Helen's Hope Foundation
Helen's Hope Foundation is a private foundation based in West Chicago, Illinois. In its 2025 filing, it reported 28 grants totaling $1,194,500, supporting organizations including schools, ministries, youth athletics, and healthcare organizations.
Helen's Hope Foundation at a glance
In short: Helen's Hope Foundation gave $1.2M across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $43K), mostly in Illinois. 4% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,194,500
- -22.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- -9.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $42,661
- -14.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $76,423
- -88.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (1 of 28, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (72% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Helen's Hope 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: 1N255 Indian Knoll Road, West Chicago, IL 60185
Phone: (847) 517-8222
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Helen's Hope Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wheaton Academy ($300K). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
143 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 111 grants of 143 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 72% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 8% to Connecticut, 8% to Wisconsin, 4% to New York, and 3% to Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Helen's Hope Foundation open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 28 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $44K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above 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 $516K (2020) to $1.5M (2024). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wheaton Academy West Chicago, IL | Education | $300,000 |
| Wheaton Christian Grammar School Winfield, IL | Education | $250,000 |
| Crossroads Kids Club Streamwood, IL | Ministry | $128,000 |
| Medsend Stantford, CT | Healthcare | $100,000 |
| St Augustine Prep Academy Milwaukee, WI | Christian Education | $100,000 |
| Warrior Youth Athletics West Chicago, IL | Christian Athletics | $50,000 |
| Vine Branch West Chicago, IL | Ministry | $35,000 |
| Fellowship for the Performing Arts New York, NY | Ministry | $25,000 |
| Naomi's House Wheaton, IL | Women Support | $25,000 |
| Masterpiece Ministries Lebanon, TN | Ministry | $20,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $76,423 | $624,394 | $1,201,220 | $1,194,500 | 28 | $1,194,500 | $119,361 | $23,166 |
| 2024 | $657,440 | $769,072 | $1,559,337 | $1,547,500 | 31 | $1,547,500 | $58,961 | $51,201 |
| 2023 | $1,447,705 | $669,051 | $1,132,109 | $1,117,325 | 30 | $1,117,325 | $55,292 | $66,951 |
| 2022 | $1,910,763 | $699,795 | $1,152,425 | $1,135,000 | 35 | $1,135,000 | $8,285 | $100,738 |
| 2021 | $2,363,393 | $1,390,158 | $590,110 | $574,000 | 19 | $574,000 | — | $82,016 |
| 2020 | $1,563,345 | $1,710,074 | $518,249 | $515,805 | 15 | — | $739 | $47,041 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Helen's Hope Foundation reported a distributable amount of $23K 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 filing describes its direct charitable activity at Wheaton Academy as nurturing growth in high school-aged students through relationships, excellence, and service to the glory of God. It describes the activity at Wheaton Christian Grammar School as developing Christ-centered critical thinkers who build community, and at St. Augustine Prep as Christian higher education.
The foundation’s 2025 grants included support for education, ministry, healthcare, Christian education, Christian athletics, women’s support, and humanitarian aid. Grantees describe their own work in varied terms: Wheaton Academy says it provides an educational program characterized by biblical values and traditional educational standards; Crossroads Kids Club says it mobilizes churches to share the Good News of Jesus in public schools; and Warrior Youth Athletics says it develops young athletes’ character, confidence, and identity alongside their sports skills. Other 2025 grantees include Administer Justice, which describes its work as helping vulnerable neighbors with legal circumstances, and Philemon House, which describes a Christ-centered ministry housing and educating young men coming out of incarceration.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $1,194,500. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $300,000, with a median of $15,000. Its largest reported grants were $300,000 to Wheaton Academy for education, $250,000 to Wheaton Christian Grammar School for education, $128,000 to Crossroads Kids Club for ministry, and $100,000 to MedSend for healthcare. Other notable grants included $100,000 to St. Augustine Prep for Christian education and $50,000 to Warrior Youth Athletics for Christian athletics.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Benard B Bertsche, Jeanne Bertsche, Michael Bertsche, and Patrick Bertsche as trustees.
Helen's Hope Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Benard B. Bertsche
Trustee
None → Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeanne Bertsche
Trustee
None → Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Michael Bertsche
Trustee
None → Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Patrick Bertsche
Trustee
None → Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
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 Helen's Hope Foundation
How much does Helen's Hope Foundation give each year?
Helen's Hope Foundation gave $1.2M across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.5M across 31 grants.
What is Helen's Hope Foundation's typical grant size?
Helen's Hope Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $42,661, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Helen's Hope Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does Helen's Hope Foundation give grants?
Helen's Hope Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 72% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (8%) and Wisconsin (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were West Chicago, IL (4 grants), Wheaton, IL (3 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and Orlando, FL (2 grants).
Does Helen's Hope Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on Helen's Hope Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Ministry" (15 grants) and "Education" (5 grants).
Who are Helen's Hope Foundation's largest grantees?
Helen's Hope Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Wheaton Academy ($300,000), Wheaton Christian Grammar School ($250,000) and Crossroads Kids Club ($128,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Helen's Hope Foundation?
Helen's Hope Foundation reported $76K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $23K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Helen's Hope Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing describes its direct charitable activity at Wheaton Academy as nurturing growth in high school-aged students through relationships, excellence, and service to the glory of God. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Helen's Hope 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 Helen's Hope Foundation's EIN?
Helen's Hope Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-2135918. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Helen's Hope 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Helen's Hope Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/helen-s-hope-foundation-morg_f556ed1bdae449bebeba91c724b02560
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_542135918_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Helen's Hope Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/helen-s-hope-foundation-morg_f556ed1bdae449bebeba91c724b02560},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Helen's Hope 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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