The McWethy Foundation
The McWethy Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations including public-policy groups, a youth outreach organization, a children’s research hospital, and a humanitarian aid organization.
The McWethy Foundation at a glance
In short: The McWethy Foundation gave $579K across 45 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), top state Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $579,000
- +10.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 45
- +32.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,867
- -16.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $8,323,870
- +2.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (30% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The McWethy Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing states that no formal application is required, there are no restrictions on awards, and the foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: The Mcwethy Foundation
Mailing address: C/O Bank Of America Na 110 N W, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 828-3603
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The McWethy Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cato Institute ($50K). Together the top 10 received $295K.
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 75 grants of 82 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in several states. The largest reported shares were to Illinois (30%), the District of Columbia (15%), Michigan (10%), Virginia (9%), and Arizona (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 45 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The McWethy Foundation gives
- 62% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $444K (2020) to $579K (2025). In 2025 it made 45 grants totaling $579K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cato Institute Washington, DC | Unrestricted General | $50,000 |
| Turning Point USA Phoenix, AZ | Unrestricted General | $50,000 |
| American Transparency Hinsdale, IL | Unrestricted General | $30,000 |
| The Heritage Foundation Washington, DC | Unrestricted General | $25,000 |
| The Heartland Institute Chicago, IL | Unrestricted General | $25,000 |
| The Mackinac Center for Public Policy Midland, MI | Unrestricted General | $25,000 |
| Illinois Policy Institute Chicago, IL | Unrestricted General | $25,000 |
| Media Research Center Alexandria, VA | Unrestricted General | $25,000 |
| Young America's Foundation Reston, VA | Unrestricted General | $20,000 |
| Semper Fi and America's Fund Oceanside, CA | Unrestricted General | $20,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,323,870 | $966,128 | $766,810 | $579,000 | 45 | $659,756 | $865,204 | $709,882 |
| 2024 | $8,137,371 | $1,888,647 | $715,059 | $522,000 | 34 | $590,754 | $1,793,044 | $647,467 |
| 2023 | $6,965,609 | $810,999 | $639,144 | $504,600 | 1 | $544,182 | $719,922 | $561,570 |
| 2022 | $6,795,433 | $627,118 | $732,591 | $562,500 | 1 | $625,732 | $533,109 | $567,899 |
| 2021 | $6,899,881 | $885,171 | $596,926 | $452,750 | 1 | $490,469 | $786,215 | $655,128 |
| 2020 | $6,614,191 | $1,316,815 | $609,997 | $443,500 | 1 | — | $497,261 | $491,185 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The McWethy Foundation reported a distributable amount of $710K for 2025 — 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose stated missions span public policy, media, youth outreach, pediatric research and treatment, and humanitarian aid. For example, the Cato Institute says it promotes individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace; the Heritage Foundation says it promotes conservative public policies based on principles including free enterprise and individual freedom. The Media Research Center says it works to combat what it describes as falsehoods and censorship in media and Big Tech.
Other supported organizations describe different kinds of work. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital says its mission is to advance cures and prevention for catastrophic pediatric diseases through research and treatment. Samaritan’s Purse describes itself as a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to people in need. Young America’s Foundation says it provides youth outreach focused on ideas including individual freedom, free enterprise, and traditional values.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 45 grants totaling $579,000. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $50,000, with a median of $10,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $50,000 each to the Cato Institute and Turning Point USA; $30,000 to American Transparency; and $25,000 each to the Heritage Foundation, the Heartland Institute, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, the Illinois Policy Institute, and the Media Research Center. Other reported grants included $20,000 each to Young America’s Foundation, Semper Fi and America’s Fund, Hillsdale College, and Samaritan’s Purse.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Todd D McWethy, Susan McWethy, Gretchen Hupke, and Karen Hagnell as directors.
The McWethy Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Gretchen Hupke
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan McWethy
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Todd D McWethy
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Hagnell
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Bank Of America N A (2020–2023) — Agent for Fiduciary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The McWethy Foundation
How much does The McWethy Foundation give each year?
The McWethy Foundation gave $579K across 45 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $522K across 34 grants.
What is The McWethy Foundation's typical grant size?
The McWethy Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,867, across 45 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The McWethy Foundation give grants?
The McWethy Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (15%) and Michigan (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (7 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and Phoenix, AZ (2 grants).
Does The McWethy Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The McWethy Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (45 of 45) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The McWethy Foundation's largest grantees?
The McWethy Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cato Institute ($50,000), Turning Point USA ($50,000) and American Transparency ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The McWethy Foundation?
The McWethy Foundation reported $8.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $660K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $710K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The McWethy Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose stated missions span public policy, media, youth outreach, pediatric research and treatment, and humanitarian aid. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The McWethy Foundation?
The filing states that no formal application is required, there are no restrictions on awards, and the foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The McWethy Foundation's EIN?
The McWethy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3912789. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 18, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 19, 2022)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The McWethy Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The McWethy Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mcwethy-foundation-morg_eea51ddaf47b4780b39aa432c4b10264
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363912789_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The McWethy Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mcwethy-foundation-morg_eea51ddaf47b4780b39aa432c4b10264},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 McWethy 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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