Hellenic Foundation
The Hellenic Foundation is a Chicago, Illinois-based public charity whose mission is to fund programs and projects benefiting Greek American and Orthodox Christian organizations in the Chicagoland area. Founded in 1953, it also provides senior in-home care services and describes its broader work as serving social-service needs across cultures.
Hellenic Foundation at a glance
In short: Hellenic Foundation gave $400K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $400,396
- -22.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,807
- -22.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $9,934
- Total assets
- $23,638,919
- +12.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (84% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Hellenic Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2026 application period has ended, and submissions are under review.
- Review Cycle
- The stated annual deadline is July 1; school grant applications are due by May 1 for early determination. Both 2026 deadlines have passed.
- Deadline
- The stated annual deadline is July 1; school grant applications are due by May 1 for early determination.
- Contact
Mailing address: 6251 West Touhy Avenue, Chicago, IL 60646
Phone: (773) 631-5222
Website: https://hellenicfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Hellenic Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Met of Chicago - Lighthouse ($64K). Together the top 10 received $272K.
Grant Size Distribution
100 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 91 grants of 100 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation states that its grant program supports the Greek and Orthodox community in the Chicago area. In the 2025 filing, 84% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois; other recipient states were West Virginia (7%), New York (4%), Virginia (2%), and Pennsylvania (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
Cities
How Hellenic Foundation gives
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−20%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $110K (2021) to $514K (2024). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $400K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Met of Chicago - Lighthouse Oak Brook, IL | camp | $64,153 |
| OCA Alexandria, WV | Workshops/programs | $28,726 |
| Hellenic American Academy Deerfield, IL | Educatinal materials | $28,448 |
| Annunciation - Kankakee Kankakee, IL | Admin | $26,000 |
| St John the Baptist GOC TEAM Des Plaines, IL | Gathering Materials | $23,557 |
| AHEPA - Chicago Chicago, IL | backpack drive | $17,500 |
| Panhellenic Scholarship Found Chicago, IL | Lectures/luncheon | $17,160 |
| St John the Bapstist GOC Des Plaines, IL | Feed My Neighbor Program | $16,033 |
| St Sophia Greek Othodox Elgin, IL | Educational Materials | $14,840 |
| 13th District Order of Ahepa Lincolnwood, IL | Scholarship program | $13,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $23,638,919 | $9,636,601 | $8,197,075 | $400,396 | 29 | $1,279,361 |
| 2024 | $21,047,737 | $8,250,275 | $7,282,221 | $513,991 | 29 | $757,313 |
| 2023 | $18,521,372 | $6,780,239 | $6,144,769 | $262,944 | 17 | $435,526 |
| 2022 | $16,024,082 | $5,901,437 | $5,632,738 | $498,623 | 19 | $480,736 |
| 2021 | $18,666,107 | $5,859,533 | $4,204,959 | $110,373 | 6 | $692,822 |
| 2020 | $16,724,623 | $6,861,758 | $3,974,368 | — | — | $2,282,958 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to fund the development and support of programs and projects benefiting Greek American and Orthodox Christian organizations in the Chicagoland area. Its website describes grant support for local nonprofit programs that enhance and preserve Greek language, culture, heritage, and religion.
Examples of grantees include Hellenic American Academy, whose stated mission is to serve as an educational and cultural center for Hellenism and promote Greek heritage and faith, and the National Hellenic Museum, which describes educational programs focused on Greek history and culture.
Grantmaking
The 2025 filing reports 29 grants totaling $400,396. Grant amounts ranged from $5,092 to $64,153, with a median of $9,934. The Foundation’s website separately announced 43 recipients and 61 programs for its 2025 Annual Grant Awards Event.
Among the 2025 grants reported in the filing were $64,153 to Met of Chicago - Lighthouse for camp, $28,448 to Hellenic American Academy for educational materials, $26,000 to Annunciation - Kankakee for administration, and $17,160 to Panhellenic Scholarship Foundation for lectures and a luncheon. The National Hellenic Museum received $6,903.
Applications must be submitted through the Foundation’s online application form. Applicants must be IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and proposed programs or projects must fit the Foundation’s mission and policies. The Foundation does not make direct grants or scholarships to individuals; it may consider support for scholarship programs up to 30% of the program, for financially needy recipients residing in Chicagoland. It generally does not fund capital improvements, and it excludes requests for pass-through funding, annual contribution drives, emergency discretionary funding, completed projects, existing debts or deficits, political expenditures, and lobbying. Awarded funds must be used for the designated project; unused funds generally expire after 12 months.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Peter E Valessares as Executive Director; Patricia Cash as Director of Finance; Katherine Stamatis as Director of Communications; Demetrios P Soukoulis as President; Louis G Apostol as Vice President; Bill J Vranas as Treasurer; and Nicolas Geroulis, Gregory T Amarantos, James J Gatziolis, Alexander A Gianaras, Eleni Kouimelis, and Harry J Secaras as Directors.
Hellenic Foundation is led by Peter E Valessares, Executive Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 3 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Peter E Valessares
Executive Director
Executive Di → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$147K (2020) → $207K (2025)
Demetrios P Soukoulis
President
On filings since 2022
6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William P Vranas
Grant Chairman
Director → Grant Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katherine Stamatis
Director of Communications
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$60K (2025)
Patricia Cash
Director Finance
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$74K (2025)
Alexander A Gianaras
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eleni Kouimelis
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ernest C Karras
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Louie Kontos
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicolas Geroulis
Director
Assistant Se → Ast. Secretary, 2024
Ast. Secretary → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gregory T Amarantos
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Harry J Secaras
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James J Gatziolis
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anthony C Kyriakopoulous
Assistant Treasurer
Assistant Tr → Assistant Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bill J Vranas
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dorian L Bezanis
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joanne Stavrakas
Assistant Secretary
Director → Assistant Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Louis G Apostol
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael M Chioros
Past President
Director → Past President, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: George Karcazes (2020–2023) — Past President
- Former: His Grace Bishop Timothy Bakakos (2022) — Director
- Former: James Soukoulis (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Peter Fasseas (2020–2021) — 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 $207K, to Peter E Valessares (Executive Dir.). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Hellenic Foundation
How much does Hellenic Foundation give each year?
Hellenic Foundation gave $400K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $514K across 29 grants.
What is Hellenic Foundation's typical grant size?
Hellenic Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $9,934, and its average grant was $13,807, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Hellenic Foundation give grants?
Hellenic Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 84% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was West Virginia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (9 grants), Oak Brook, IL (4 grants), Des Plaines, IL (3 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Hellenic Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Hellenic Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Workshops/programs" (3 grants), "Gathering Materials" (3 grants) and "Outreach" (3 grants).
Who are Hellenic Foundation's largest grantees?
Hellenic Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Met of Chicago - Lighthouse ($64,153), AHEPA - Chicago ($29,125 across 2 grants) and OCA ($28,726), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Hellenic Foundation?
Hellenic Foundation reported $23.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $9.6M.
What does Hellenic Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to fund the development and support of programs and projects benefiting Greek American and Orthodox Christian organizations in the Chicagoland area. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Hellenic Foundation?
The 2026 application period has ended, and submissions are under review. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Hellenic Foundation's EIN?
Hellenic Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6098351. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 19, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 7, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 12, 2026)
Live grants for the work Hellenic Foundation funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Hellenic Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Hellenic Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/hellenic-foundation-morg_dafc10c3b9df424c9ee67e9cef4bf7db
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366098351_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Hellenic Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/hellenic-foundation-morg_dafc10c3b9df424c9ee67e9cef4bf7db},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Hellenic 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.
Hellenic Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?