The Gallagher Family Foundation
The Gallagher Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2023 filing is marked as a final return, so the foundation appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
Key facts about The Gallagher Family Foundation
In short: The Gallagher Family Foundation gave $1.1M across 28 grants in 2023 (avg $39K), mostly in Illinois. 4% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 36-7156974
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023
- Annual giving (2023)
- $1,096,658
- Grants made (2023)
- 28
- Average grant
- $39,166
- Median grant
- $25,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (1 of 27, 2023)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (81% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The filing listed written requests only. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None listed on the filing.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2023 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
-100.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+21.9% YoY
Grant Count
28
-3.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$39K
+26.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gallagher Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $33K for 2023 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Gallagher Family Foundation open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 1 of 27 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $25K; repeat grants $41K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $28K repeat.
- 96% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- Giving grew 46% from 2020 to 2023. Method
- In 2023 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2023). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2023 grants included support for family services, religious services, medical care, cultural organizations, and education.
Grantees describe a range of activities: Marklund says it serves people with profound disabilities through residential, therapeutic, vocational, and educational services. Big Shoulders Fund says it supports underserved schools providing values-based education for Chicago children. Inner City Impact describes work with inner-city children and youth, and Emmaus Ministries says it supports male survivors leaving the sex trade.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $1,096,658. Awards ranged from $2,158 to $142,000, with a median of $25,500. Among its largest grants were $142,000 to Marklund Children’s Home, $92,500 to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, $87,000 to Boys Hope Girls Hope, $85,000 to Catholic Relief Services, and $80,000 to Mobile C A R E Foundation.
Review Cycle
, and no restrictions on awards. These instructions appear on a final return and should not be treated as current application guidance.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2023, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 8% to Maryland, 4% to Wisconsin, 2% to Indiana, and 2% to Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $750K (2020) to $1.1M (2023). In 2023 it made 28 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was Marklund Children's Home ($142K). Together the top 10 received $757K.
Grant Size Distribution
139 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 109 grants of 139 (78%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Marklund Children's Home Geneva, IL | Family Services | $142,000 |
| Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago Chicago, IL | Religious and Family Services | $92,500 |
| Boys Hope Girls Hope Evanston, IL | Family Services | $87,000 |
| Catholic Relief Services Inc Baltimore, MD | Religious and Family Services | $85,000 |
| Mobile C a R E Foundation Chicago, IL | Medical | $80,000 |
| Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe, IL | Cultural | $65,000 |
| Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School Chicago, IL | Educational | $56,000 |
| Big Shoulders Fund Chicago, IL | Family Services | $55,000 |
| Inner City Impact Chicago, IL | Religious | $50,000 |
| Brooklink Germantown, WI | Family Services | $42,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $1,096,658 | 28 |
| 2022 | $900,000 | 29 |
| 2021 | $750,000 | 26 |
| Metric | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $70,551 | $122,924 |
| Revenue | $1,086,823 | $859,367 | $732,181 |
| Expenses | $1,153,843 | $911,739 | $768,983 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,114,451 | $888,870 | $753,790 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,047,531 | $851,497 | $717,349 |
| Distributable Amount | $32,568 | $62,948 | $86,260 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 19, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 6, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2023
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing lists Mary G. Johnson and Jennifer A. Gallagher as trustees.
The Gallagher Family Foundation's 2023 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2023 report compensation.
Officers on the 2023 filing
Jennifer A. Gallagher
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary G. Johnson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2023. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Cecile Wooster
Mailing address: 652 Mecca Drive, Sarasota, FL 34234
Phone: (847) 271-8803
Email: ceciwooster@gmail.com
Frequently asked questions about The Gallagher Family Foundation
How much does The Gallagher Family Foundation give each year?
The Gallagher Family Foundation gave $1.1M across 28 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $900K across 29 grants.
What is The Gallagher Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Gallagher Family Foundation's median grant in 2023 was $25,500, and its average grant was $39,166, across 28 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Gallagher Family Foundation that year got $25K on average.
Where does The Gallagher Family Foundation give grants?
The Gallagher Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Maryland (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (16 grants), Evanston, IL (2 grants) and Winnetka, IL (2 grants).
Does The Gallagher Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2023: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on The Gallagher Family Foundation's 2023 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Family Services" (6 grants), "Religious" (5 grants) and "Educational" (4 grants).
Who are The Gallagher Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Gallagher Family Foundation's largest 2023 grantees include Marklund Children's Home ($142,000), Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago ($94,658 across 2 grants) and Boys Hope Girls Hope ($87,000), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
What does The Gallagher Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2023 grants included support for family services, religious services, medical care, cultural organizations, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Gallagher Family Foundation?
The filing listed written requests only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is The Gallagher Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2023, The Gallagher Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $33K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Gallagher Family Foundation's EIN?
The Gallagher Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7156974. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2023.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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