Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation
The Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation is a private foundation established in 1995 and based in Chicago, Illinois. The foundation makes contributions to other charitable organizations, operating with a staff of two employees. It is a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since January 1996.
Key facts about Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation
- EIN
- 36-4010374
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,927,688
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- Average grant
- $172,217
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (5 of 17, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (95% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation's 17 itemized 2024 grants were Illinois (95%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (7 grants) and Tucson, AZ (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 17 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $240K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $13K repeat.
- 24% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+3%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$2.9M
+24.8% YoY
Grant Count
17
-26.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$172K
+68.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's purpose is to make contributions to other charitable organizations. Primary funding areas include:
- Animal Welfare: Animal rescue and welfare organizations
- Health: Cancer research and hospitals
- Education: Educational organizations and youth programs
- Philanthropy & Grantmaking: Support for charitable causes
Grantmaking
The foundation made 33 grants in 2024. Recent major grants include:
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations primarily in:
- Illinois (primary focus)
- Florida
- Arizona
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 17 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $49,017,402
- Total Revenues: $5,297,708
- Total Expenses: $3,609,465
- Total Giving: $2,927,688
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
107 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Paws Chicago ($2,661,280), Culver Academies ($50,000), Lurie Cancer Center ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| PAWS CHICAGO Chicago, IL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $2,661,280 |
| CULVER ACADEMIES Culver, IN | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| LURIE CANCER CENTER Chicago, IL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| BIG DOG RANCH RESCUE Loxahatchee Groves, FL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $35,000 |
| WINGS PROGRAM INC Palatine, IL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $34,000 |
| TUCSON WILDLIFE CENTER Tucson, AZ | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $28,000 |
| ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY West Palm Beach, FL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| CHICAGO CITY DAY SCHOOL Chicago, IL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $11,400 |
| ABOVE AND BEYOND FAMILY RECOVERY CENTER FOUNDATION Chicago, IL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| UNCONDITIONAL RESCUE Laguna Beach, CA | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Personnel:
- Alexis Fasseas – Director (compensation: $195,000 as of 2023)
- Drew Fasseas – Director (compensation: $98,000 as of 2023)
Founders:
- Peter Fasseas – Co-founder; holds a law degree from Northwestern University. In the late 1970s, he and Paula leveraged their home to purchase North Community Bank, which grew into the Metropolitan Bank Group, now operating as Byline Bank.
- Paula Fasseas – Co-founder; holds an MBA from the University of Chicago. In 1998, Peter and Paula founded PAWS Chicago, the largest no-kill humane animal rescue organization in Chicago.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paula Fasseas | President | 1 | — |
| Alexis Fasseas | Director | 30 | $195,000 |
| Drew Fasseas | Director | 30 | $108,000 |
| Pam Carey | Director | — | — |
| Anita Mauro | Director | — | — |
| Suzanne Lemignot | Director | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Paula Fasseas was named Chicagoan of the Year in recognition of her work as founder of PAWS Chicago. The foundation continues to provide significant support to PAWS Chicago, which remains a primary focus of the foundation's grantmaking.
Peter And Paula Fasseas Foundation - Full Filing - Nonprofit ExplorerSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation fund?
The foundation's purpose is to make contributions to other charitable organizations. Primary funding areas include: • **Animal Welfare:** Animal rescue and welfare organizations • **Health:** Cancer research and hospitals • **Education:** Educational organizations and youth programs • **Philanthropy & Grantmaking:** Support for charitable causes
How do I apply for a grant from Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation?
The foundation made 33 grants in 2024. Recent major grants include: | Grantee | Amount | Year | |---------|--------|------| | PAWS Chicago | $2,661,280 | 2024 | | Big Dog Ranch Rescue | $35,000 | 2024 | | WINGS Program | $34,000 | 2024 | Typical grant awards range from $150 to $2,661,280, with a total giving amount of $2,927,688 in 2024. The foundation provides unrestricted general operating support to grantees.
Where does Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds organizations primarily in: • Illinois (primary focus) • Florida • Arizona
What size grants does Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation award?
In 2024, Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation awarded 17 grants totaling $2.9M — an average of about $172K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation's EIN?
Peter & Paula Fasseas Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4010374. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.