Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation logo

Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation

Public charity · Grantmaker Chicago, IL EIN: 36-3727715 Website

The Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation's mission is to eradicate breast cancer by investing in early career doctors and innovative research. Investments are directed locally within the Chicago area, but drive impact globally.

Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation at a glance

In short: Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation gave $1.5M across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $381K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$1,525,810
Grants made (2025)
4
Average grant
$381,453
Median grant
$412,158
Total assets
$8,923,856
+7.0% vs 2024
Primary geography
Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

How to apply to Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation

Who Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 4 recipients in 2025

University of Chicago: $611KUniversity of Chicago$611KNorthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine: $599KNorthwestern UniversityFeinberg School of Medicine$599KRush University Medical Center: $225KRush University Medical Center$225KRobert H Lurie Comprehensive Center Center of Northwestern University: $90KRobert H Lurie ComprehensiveCenter Center of Northwestern…$90K

The largest 2025 recipient was University of Chicago ($611K). Together the top 4 received $1.5M.

Grant Size Distribution

14 grants across all recorded years

<$50K4$50–100K4$100–250K1$250–500K5$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $500K–1M range: 5 grants of 14 (36%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.

States

Cities

Chicago

How Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation gives

  • Giving grew 28% from 2022 to 2025. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M1 grant2020 3 grants2021 5 grants2022 2 grants2023 0 grants2024 4 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $383K (2020) to $1.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $1.5M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
University of Chicago Chicago, ILResearch grants and scholars.$611,495
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago, ILResearch grants and scholars.$599,315
Rush University Medical Center Chicago, ILResearch grants and scholars.$225,000
Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Center Center of Northwestern University Chicago, ILResearch grants and symposium.$90,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$8,923,856$2,726,747$2,812,267$1,525,8104$245,140
2024$8,343,105$3,864,106$2,157,942——$198,332
2023$6,459,675$2,222,700$1,653,684$1,012,5132$136,833
2022$5,519,974$1,163,257$1,567,056$1,189,7405$68,351
2021$6,202,137$2,129,193$1,032,739$570,7903$302,995
2020$4,090,701$930,159$638,070$382,9681$154,261

About Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation

Based on IRS filings

Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation is a public charity focused on Housing & Shelter, based in Chicago, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $8.9M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $1.5M. Net investment income was $245K.

Focus Areas

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation is led by Kirstin Chernawsky, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 2 of 35 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Kirstin Chernawsky

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $68K (2024) → $256K (2025)

  • Seema Venkatachalam Malkani

    Board Chair

    Full Board of Directors → Director, 2023

    Director → Board Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Emerson Wells

    Director of Programs & Grants

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $145K (2025)

  • Audrey Selin

    Director

    Full Board of Directors → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brian Kirk

    Director

    Full Board of Directors → Executive Board of Director, 2021

    Executive Board of Director → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chloe Ifergan

    Director

    Full Board of Directors → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dayna Salasche Goldstein

    Director

    Full Board of Directors → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kristin Klein

    Director

    Full Board of Directors → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kristin Wolf

    Director

    Executive Board of Director - Secretary → Vice Chair, 2023

    Vice Chair → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Megan Goldish

    Director

    Full Board of Directors → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Meredith Soren Freese

    Director

    Executive Board of Director & Chair → Executive Board of Director & Co-Chair, 2021

    Executive Board of Director & Co-Chair → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Molly Bett Kovler

    Director

    Full Board of Directors → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sarah Rudich

    Director

    Executive Board of Director → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sheri Whitko

    Director

    Executive Board of Director → Full Board of Directors, 2021

    Full Board of Directors → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Alison Mitchell

    Director

    Full Board of Directors → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Eva Laser

    Director

    Full Board of Directors → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Halee Sage

    Director

    Chair → Board Chair, 2024

    Board Chair → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Janika Brenner

    Director

    Executive Board of Director → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John Barsella

    Director

    Executive Board of Director & Treasurer → Full Board of Directors, 2022

    Full Board of Directors → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Paul F. O'Keefe

    Director

    Executive Board of Director → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sylvia Michas

    Director

    Executive Board of Director → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Amanda Fayne

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dana Sanders

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kathy Josephson

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Alana Biggers Walker

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jenny Stevens

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jill Alberts Mills

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John DeCaro

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sonya Bhole

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Suchita Shah

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Suzanne Le Mignot

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tucker Woolfolk

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Laura H. Sage

    Treasurer

    Treasurer → Interim Executive Director & Treasurer, 2024

    Interim Executive Director & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    $158K (2024) → $0 (2025)

  • Kate Nash

    Secretary

    Executive Board of Director → Director, 2023

    Director → Secretary, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Anna O'Connor

    Vice Chair

    Director → Vice Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (91)
  • Former: Kendra Shiffman (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Kosta Loukas (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Ronna Isaacs-Stolman (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Zachary Zisook (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Elizabeth Schubert (2021–2024) — Secretary
  • Former: Rachel Sher (2021–2024) — Director
  • Former: Rebecca Richman (2021–2024) — Director
  • Former: Pamela Speer Lewis (2022–2024) — Executive Director
  • Former: Jill Cotseones (2023–2024) — Director
  • Former: Lora Schatz (2024) — Director
  • Former: Lora Schatz Jacobsohn (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: Tom Ordover (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: Penny Newberry (2021–2023) — Director
  • Former: Ronna Isaacs Stolman (2023) — Director
  • Former: Bari Anixter Mlodinoff (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Ceta Walters (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Charlene Lieber (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Ellen Soren (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Janis Trossman (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Julie Barrish (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Kim Feingold (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Lili Ann Zisook (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Nancy Golding (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Sofia Ahmad Jones (2020–2022) — Executive Board of Director & Vice Chair
  • Former: Stephanie Lieber (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Terri Lind (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Yael Ratner Silverman (2020–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Abby Lorber (2021–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Brian Lorber (2021–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Daniel Eybergen (2021–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Ellen Jacobs (2021–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Jennifer Thurswell (2021–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Laura Goodman (2021–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Pavandeep Sethi (2021–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Susan Silver (2021–2022) — Executive Board of Director & Treasurer
  • Former: Susan Wyderka (2021–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Yasemin Green (2021–2022) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Allison Zisook Goldstein (2020–2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Andrea Gordon (2020–2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Ashley Netzky (2020–2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Diane Greengross (2020–2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Karlee Karkazis (2020–2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Leonidas C. Platianias Md Ph (2020–2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Loren Palmer (2020–2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Sarna Lee Goldenberg (2020–2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Valentine Ecker Klutznick (2020–2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Bradley Jarol (2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Darryl Tom (2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Rosalind Lax (2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Susan Warshauer (2021) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Andrea Cahan (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Brad Jarol (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Candice Silver Udesky (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Dana Silver (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Denise Gibson (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Elizabeth Fishman-Gonsky (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Hollis Hanover (2020) — Executive Board of Director & Immediate Past Chair
  • Former: Inna Elterman (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Jane Weber (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Jennifer Meyers (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Joan Himmel Freeman (2020) — Executive Board of Directors
  • Former: Judith Rice (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Julie Lampert (2020) — Executive Board of Director
  • Former: Karen Debolt (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Kellee Johnson (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Laura Berger (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Libby Langsdorf (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Linda Weinstein (2020) — Executive Board of Directors
  • Former: Lisa Landsman (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Lisa Saul (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Liza Sweitzer (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Lori Rosen Leib (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Megan Levin (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Melissa Lederer (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Melissa Mazzetta (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Meta Berger (2020) — Executive Board of Director
  • Former: Michelle Friedman (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Michelle Williams (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Nancy Resnick (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Nicole Sugarman (2020) — Executive Board of Directors
  • Former: Penny Newberry Duncan (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Penny Vamvakaris (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Robin Mitchell (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Roz Lax (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Sarah Halack (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Sherri Hoke (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Sherrie Binke Glicken (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Sue Warshauer (2020) — Full Board of Directors
  • Former: Susan Silver Erlebacher (2020) — Executive Board of Director & Treasurer
  • Former: Taylor Mandel Abramowitz (2020) — Executive Board of Director
  • Former: Wendy Heltzer (2020) — Full Board of Directors

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

Kirstin Chernawsky — Executive Director: $256KKirstin ChernawskyExecutive Director$256KEmerson Wells — Director of Programs and Grants: $145KEmerson WellsDirector of Programs and Grants$145K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $256K, to Kirstin Chernawsky (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation

How much does Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation give each year?

Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation gave $1.5M across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990.

What is Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation's typical grant size?

Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $412,158, and its average grant was $381,453, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Where does Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation give grants?

Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (4 grants).

Does Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Research grants and scholars." (3 grants).

How large is Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation?

Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation reported $8.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.7M.

What is Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation?

Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation is a public charity focused on Housing & Shelter, based in Chicago, IL. It holds $8.9M in total assets as of 2025.

What is Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation's EIN?

Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3727715. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(6)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 25, 2022)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 28, 2023)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 19, 2024)
  4. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 5, 2021)
  5. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 21, 2026)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Lynn Sage Breast Cancer 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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