Helen V Brach Foundation
The Helen V Brach Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, established in 1974. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and is one of the few foundations in Chicago that provides significant support to animal welfare and anti-cruelty programs alongside education and human services initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$127.9M
+8.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.9M
-8.9% YoY
Grant Count
553
+4.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
-13.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's charter provides that it should operate for the following purposes: charitable, educational, literary, prevention of cruelty to animals, prevention of cruelty to children, promotion of music, arts and theater, religious and scientific.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Anti-animal cruelty and animal welfare
- Youth services
- Homelessness
- Health
- Veterans
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
- Human services
Grantmaking
Notable recent grantees include:
Grant Range
s and Activity:**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, Ohio, and the District of Columbia, with a particular emphasis on Chicago.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending March 2025:
- Total assets: $127,921,392
- Total revenue: $17,155,097
- Total expenses: $7,670,064
- Net income: $9,485,033
- Total liabilities: $0
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $127,921,392 | $118,436,357 | $112,878,083 |
| Revenue | $17,155,097 | $13,643,070 | $2,664,272 |
| Expenses | $7,670,064 | $8,084,792 | $8,259,937 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,983,278 | $7,457,703 | $7,822,001 |
| Net Investment Income | $16,618,310 | $13,215,981 | $3,055,526 |
| Distributable Amount | $7,740,557 | $6,995,768 | $6,894,384 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Trustees include:
- Raymond F Simon
- James J O'Connor
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| John J Sheridan | Director | 2 | $20,000 |
| R Matthew Simon | President | 40 | $301,000 |
| Charles A Vorhees | Director | 2 | $20,000 |
| Cherryl T Thomas | Directoor | 2 | $20,000 |
| R Matthew Simon | Member | 4 | $25,000 |
| Mark T Simon | Member | 4 | $25,000 |
| Joseph J Griseta | Associate Director | 40 | $258,750 |
| Stephanie Simon | Member | 4 | $25,000 |
| Virginia Groark Hale | Member | 2 | $20,000 |
Contact Information
Address: 104 S Michigan Ave, Suite 1310, Chicago, IL 60603-6114
Phone: 312-372-4417
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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