The Wagner Foundation
The Wagner Foundation is a private foundation based in Northbrook, Illinois. It makes cash contributions to 501(c)(3) organizations using investment proceeds; its 2025 filing states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
The Wagner Foundation at a glance
In short: The Wagner Foundation gave $180K across 26 grants in 2026 (avg $7K), top state Illinois. 8% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $180,000
- +3.4% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 26
- -16.1% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $6,923
- +23.3% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $4,250
- Total assets
- $3,738,728
- +8.9% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (2 of 26, 2026)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (31% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Wagner Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1900 Barberry Rd, Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: (847) 564-3511
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Wagner Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Active Minds ($25K). Together the top 10 received $130K.
Grant Size Distribution
139 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 137 grants of 139 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2026, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Illinois (31%), New York (17%), Washington, DC (16%), Virginia (12%), and Florida (10%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Wagner Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 2 of 26 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 92% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 20% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 114% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). 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 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $150K (2023) to $183K (2022). In 2026 it made 26 grants totaling $180K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Active Minds Washington, DC | To aid the organization and further exempt purposes. | $25,000 |
| The Jed Foundation New York, NY | To aid the organization and further exempt purposes. | $25,000 |
| Bounce Childrens Foundation St. Paul, MN | To aid the organization and further exempt purposes. | $14,500 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | To aid the organization and further exempt purposes. | $12,000 |
| Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank Fredericksburg, VA | To aid the organization and further exempt purposes. | $11,000 |
| Fredericksburg SPCA Fredericksburg, VA | To aid the organization and further exempt purposes. | $11,000 |
| To Write Love on Her Arms Melbourne, FL | To aid the organization and further exempt purposes. | $10,000 |
| FORCE - Facing Hereditary Cancer Em Tampa, FL | To aid the organization and further exempt purposes. | $8,500 |
| University Of Chicago Chicago, IL | To aid the organization and further exempt purposes. | $8,000 |
| Amfar The Foundation For Aids Resea New York, NY | To aid the organization and further exempt purposes. | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Wagner 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $3,738,728 | $329,351 | $260,741 | $180,000 | 26 | $196,148 | $264,758 | $172,801 |
| 2025 | $3,433,454 | $344,364 | $254,167 | $174,000 | 31 | $190,033 | $280,230 | $164,428 |
| 2024 | $3,247,763 | $195,406 | $226,308 | $151,000 | 28 | $166,062 | $135,160 | $145,419 |
| 2023 | $2,876,937 | $174,075 | $197,513 | $150,000 | 25 | $159,503 | $136,065 | $143,660 |
| 2022 | $3,320,981 | $469,935 | $237,430 | $183,000 | 29 | $183,000 | $377,535 | — |
| 2021 | $3,480,530 | $154,261 | $201,673 | $153,000 | 26 | — | $168,111 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Wagner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $173K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No separate mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2026 grants include support for organizations working in mental health, hunger relief, education, housing, and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These are examples of grantee work, not stated focus areas of the foundation.
The Jed Foundation says its mission is to protect the emotional health of teens and young adults and prevent suicide. Active Minds says it mobilizes youth and young adults to advance mental health. The Greater Chicago Food Depository says it works to end hunger, and the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank says it feeds people through a community network. The University of Chicago describes its mission as communicating and creating knowledge and fostering a community of scholars and students. Habitat for Humanity says it brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. The Center for Enriched Living says it works to enrich the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $180,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median of $4,250. Its largest grants were $25,000 each to Active Minds and The Jed Foundation. Other notable grants included $14,500 to Bounce Childrens Foundation, $12,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and $11,000 each to the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank and Fredericksburg SPCA. The listed grant purposes generally state that contributions aid the recipient organization and further its exempt purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Paul Wagner as Treasurer, Ralph Satoloe as Secretary, and David Wagner and Hal Roseth as Directors.
The Wagner Foundation's 2026 filing lists 4 officers; all 4 officers listed in 2026 are compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
David Wagner
Director
On filings since 2021
$13K (2021) → $23K (2026)
Hal Roseth
Director
On filings since 2023
$3K (2023) → $3K (2026)
Paul R. Wagner
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
$13K (2021) → $23K (2026)
Ralph E. Satoloe
Secretary
On filings since 2021
$13K (2021) → $23K (2026)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $23K, to Paul Wagner (Treasurer). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Wagner Foundation
How much does The Wagner Foundation give each year?
The Wagner Foundation gave $180K across 26 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $174K across 31 grants.
What is The Wagner Foundation's typical grant size?
The Wagner Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $4,250, and its average grant was $6,923, across 26 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Wagner Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Wagner Foundation give grants?
The Wagner Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (17%) and District of Columbia (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (6 grants), New York, NY (2 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Fredericksburg, VA (2 grants).
Who are The Wagner Foundation's largest grantees?
The Wagner Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Active Minds ($25,000), The Jed Foundation ($25,000) and Bounce Childrens Foundation ($14,500), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is The Wagner Foundation?
The Wagner Foundation reported $3.7M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $196K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $173K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Wagner Foundation fund?
No separate mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2026 grants include support for organizations working in mental health, hunger relief, education, housing, and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Wagner Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Wagner Foundation's EIN?
The Wagner Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6055674. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Does The Wagner 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 2, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Wagner Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Wagner Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-wagner-foundation-morg_b6ff41368cf846449188b33da846cfd3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366055674_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Wagner Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-wagner-foundation-morg_b6ff41368cf846449188b33da846cfd3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Wagner 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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