +40.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $15,893
- -24.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $2,171,451
- +12.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (6 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (58% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Franklin Square Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1501 Hinman Ave 5B, Evanston, IL 60201
Phone: (215) 587-0119
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Franklin Square Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Young Center for Immigrant ($35K). Together the top 10 received $190K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($7,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
65 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 65 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Illinois organizations received 58% of grant dollars, New Jersey 21%, New York 9%, and Pennsylvania and Washington, DC, 4% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Franklin Square Foundation open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 14 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $18K repeat.
- 43% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−7%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 151% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $205K (2022) to $262K (2020). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $223K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Young Center for Immigrant Chicago, IL | Grant - Technical Assistance Program | $35,000 |
| McGaw YMCA Evanston, IL | Grant - Men's Residency Program | $25,000 |
| Northlight Theatre Skokie, IL | Grant - Building Campaign | $25,000 |
| The Wild Center Tupper Lake, NY | Grant - Science & Environmental Prog | $20,000 |
| James B Moran Ctr Youth Advocacy Evanston, IL | Grant- Social & Legal Work Svcs | $20,000 |
| Westfield Friends School Cinnaminson, NJ | Grant - Project Based Learning Progr | $15,000 |
| Eths Foundation Evanston, IL | Donation - Evanston TWP High Sch | $15,000 |
| Heart to Heart Merchantville, NJ | Grant- Earth Empathy Program | $15,000 |
| Cool Learning Experience Waukegan, IL | Grant - Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| Amy's Kisses Foundation Newtown, PA | Grant - Domestic Violence Program | $10,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,171,451 | $475,296 | $241,874 | $222,500 | 14 | $222,500 | $90,319 | $147,811 |
| 2023 | $1,938,029 | $123,954 | $222,153 | $210,450 | 10 | $210,450 | $77,389 | $134,510 |
| 2022 | $2,036,228 | $186,838 | $219,703 | $204,950 | 12 | $204,950 | $71,150 | $97,520 |
| 2021 | $2,069,093 | $348,470 | $259,102 | $240,000 | 13 | $240,000 | $95,614 | $199,608 |
| 2020 | $1,979,725 | $341,112 | $273,312 | $262,000 | 16 | — | $67,675 | $131,986 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Franklin Square Foundation reported a distributable amount of $148K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for a theatre building campaign, youth and social services, education programs, and science and environmental programming. Among the grantees, Northlight Theatre describes its mission as promoting perspective and compassion through theatrical experiences; Rails-to-Trails Conservancy describes its work as building a nation connected by trails; and Cool Learning Experience says it offers STEAM-based, environmentally focused out-of-school programs for school-aged children in the Waukegan area. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $222,500. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $35,000, with a median grant of $15,000. Larger grants included $35,000 to the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights for a technical assistance program; $25,000 each to McGaw YMCA for its Men’s Residency Program and Northlight Theatre for a building campaign; and $20,000 each to The Wild Center for science and environmental programming and the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy for social and legal work services. Other grants included $15,000 to Westfield Friends School for a project-based learning program and $10,000 each to Cool Learning Experience for operating expenses and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy for the Illinois/Great American Rail-Trail.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jacqueline Quern, Susannah Quern Pratt, and Margaret Quern Atkins as directors.
Franklin Square Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jacqueline Quern
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Quern Atkins
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susannah Quern Pratt
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Franklin Square Foundation
How much does Franklin Square Foundation give each year?
Franklin Square Foundation gave $223K across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $210K across 10 grants.
What is Franklin Square Foundation's typical grant size?
Franklin Square Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $15,893, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Franklin Square Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does Franklin Square Foundation give grants?
Franklin Square Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (21%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Evanston, IL (3 grants).
Does Franklin Square Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 7% of Franklin Square Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Franklin Square Foundation's largest grantees?
Franklin Square Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Young Center for Immigrant ($35,000), McGaw YMCA ($25,000) and Northlight Theatre ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($7,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Franklin Square Foundation?
Franklin Square Foundation reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $223K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $148K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Franklin Square Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for a theatre building campaign, youth and social services, education programs, and science and environmental programming. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Franklin Square Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Franklin Square Foundation's EIN?
Franklin Square Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 01-0746539. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Franklin Square Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Franklin Square Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/franklin-square-foundation-morg_156eec73003043b3bf91fce9695010ff
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_010746539_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Franklin Square Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/franklin-square-foundation-morg_156eec73003043b3bf91fce9695010ff},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Franklin Square Foundation'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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