Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc
LAKE FOREST KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS is a Form 990-PF (a private foundation) based in Lake Forest, Illinois. Its reported 2025 grants included scholarships to universities and charitable gifts to schools, churches, and other organizations.
Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc at a glance
In short: Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc gave $39K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Illinois. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $39,000
- -2.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- +44.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,000
- -32.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $697,134
- -4.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (5 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (56% 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 Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc
- 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. Its 2024 filing lists a scholarship fund application. Applicants must be U.S. citizens applying to a full-time undergraduate program leading to a bachelor’s degree at a Catholic college or university in the United States. The applicant or a family member must be a parishioner of a Catholic church in Lake County, Illinois.
- Review Cycle
- March 1. The filing does not specify a year for this deadline; the application instructions are from the 2024 filing, so that cycle is past.
- Deadline
- March 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Lake Forest Knights Of Columbus Cha
Mailing address: PO Box 507, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Phone: (847) 234-5000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Marquette University ($5K). Together the top 10 received $36K.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 72 grants of 72 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 56% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 13% each to recipients in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Ohio, and 5% to recipients in Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 13 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 38% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% 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 (2021–2025). 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 $36K (2021) to $43K (2023). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $39K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Marquette University Milwaukee, WI | Scholarship | $5,000 |
| Most Blessed Trinity Academy Waukegan, IL | Charitable Gift | $5,000 |
| School of St Mary Lake Forest, IL | Charitable Gift | $5,000 |
| Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA | Scholarship | $5,000 |
| Xavier University Cincinnati, OH | Scholarship | $5,000 |
| Chesterton Academy of the Sacred Heart Peoria, IL | Charitable Gift | $2,500 |
| Institute on Religious Life Libertyville, IL | Charitable Gift | $2,000 |
| Aid for Women Chicago, IL | Charitable Gift | $2,000 |
| The Phoenix Rising Fayetteville, TN | Charitable Gift | $2,000 |
| St Patrick's Church Lake Forest, IL | Charitable Gift | $2,000 |
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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 | $697,134 | $22,964 | $55,470 | $39,000 | 13 | $39,000 | $18,156 | $41,900 |
| 2024 | $729,640 | $36,342 | $50,232 | $40,000 | 9 | $40,000 | $31,297 | $39,464 |
| 2023 | $743,530 | $29,517 | $53,083 | $43,000 | 15 | $43,000 | $24,321 | $38,356 |
| 2022 | $767,096 | $41,510 | $49,546 | $41,530 | 18 | $41,530 | $35,718 | $43,715 |
| 2021 | $775,132 | $21,203 | $46,796 | $36,000 | 17 | — | $21,203 | $41,906 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc reported a distributable amount of $42K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for scholarships and charitable gifts. Among the grantees, Xavier University describes itself as a Jesuit Catholic university that educates students intellectually, morally, and spiritually; Marquette University describes its mission as a Catholic, Jesuit commitment to learning, faith, and service. The Institute on Religious Life says it promotes vocations to religious life and supports religious communities, while Aid for Women says it operates pregnancy help centers, medical clinics, and residential programs. Maryville Academy describes its work as protecting children and strengthening families, rooted in Catholic social teaching.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $39,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $5,000, with a median grant of $2,000. It awarded 9 grants totaling $40,000 in 2024 and 15 grants totaling $43,000 in 2023.
Among its 2025 grants, the foundation awarded $5,000 each to Marquette University for a scholarship, Most Blessed Trinity Academy and School of St. Mary for charitable gifts, Boston College for a scholarship, and Xavier University for a scholarship. Other listed grants included $2,500 to Chesterton Academy of the Sacred Heart; $2,000 each to the Institute on Religious Life, Aid for Women, The Phoenix Rising, and St. Patrick’s Church; $1,500 to Maryville Academy; and $1,000 to James Church Libertyville.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John Mastro as president; Andrew Lotts as treasurer; Michael Reidy as secretary; and Jeff Kowal, Joe Egan, and James P. Graziano as directors.
Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc is led by John Mastro, President on every filing since 2023; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John Mastro
President
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Kowal
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joe Egan
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James P. Graziano
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Lotts
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Reidy
Secretary
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Bob Wenderski (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Bob Boutin (2021–2022) — Former Secretary
- Former: Jeremy Dee (2021–2022) — Former President
- Former: Steven Potsic (2021–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc
How much does Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc give each year?
Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc gave $39K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $40K across 9 grants.
What is Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc's typical grant size?
Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $3,000, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc that year got $3K on average.
Where does Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc give grants?
Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc gives mostly in Illinois: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wisconsin (13%) and Massachusetts (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lake Forest, IL (4 grants).
Does Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Gift" (10 grants) and "Scholarship" (3 grants).
Who are Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc's largest grantees?
Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Marquette University ($5,000), Most Blessed Trinity Academy ($5,000) and School of St Mary ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc?
Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc reported $697K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $39K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $42K (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 Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for scholarships and charitable gifts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc's EIN?
Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3980208. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Lake Forest Knights of Columbus Charities Inc 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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