The Bill Bass Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 2005, it operates as an independent 501(c)(3) organization focused on philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.3M
-2.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$836K
-7.4% YoY
Grant Count
59
-3.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-4.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Arts and Creative Fields
- Community Health
- Historic Preservation
- Journalism
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, New York, and South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $12,630,119
- Total Revenues: $2,480,029
- Total Expenses: $1,232,595
- Investment Income and Dividends: $362,562
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $12,313,490
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,313,490 | $12,630,119 | $11,592,565 |
| Revenue | $926,272 | $2,480,029 | $1,503,591 |
| Expenses | $1,178,265 | $1,232,595 | $1,040,852 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $942,750 | $1,013,401 | $811,923 |
| Net Investment Income | $725,505 | $1,970,859 | $1,265,223 |
| Distributable Amount | $942,540 | $858,322 | $886,426 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Marc Schwartz serves as a key contact for the foundation and is listed as co-trustee.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MELINDA JACOBSON | CO-TRUSTEE - PART TIME | — | $90,000 |
| MARC SCHWARTZ | CO-TRUSTEE - PART TIME | — | $90,000 |
Contact Information
Address: 333 W Wacker Drive, Suite 1700 #3550 Chicago, IL 60606-1247
Telephone: 312-540-4992
EIN: 61-6314816
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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