John & Susan Dewan Foundation
The John & Susan Dewan Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. It supports U.S.-based charitable organizations that provide direct services to people experiencing poverty, with a focus on helping people improve their circumstances.
John & Susan Dewan Foundation at a glance
In short: John & Susan Dewan Foundation gave $278K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Illinois. 4% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $277,913
- -14.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- -40.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $9,925
- +43.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $935,502
- -3.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (1 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (67% 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 John & Susan Dewan Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation prefers an initial letter of inquiry outlining the need or project, the organization’s background, proposed goals and outcomes, and a contact person. It also accepts unsolicited proposals. Its filing directs first-time applicants to complete a funding inquiry form. Applicants must be U.S. public charities with federal tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) that provide direct services to people experiencing poverty. The foundation does not fund individuals, fiscal sponsors or pass-through organizations, endowments, political campaigns, or efforts to influence legislation.
- Review Cycle
- None. Funding decisions are generally made within 90 days of submission.
- Deadline
- None.
- Contact
Application contact: Arianna Cisneros
Mailing address: 1501 N Oakley 214, Chicago, IL 60622
Phone: (773) 631-5218
Email: info@dewanfoundation.org
Website: https://dewanfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from John & Susan Dewan Foundation
Who John & Susan Dewan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Chicago Jesuit Academy ($118K). Together the top 10 received $203K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($12,720), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
227 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 222 grants of 227 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated geographic priorities are Chicago and the immediately surrounding suburbs, along with U.S.-based charitable organizations addressing poverty overseas. In 2025, 67% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, followed by New Jersey (9%), California (8%), Massachusetts (7%), and Washington, D.C. (4%). Grants that year included support for education programs in Kenya, Guatemala and Mali, as well as economic sustainability work in Honduras.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is John & Susan Dewan Foundation open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 27 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−16%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 378% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $176K (2019) to $332K (2022). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $278K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Jesuit Academy Chicago, IL | Education support for needy students and capital support for school expansion. | $117,500 |
| Olancho Aid Foundation Accord, MA | Support economic sustainability in Olancho, Honduras. | $18,500 |
| Kiwimbi International Gladstone, NJ | Education Program for Needy Students in Amagoro, Kenya. | $17,000 |
| JOSEPHINUM ACADEMY of the Sacred Heart Chicago, IL | Tuition Support for Disadvantaged High School Students. | $17,000 |
| 2 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $12,720 |
| Jesuit Refugee Service USA Washington, DC | Support services, education, and advocacy for refugees and other forcibly displaced people. | $7,010 |
| Cooperative for Education Cincinnati, OH | Rural Technology Center Program, Western Highlands, Guatemala. | $6,000 |
| Inkululeko Lockport, NY | Education program for needy students in makhanda, south africa. | $5,183 |
| Care for Friends Chicago, IL | Food and Basic Services for the Homeless. | $5,000 |
| Caravan to Class Sausalito, CA | School Construction and Education Support in Timbuktu, Mali. | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with John & Susan Dewan Foundation?
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 | $935,502 | $504,509 | $454,116 | $277,913 | 28 | $278,627 | $338,755 | $73,763 |
| 2024 | $973,964 | $505,903 | $445,656 | $325,600 | 47 | $329,690 | $314,757 | $78,146 |
| 2023 | $869,035 | $634,439 | $413,865 | $290,542 | 50 | $299,830 | $332,100 | $73,706 |
| 2022 | $888,573 | $432,171 | $423,953 | $331,650 | 53 | $335,829 | $170,147 | $82,372 |
| 2021 | $969,215 | $870,420 | $349,835 | $255,714 | 49 | $333,537 | $326,084 | $78,936 |
| 2020 | $897,215 | $256,126 | $390,765 | $302,700 | 50 | — | $245,759 | $76,686 |
| 2019 | $1,025,828 | $256,740 | $264,399 | $175,600 | 48 | — | $163,137 | $82,042 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John & Susan Dewan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $74K 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 stated aim is to provide “hope and a future to people in poverty” by supporting organizations that help people help themselves. It identifies education, job training and creation, community development, food and housing as areas of focus. Faith-based organizations, primarily in the Roman Catholic tradition, and organizations addressing climate change and its effects on communities are of special interest. The foundation favors smaller organizations over multi-million-dollar institutions.
Its 2025 grants illustrate this range. For example, Care for Friends describes its work as providing food, clothing and healthcare to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Chicago; New Moms says it partners with young mothers toward housing stability and economic mobility; and Olancho Aid Foundation describes its work as building an economically sustainable community in Honduras.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $277,913. Individual grants ranged from $2,500 to $117,500, with a median of $5,000. Its guidelines say grants will generally be $2,500 or less and usually for one year; the foundation may make grants to recipients in subsequent years.
The largest 2025 award was $117,500 to Chicago Jesuit Academy for education support for needy students and capital support for school expansion. Other notable grants included $18,500 to Olancho Aid Foundation for economic sustainability in Honduras; $17,000 to Kiwimbi International for an education program for needy students in Kenya; and $17,000 to Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart for tuition support for disadvantaged high school students.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John Dewan as president/treasurer, Susan Dewan as vice president/director, and Thomas Teeling as director. It lists Maria Lefkow Sorenson as executive director until June 2025 and Catherine Cassidy as executive director as of July 2025.
John & Susan Dewan Foundation is led by Maria Lefkow Sorenson, Executive Director on every filing since 2023; 2 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Maria Lefkow Sorenson
Executive Director
On filings since 2023
20 hrs/week
$81K (2023) → $43K (2025)
Catherine Cassidy
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
20 hrs/week
$29K (2025)
John Dewan
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Teeling
Director
Executive Director & Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$55K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Susan Dewan
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $43K, to Maria Lefkow Sorenson (Executive Director(UNTIL 6/25)). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about John & Susan Dewan Foundation
How much does John & Susan Dewan Foundation give each year?
John & Susan Dewan Foundation gave $278K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $326K across 47 grants.
What is John & Susan Dewan Foundation's typical grant size?
John & Susan Dewan Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,925, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John & Susan Dewan Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does John & Susan Dewan Foundation give grants?
John & Susan Dewan Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (9%) and California (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (10 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Oak Park, IL (2 grants).
Does John & Susan Dewan Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on John & Susan Dewan Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are John & Susan Dewan Foundation's largest grantees?
John & Susan Dewan Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Chicago Jesuit Academy ($117,500), Olancho Aid Foundation ($18,500) and Kiwimbi International ($17,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($12,720), which are not listed by name. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John & Susan Dewan Foundation?
John & Susan Dewan Foundation reported $936K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $279K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $74K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John & Susan Dewan Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated aim is to provide “hope and a future to people in poverty” by supporting organizations that help people help themselves. It identifies education, job training and creation, community development, food and housing as areas of focus. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John & Susan Dewan Foundation?
The foundation prefers an initial letter of inquiry outlining the need or project, the organization’s background, proposed goals and outcomes, and a contact person. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John & Susan Dewan Foundation's EIN?
John & Susan Dewan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4339823. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does John & Susan Dewan Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 23, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 23, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 17, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in John & Susan Dewan Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John & Susan Dewan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-and-susan-dewan-foundation-morg_a773669070fe461eb865ba8fba7b673d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364339823_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John \& Susan Dewan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-and-susan-dewan-foundation-morg_a773669070fe461eb865ba8fba7b673d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 John & Susan Dewan 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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