The Bill Bass Foundation
The Bill Bass Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 filing lists 59 grants totaling $836,000 to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Illinois.
The Bill Bass Foundation at a glance
In short: The Bill Bass Foundation gave $836K across 59 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), mostly in Illinois. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $836,000
- -7.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 59
- -3.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,169
- -4.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $12,313,490
- -2.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (10 of 59, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (79% 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 The Bill Bass Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 333 W Wacker Dr Ste 1700-3550, Chicago, IL 60606-1247
Phone: (312) 540-4992
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Bill Bass Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago ($118K). Together the top 10 received $452K.
Grant Size Distribution
286 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 266 grants of 286 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 12% to recipients in New York. Recipients in Maryland received 3%; those in Washington, DC, and California each received 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 59 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Bill Bass Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 59 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 23% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 100% 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 $680K (2021) to $903K (2023). In 2024 it made 59 grants totaling $836K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago Chicago, IL | General Funds | $118,000 |
| Lurie Childrens Foundation Chicago, IL | General Funds | $50,000 |
| Shirley Ryan Ability Lab Chicago, IL | General Funds | $50,000 |
| University of Illinois Foundation Urbana, IL | General Funds | $50,000 |
| Birthright Israel Foundation New York, NY | General Funds | $46,000 |
| Malnati Brain Tumor Institute Chicago, IL | General Funds | $35,000 |
| Special Childrens Charities Chicago, IL | General Funds | $28,000 |
| Chicago Police Memorial Foundation Chicago, IL | General Funds | $25,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | General Funds | $25,000 |
| Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Behesda, MD | General Funds | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Bill Bass Foundation?
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 | $12,313,490 | $926,272 | $1,178,265 | $836,000 | 59 | $942,750 | $725,505 | $942,540 |
| 2023 | $12,630,119 | $2,480,029 | $1,232,595 | $903,000 | 61 | $1,013,401 | $1,970,859 | $858,322 |
| 2022 | $11,592,565 | $1,503,591 | $1,040,852 | $702,000 | 57 | $811,923 | $1,265,223 | $886,426 |
| 2021 | $11,132,044 | $1,017,277 | $1,002,923 | $680,000 | 56 | $785,075 | $794,356 | $915,472 |
| 2020 | $11,117,797 | $298,727 | $1,010,248 | $697,500 | 53 | — | $100,471 | $775,453 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bill Bass Foundation reported a distributable amount of $943K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including health, disability inclusion, food assistance, education, Jewish community programming, and support for families of fallen or catastrophically injured Chicago police officers.
The grantees describe their work in their own terms: Special Children’s Charities says it provides athletic, educational, and life-enriching programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; The Nora Project says it promotes disability inclusion by empowering educators and engaging students and communities. The Greater Chicago Food Depository says its mission is to end hunger, while the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation says it supports families of officers killed or catastrophically injured in the line of duty. Birthright Israel Foundation says it raises funds to support educational trips to Israel for young Jewish adults. The University of Illinois Foundation says it administers private gifts and fundraising programs benefiting the University of Illinois.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 59 grants totaling $836,000. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $118,000, with a median grant of $10,000.
The largest listed grant was $118,000 to Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago. Other notable 2024 grants included $50,000 each to Lurie Children’s Foundation, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and the University of Illinois Foundation; $46,000 to Birthright Israel Foundation; and $35,000 to Malnati Brain Tumor Institute. The Greater Chicago Food Depository and Chicago Police Memorial Foundation each received $25,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Melinda Jacobson and Marc Schwartz as co-trustees, both part-time.
The Bill Bass Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Marc Schwartz
Co-Trustee - Part Time
On filings since 2020
$84K (2020) → $90K (2024)
Melinda Jacobson
Co-Trustee - Part Time
On filings since 2020
$84K (2020) → $90K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $90K, to Melinda Jacobson (Co-Trustee - Part Time). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Bill Bass Foundation
How much does The Bill Bass Foundation give each year?
The Bill Bass Foundation gave $836K across 59 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $903K across 61 grants.
What is The Bill Bass Foundation's typical grant size?
The Bill Bass Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $14,169, across 59 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Bill Bass Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does The Bill Bass Foundation give grants?
The Bill Bass Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (26 grants), New York, NY (5 grants), Highland Park, IL (4 grants) and Skokie, IL (2 grants).
Does The Bill Bass Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Bill Bass Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (59 of 59) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Bill Bass Foundation's largest grantees?
The Bill Bass Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago ($118,000), Lurie Childrens Foundation ($50,000) and Shirley Ryan Ability Lab ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Bill Bass Foundation?
The Bill Bass Foundation reported $12.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $943K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $943K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Bill Bass Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Bill Bass Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Bill Bass Foundation's EIN?
The Bill Bass Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-6314816. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Bill Bass 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Bill Bass Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Bill Bass Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-bill-bass-foundation-morg_bb81d6741fe14747a1040ce2f55b828e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_616314816_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Bill Bass Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-bill-bass-foundation-morg_bb81d6741fe14747a1040ce2f55b828e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 The Bill Bass Foundation'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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