Mary Lou Downs Foundation
The Mary Lou Downs Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In its 2025 filing, it reported making 42 grants totaling $300,000 to charitable organizations; it states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
Mary Lou Downs Foundation at a glance
In short: Mary Lou Downs Foundation gave $300K across 42 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Illinois. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $300,000
- +33.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 42
- -4.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,143
- +39.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,000
- Total assets
- $2,104,386
- +6.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 42, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (77% 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 Mary Lou Downs 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: 180 N Lasalle St, Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 696-2512
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mary Lou Downs Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wings Program Inc ($14K). Together the top 10 received $138K.
Grant Size Distribution
213 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 213 grants of 213 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 77% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 6% to New York, 5% to Tennessee, 2% to the District of Columbia, and 2% to Kansas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Mary Lou Downs Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 42 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $190K (2021) to $300K (2025). In 2025 it made 42 grants totaling $300K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wings Program Inc Palatine, IL | Exclusively Charitable | $14,000 |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis, TN | Exclusively Charitable | $14,000 |
| Little Sisters of the Poor of Palatine Palatine, IL | Exclusively Charitable | $14,000 |
| Misericordia Heart of Mercy Chicago, IL | Exclusively Charitable | $14,000 |
| Hephzibah Children's Assn Oak Park, IL | Exclusively Charitable | $14,000 |
| Shriner's Hospital for Children Chicago, IL | Exclusively Charitable | $14,000 |
| Larabida Children's Hospital Chicago, IL | Exclusively Charitable | $14,000 |
| Tunnels to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | Exclusively Charitable | $14,000 |
| The Center of Concern Des Plaines, IL | Exclusively Charitable | $13,000 |
| Shelter Inc Arlington Heights, IL | Exclusively Charitable | $13,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,104,386 | $624,151 | $300,331 | $300,000 | 42 | $533,363 | — |
| 2024 | $1,972,550 | $94,310 | $255,653 | $225,000 | 44 | $47,721 | — |
| 2023 | $1,964,710 | $96,066 | $220,882 | $190,000 | 42 | $21,032 | — |
| 2022 | $2,055,741 | $87,974 | $231,270 | $199,000 | 43 | — | — |
| 2021 | $2,193,989 | $97,247 | $221,193 | $190,000 | 42 | $13,185 | — |
| 2020 | $2,278,098 | $152,148 | $219,912 | $194,000 | 40 | $71,033 | $159,065 |
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 grant purposes are reported as “exclusively charitable.” Its grantees include organizations with varied missions: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital says it advances cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment; WINGS Program says it provides housing, services, education, and advocacy to end domestic violence; and The Center of Concern says it provides housing solutions, support services, and counseling to help older adults, people with disabilities, and others in need live with dignity and independence.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 42 grants totaling $300,000. Grants ranged from $4,000 to $14,000, with a median of $4,000. Among the largest were $14,000 each to WINGS Program, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Little Sisters of the Poor of Palatine, Misericordia Heart of Mercy, Hephzibah Children’s Association, Shriner’s Hospital for Children, La Rabida Children’s Hospital, and Tunnels to Towers Foundation. The Center of Concern and Shelter Inc. each received $13,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Paul F. Gerbosi is listed as the sole trustee on the 2025 filing.
Mary Lou Downs Foundation is led by Paul F. Gerbosi, Sole Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Paul F. Gerbosi
Sole Trustee
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$30K (2020) → $30K (2025)
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 $30K, to Paul F Gerbosi (Sole Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Mary Lou Downs Foundation
How much does Mary Lou Downs Foundation give each year?
Mary Lou Downs Foundation gave $300K across 42 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $225K across 44 grants.
What is Mary Lou Downs Foundation's typical grant size?
Mary Lou Downs Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $7,143, across 42 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Mary Lou Downs Foundation give grants?
Mary Lou Downs Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (15 grants), Desplaines, IL (4 grants), Palatine, IL (3 grants) and Waukegan, IL (2 grants).
Does Mary Lou Downs Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 42 grants with a stated purpose on Mary Lou Downs Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Exclusively Charitable" (42 grants).
Who are Mary Lou Downs Foundation's largest grantees?
Mary Lou Downs Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Wings Program Inc ($14,000), St Jude Children's Research Hospital ($14,000) and Little Sisters of the Poor of Palatine ($14,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Mary Lou Downs Foundation?
Mary Lou Downs Foundation reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $624K.
What does Mary Lou Downs Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grant purposes are reported as “exclusively charitable.” Its grantees include organizations with varied missions: St. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mary Lou Downs 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 Mary Lou Downs Foundation's EIN?
Mary Lou Downs Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3797797. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Mary Lou Downs 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 31, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 3, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mary Lou Downs Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mary Lou Downs Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mary-lou-downs-foundation-morg_09f5f761924749c2a225d5a2191a872e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363797797_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mary Lou Downs Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mary-lou-downs-foundation-morg_09f5f761924749c2a225d5a2191a872e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Mary Lou Downs 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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