Mary Lou Downs Foundation
The Mary Lou Downs Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, established in March 1992. It operates as a Section 4947(a)(1) nonexempt charitable trust treated as a private foundation. The foundation uses capital gains from investment of its portfolio assets to make contributions to qualified 501(c)(3) charitable organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$225K
+18.4% YoY
Grant Count
44
+4.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+13.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to invest portfolio assets and use resulting capital gains to support exclusively charitable organizations. The foundation maintains a broad charitable focus, making grants to organizations across various sectors including children's health research, senior living, domestic violence services, and disability-focused programs.
Grantmaking
The Mary Lou Downs Foundation is an active grantmaker. In 2024, the foundation made 43 grants totaling approximately $150,500 in documented grants. Recent grantees include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois and has made grants to organizations located in Illinois and beyond, including national organizations such as St Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $1,972,550
- Total Revenues: $94,310
- Total Expenses: $255,653
- Number of Employees: 0
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $1,960,000
- Total Revenues: $96,100
- Total Expenses: $221,000
The foundation maintains modest annual revenues relative to its asset base, reflecting its reliance on investment income and capital gains from portfolio management rather than external contributions.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
211 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Life Span ($11,000), Wings Program Inc ($11,000), St Jude Children's Research Hospital ($11,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| LIFE SPAN DESPLAINES, IL | EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE | $11,000 |
| WINGS PROGRAM INC PALATINE, IL | EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE | $11,000 |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL MEMPHIS, TN | EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE | $11,000 |
| THE CENTER OF CONCERN DES PLAINES, IL | EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE | $8,000 |
| SHELTER INC ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL | EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE | $8,000 |
| LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR OF PALATINE PALATINE, IL | EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE | $8,000 |
| NTL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY CHICAGO, IL | EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE | $4,500 |
| MISERICORDIA HEART OF MERCY CHICAGO, IL | EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE | $8,000 |
| USO OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO, IL | EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE | $4,500 |
| PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA WASHINGTON, DC | EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE | $4,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Paul F Gerbosi serves as the contact person for the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL F GERBOSI | SOLE TRUSTEE | 15 | $30,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mary Lou Downs Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to invest portfolio assets and use resulting capital gains to support exclusively charitable organizations. The foundation maintains a broad charitable focus, making grants to organizations across various sectors including children's health research, senior living, domestic violence services, and disability-focused programs.
How do I apply for a grant from Mary Lou Downs Foundation?
The Mary Lou Downs Foundation is an active grantmaker. In 2024, the foundation made 43 grants totaling approximately $150,500 in documented grants. Recent grantees include: • St Jude Children's Research Hospital ($11,000) • Life Span ($11,000) • WINGS Program ($11,000) • Victorian Woods Senior Living ($2,000) Grant amounts appear to range from $2,000 to $11,000 based on available records. The foundation distributes grants on an annual basis, with grants typically awarded in December.
Where does Mary Lou Downs Foundation make grants?
The foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois and has made grants to organizations located in Illinois and beyond, including national organizations such as St Jude Children's Research Hospital.
What size grants does Mary Lou Downs Foundation award?
In 2024, Mary Lou Downs Foundation awarded 44 grants totaling $225K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mary Lou Downs Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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