The a Montgomery Ward Foundation
The A Montgomery Ward Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation established in 1959 and based in Dallas, Texas. The foundation was created by Marjorie Montgomery Ward Baker, daughter of A. Montgomery Ward, the founder of Montgomery Ward & Company, to support charitable institutions in the Chicago area and surrounding communities. The foundation is managed by Bank of America.
Key facts about The a Montgomery Ward Foundation
- EIN
- 36-2417437
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $683,359
- Grants made (2025)
- 56
- Average grant
- $12,203
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $14,589,251
- Primary geography
- Illinois (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated June 2026.
Who The a Montgomery Ward Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The a Montgomery Ward Foundation's 56 itemized 2025 grants were Illinois (99%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (36 grants), Park Ridge, IL (3 grants), Oak Park, IL (2 grants) and Des Plaines, IL (2 grants). 30% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$14.6M
+1.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$683K
+1.6% YoY
Grant Count
56
+3.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
-2.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The a Montgomery Ward Foundation reported a distributable amount of $880K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission emphasizes support for institutions in the Chicago, Illinois area that provide high-quality, well-established educational and cultural activities. Primary funding areas include:
- Arts and Culture: Museums and cultural programming
- Education: Educational institutions and scholarships
- Children and Youth: Programs for children from birth to age five
- Social Services: Treatment for families experiencing child abuse and neglect, recordings for the blind and dyslexic, and women's services
- Humanities: Cultural and educational programming for current and future Chicago residents
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants to qualified charitable organizations. Recent grant activity includes:
Grant Range
**: $4,000–$62,500
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, with particular emphasis on the Chicago area and surrounding communities. Additional funding extends to Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 56 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets (2024): $14,327,674
- Total Assets (2025): $14,589,251
- Total Revenue (2024): $494,035
- Total Revenue (2025): $1,212,047
- Total Expenses (2024): $965,885
- Total Expenses (2025): $1,014,102
- Total Liabilities: $0
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $14,589,251 | $14,327,674 | $14,762,266 |
| Revenue | $1,212,047 | $494,035 | $508,262 |
| Expenses | $1,014,102 | $965,885 | $1,052,822 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $831,207 | $807,720 | $888,835 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,038,488 | $337,503 | $410,963 |
| Distributable Amount | $879,815 | $829,344 | $799,841 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
286 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The a Montgomery Ward Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Associated Colleges of Illinois ($62,500), Museum of Science & Industry ($40,000), Iwc Children's Clinic ($35,899).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ASSOCIATED COLLEGES OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO, IL | SCHOLARSHIPS | $62,500 |
| MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY CHICAGO, IL | FIRE SHUTTER REPLACE PROJ | $40,000 |
| IWC CHILDREN'S CLINIC OAK PARK, IL | REPLACE AGING COMPUTERS | $35,899 |
| THE FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CHICAGO, IL | PUBLIC PROG THRU SUE LING | $25,000 |
| WINDOW TO THE WORLD COMMUNICATIONS CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $25,000 |
| WINGS PROGRAM INC PALATINE, IL | SUBURBAN SAFEHOUSE WINDOW | $24,460 |
| HELPING HAND CENTER COUNTRYSIDE, IL | CLASSROOM SAFETY/ACCESS | $23,500 |
| AVENUES TO INDEPENDENCE PARK RIDGE, IL | ACCESSIBLE MINIVAN | $19,000 |
| HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES & MAINTENANCE CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $15,000 |
| KAA - KIDS ABOVE ALL ILLINOIS CHICAGO, IL | HOUSING SUPPORT FOR | $12,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is co-managed by Bank of America N.A., with co-trustees including Jack Hutchings and Richard Oloffson.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America N A | Co-Trustee | 1 | $125,450 |
| Jack Hutchings | Co-Trustee | 4 | $60,566 |
| Richard Oloffson | Co-Trustee | 4 | $60,566 |
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 653067, Dallas, TX 75265-3067
- Website: www.bankofamerica.com/philanth
- Telephone: 888-866-3275
- EIN: 36-2417437
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The a Montgomery Ward Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission emphasizes support for institutions in the Chicago, Illinois area that provide high-quality, well-established educational and cultural activities. Primary funding areas include: • **Arts and Culture**: Museums and cultural programming • **Education**: Educational institutions and scholarships • **Children and Youth**: Programs for children from birth to age five • **Social Services**: Treatment for families experiencing child abuse and neglect, recordings for the blind …
How do I apply for a grant from The a Montgomery Ward Foundation?
The foundation makes grants to qualified charitable organizations. Recent grant activity includes: • **Total giving (2024)**: $673,359 across 54 grants • **Total giving (2025)**: $683,359 • **Typical grant range**: $4,000–$62,500 • **Recent notable grants** (2024-2025): • Associated Colleges of Illinois: $62,500 (scholarships) • Kenneth C Griffin Museum of Science and Industry: $40,000 (fire shutter replacement project) • Field Museum of Natural History: $25,000 (public programming) • Helping H…
Where does The a Montgomery Ward Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, with particular emphasis on the Chicago area and surrounding communities. Additional funding extends to Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
What size grants does The a Montgomery Ward Foundation award?
In 2025, The a Montgomery Ward Foundation awarded 56 grants totaling $683K — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The a Montgomery Ward Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The a Montgomery Ward Foundation reported a distributable amount of $880K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The a Montgomery Ward Foundation's EIN?
The a Montgomery Ward Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2417437. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The a Montgomery Ward 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.