Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation
The Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2024, it gave $396,500 through 58 grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in areas such as food assistance, housing, education, health, the arts, and public media.
Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation gave $397K across 58 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), mostly in Illinois. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $396,500
- +10.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 58
- +9.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,836
- +1.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,877,210
- -4.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (9 of 55, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (67% 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 Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: Robbins 180 N Stetson Ave Ste 2550, Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 609-1100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Greater Chicago Food Depository ($39K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $179K.
Grant Size Distribution
268 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 268 grants of 268 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 67% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 10% to California, 8% to New York, 4% to Iowa, and 3% to Wisconsin.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 58 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 55 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 80% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 31% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $285K (2020) to $397K (2024). In 2024 it made 58 grants totaling $397K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNICEF New York, NY | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $25,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $24,000 |
| Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violen San Francisco, CA | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $15,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $15,000 |
| Kenilworth Union Church Kenilworth, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $15,000 |
| Sarah's Circle Chciago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $15,000 |
| Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Advancement Offic Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $15,000 |
| WBEZ Chicago Public Radio Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $15,000 |
| Women's Board of Northwestern Mem Hosp Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $15,000 |
| WTTW Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $15,000 |
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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 | $4,877,210 | $224,844 | $457,656 | $396,500 | 58 | $410,969 | $178,157 | $427,987 |
| 2023 | $5,110,023 | $118,120 | $410,196 | $357,500 | 53 | $373,619 | $81,543 | $332,943 |
| 2022 | $5,402,096 | $445,177 | $428,820 | $346,756 | 56 | $361,690 | $403,046 | $347,180 |
| 2021 | $5,385,738 | $1,738,132 | $405,419 | $303,500 | 51 | $319,320 | $1,687,033 | $453,728 |
| 2020 | $4,053,025 | $1,352,638 | $344,292 | $284,500 | 50 | — | $1,316,446 | $303,968 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $428K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include unrestricted charitable gifts as well as support designated for the Art Institute of Chicago’s Women’s Board Education Department.
The grantees’ descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. The Greater Chicago Food Depository says its mission is to end hunger and that it works with community-based organizations and individuals. Sarah’s Circle says it provides housing, life necessities, and supportive services to help women permanently end homelessness. Other recipients include organizations focused on animal welfare, housing, women’s education, children with correctable disabilities, and higher education.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 58 grants totaling $396,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median of $5,000. In 2023, it made 53 grants totaling $357,500; in 2022, it made 56 grants totaling $346,756.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $25,000 to UNICEF and $24,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The foundation also gave $15,000 each to Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Kenilworth Union Church, Sarah’s Circle, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Advancement Office, WBEZ Chicago Public Radio, the Women’s Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and WTTW. The Art Institute of Chicago received $10,000 for its Women’s Board Education Department.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Katherine L Olson is listed as a part-time trustee on the 2024 filing.
Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation is led by Katherine L. Olson, Trustee- Part-Time on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Katherine L. Olson
Trustee- Part-Time
On filings since 2020
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 Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation
How much does Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation give each year?
Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation gave $397K across 58 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $358K across 53 grants.
What is Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,836, across 58 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation give grants?
Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (10%) and New York (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (26 grants), Evanston, IL (5 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Boone, IA (3 grants).
Does Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 88% of Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (51 of 58) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Greater Chicago Food Depository ($39,000 across 2 grants), UNICEF ($25,000) and Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violen ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation?
Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation reported $4.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $411K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $428K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include unrestricted charitable gifts as well as support designated for the Art Institute of Chicago’s Women’s Board Education Department. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6857384. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Katherine L Olson Charitable 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 18, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 21, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/katherine-l-olson-charitable-foundation-morg_a514748cccae441194068a6a86c79815
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366857384_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/katherine-l-olson-charitable-foundation-morg_a514748cccae441194068a6a86c79815},
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 Katherine L Olson Charitable 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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