Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund
The Patrick and Anna M. Cudahy Fund is a private foundation based in Oak Park, Illinois. It supports nonprofit organizations benefiting economically challenged or marginalized communities, primarily in metropolitan Chicago and Wisconsin, and also makes director-recommended discretionary grants beyond those areas.
Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund at a glance
In short: Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund gave $1.1M across 100 grants in 2024 (avg $11K), mostly in Illinois. 22% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,094,060
- +15.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 100
- +8.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $10,941
- +6.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $15,940,440
- +7.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (22 of 100, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (53% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The Fund does not accept unsolicited requests. Organizations that are not current grantees may submit a Letter of Inquiry online; LOIs are accepted year-round, but the Fund notes that they should arrive at least three months before the proposal deadline for the meeting in question. An LOI does not guarantee an invitation to submit a proposal. Proposals require a formal invitation, except that current community-grant recipients may reapply one year after their previous grant without an LOI. Discretionary grants are selected by directors, and recipients must be invited to reapply.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists October 16, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. as the proposal deadline for the fall 2026 board meeting. The meeting is scheduled for December 12, 2026.
- Deadline
- The website lists October 16, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1010 Lake Street 200, Oak Park, IL 60301
Phone: (312) 641-5776
Website: https://cudahyfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund
Who Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Ithemba Ngemfundo Inc ($58K). Together the top 10 received $282K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($10,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
477 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 476 grants of 477 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Fund’s community-grant focus is metropolitan Chicago and Wisconsin. Its website says most Wisconsin grants are awarded in the Milwaukee area, including Racine and Kenosha counties. Family-member directors may recommend discretionary grants for organizations outside the community-grant geographic focus, including organizations operating abroad.
In 2024, 53% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 33% to recipients in Wisconsin. Other listed recipient-state shares were New York (5%), Pennsylvania (3%), and Connecticut (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 100 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 22 of 100 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+7%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 152% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $889K (2020) to $1.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 100 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ithemba Ngemfundo Inc Madison, WI | Building Support for Preschool in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | $57,500 |
| Maryknoll Sisters Maryknoll, NY | St. Mary's Hospice and Eco Farm in San Marcos, Guatemala | $40,560 |
| DePaul University College of Law Chicago, IL | Summer Public Interest Law Internship Program | $25,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Inc Chicago, IL | General Operations | $25,000 |
| Second Nurture Glastonbury, CT | General Operations | $25,000 |
| Seton Hill University Greensburg, PA | Nancy Smith O'Brien Endowed Scholarship Fund | $25,000 |
| GiveWell Oakland, CA | General Operations | $23,500 |
| Environmental Law and Policy Center of the Midwest Chicago, IL | General Operations | $20,000 |
| Ignite Chicago, IL | General Operations | $20,000 |
| Literacy Services of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI | General Operations | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $15,940,440 | $1,106,134 | $1,264,201 | $1,094,060 | 100 | $1,134,362 | $976,295 | $744,569 |
| 2023 | $14,846,953 | $448,300 | $1,089,516 | $945,500 | 92 | $981,550 | $340,334 | $688,029 |
| 2022 | $13,285,425 | $517,737 | $1,170,346 | $989,250 | 98 | $1,030,113 | $395,810 | $734,512 |
| 2021 | $16,765,897 | $1,015,886 | $1,193,483 | $1,027,250 | 99 | $1,070,208 | $900,613 | $748,705 |
| 2020 | $14,146,758 | $513,756 | $1,012,847 | $888,750 | 88 | — | $472,241 | $681,548 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund reported a distributable amount of $745K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Fund’s stated focus is supporting nonprofit organizations that benefit economically challenged or marginalized communities. Its funding categories include social services such as housing, food assistance, and employment programs; health and human services; environmental conservation and public-interest environmental law; and education. Its website also identifies the arts as an area of support.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of work supported. Greater Chicago Food Depository describes its mission as working with community organizations to end hunger in Cook County. Sarah’s Circle says it provides housing, life necessities, and supportive services to help women end homelessness. Literacy Services of Wisconsin describes its work as providing adult learners access to basic education and skills training. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Fund reported 100 grants totaling $1,094,060. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $57,500, with a median of $10,000. Examples include $57,500 to Ithemba Ngemfundo for building support for a preschool in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; $40,560 to Maryknoll Sisters for a hospice and eco farm in Guatemala; and $25,000 each to DePaul University College of Law for its Summer Public Interest Law Internship Program and Greater Chicago Food Depository for general operations. Other 2024 grants included $25,000 to Second Nurture for general operations and $20,000 each to Ignite, Literacy Services of Wisconsin, Misericordia HomeHeart of Mercy, and Sarah’s Circle.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Janet S. Cudahy as president and director, and Richard D. Cudahy Jr. as treasurer and director. Directors listed on that filing are James Bailey, Molly Cudahy, Patrick G. Cudahy, Barbara Holtz, Kristi E. Leswing, Kit Cudahy, Tia Cudahy, and Dan Cudahy. The Fund’s website identifies Lauren Krieg as executive director and says the board includes family and non-family members.
Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund is led by Janet S. Cudahy, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 11 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Janet S. Cudahy
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Barbara Holtz
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Dan Cudahy
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
James Bailey
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kit Cudahy
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kristi E. Leswing
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Michaela Cudahy
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Molly Cudahy
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Patrick G. Cudahy
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Richard D. Cudahy Jr.
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Tia Cudahy
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund
How much does Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund give each year?
Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund gave $1.1M across 100 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $946K across 92 grants.
What is Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund's typical grant size?
Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,941, across 100 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund that year got $10K on average.
Where does Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund give grants?
Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund gives mostly in Illinois: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wisconsin (33%) and New York (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (49 grants), Milwaukee, WI (23 grants), Evanston, IL (5 grants) and West Allis, WI (2 grants).
Does Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 61% of Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (61 of 100) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarships" (3 grants).
Who are Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund's largest grantees?
Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Ithemba Ngemfundo Inc ($57,500), Maryknoll Sisters ($40,560) and DePaul University College of Law ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 11% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund?
Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund reported $15.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $745K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund fund?
The Fund’s stated focus is supporting nonprofit organizations that benefit economically challenged or marginalized communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund?
The Fund does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund's EIN?
Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-0991972. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund 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.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 26, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 21, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 4, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/patrick-and-anna-m-cudahy-fund-morg_6b290b7339ef444a83450b9dd6876c90
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_390991972_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/patrick-and-anna-m-cudahy-fund-morg_6b290b7339ef444a83450b9dd6876c90},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-08. 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 Patrick and Anna M Cudahy Fund'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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