Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation
The Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Highland Park, Illinois. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in U.S. policy, Israel-related education and relations, homelessness, school food, and open inquiry in higher education.
Key facts about Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation
In short: Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation gave $455K across 21 grants in 2024 (avg $22K), mostly in District of Columbia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 36-4145039
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $455,210
- Grants made (2024)
- 21
- Average grant
- $21,677
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $6,257,414
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (52% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.3M
+1.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$455K
+34.2% YoY
Grant Count
21
+110.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$22K
-36.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $322K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation gives
- 43% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 429% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 163% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included organizations with varied missions. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy says it seeks to improve the quality of U.S. policy toward the Near East through insight, analysis, and ideas. Friends of ELNET describes its work as educating U.S. and European leaders and citizens about Israel and promoting exchanges with Israelis. The Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness says it works to prevent and end homelessness through organizing, advocacy, legal assistance, and education. Chef Ann Foundation says it supports school food professionals in providing fresh, healthy, scratch-cooked meals. Heterodox Academy says it works to improve university research and education through open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 21 grants totaling $455,210. Grants ranged from $4,000 to $172,500, with a median grant of $10,000. Its largest reported grants included $172,500 to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, $55,000 to Friends of ELNET, $50,000 to American Israeli Education Foundation, $21,600 to StandWithUs, and $20,000 to PEF Israel’s Endowment Funds Inc. Each was listed for general support.
Other 2024 grants included $14,130 to the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness, $14,000 each to Braver Angels and Chef Ann Foundation, and $10,000 to Heterodox Academy. The foundation also reported $7,500 to the Center for Entrepreneurial Jewish Philanthropy and $4,000 to the Institute for Therapy Through the Arts.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Ready to take the next step with Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in several states and Washington, DC: DC received 52%, New York 17%, Illinois 16%, California 5%, and Colorado 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $11K (2022) to $455K (2024). In 2024 it made 21 grants totaling $455K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Washington Institute for Near East Policy ($173K). Together the top 10 received $389K.
Grant Size Distribution
40 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 32 grants of 40 (80%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Institute for Near East Policy Washington, DC | General Support | $172,500 |
| Friends of Elnet Skokie, IL | General Support | $55,000 |
| American Israeli Education Foundation Washington, DC | General Support | $50,000 |
| Standwithus Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $21,600 |
| PEF Israels Endowment Funds Inc New York, NY | General Support | $20,000 |
| Central Fund for Israel New York, NY | General Support | $15,000 |
| Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness Chicago, IL | General Support | $14,130 |
| Braver Angels New York, NY | General Support | $14,000 |
| Chef Ann Foundation Boulder, CO | General Support | $14,000 |
| Arthritis Foundation - Illinois Atlanta, GA | General Support | $12,480 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6,257,414 | $938,844 | $737,994 | $455,210 | 21 |
| 2023 | $6,183,202 | $533,000 | $559,390 | $339,100 | 10 |
| 2022 | $6,408,926 | $833,634 | $118,718 | $10,799 | 2 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,257,414 | $6,183,202 | $6,408,926 |
| Revenue | $938,844 | $533,000 | $833,634 |
| Expenses | $737,994 | $559,390 | $118,718 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $526,361 | $419,169 | $23,127 |
| Net Investment Income | $636,957 | $376,610 | $551,529 |
| Distributable Amount | $322,338 | $327,532 | $317,130 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 30, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Susan Wagner as president, Joyce Croft as vice president, and Linda Wagner Weiner as vice president.
Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation is led by Susan Wagner, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Susan Wagner
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joyce Croft
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Linda Wagner Weiner
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Alan Witt (2020–2023) — Treasurer
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 1725 Mcgovern Avenue 200, Highland Park, IL 60035
Phone: (847) 432-3666
Frequently asked questions about Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation
How much does Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation give each year?
Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation gave $455K across 21 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $339K across 10 grants.
What is Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $21,677, across 21 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation give grants?
Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation gives mostly in District of Columbia: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (17%) and Illinois (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (4 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Washington Institute for Near East Policy ($172,500), Friends of Elnet ($55,000) and American Israeli Education Foundation ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation?
Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation reported $6.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $526K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $322K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included organizations with varied missions. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy says it seeks to improve the quality of U.S. policy toward the Near East through insight, analysis, and ideas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation's EIN?
Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4145039. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family 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.
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