The Watkins Family Charitable Foundation Aka
The Watkins Family Charitable Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1997 and based in Chicago, Illinois. The foundation operates as a non-operating private foundation, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$16.9M
+0.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$775K
+298.2% YoY
Grant Count
1
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$775K
+298.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Watkins Family Charitable Foundation Aka reported a distributable amount of $967K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The foundation has made 120 grants totaling $1.2 million according to available records. Grant characteristics include:
Grant Range
$838-$10,000
Average Grant
$838-$10,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports a wide range of U.S. locations, with funded states including:
- California
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Missouri
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
- West Virginia
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $16.7 million
- Annual Revenue: $3.26 million
- Annual Expenses: $272,000
- Total Giving: $194,500
Historical Growth:
- Total assets have grown from $2.1 million in 2011 to $16.7 million in 2023
- Annual giving has decreased from $577,000 in 2021 to $195,000 in 2023
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,871,216 | $16,731,839 | $9,619,198 |
| Revenue | $1,189,154 | $3,264,147 | $304,844 |
| Expenses | $1,056,133 | $271,861 | $509,158 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $905,385 | $229,290 | $473,714 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,097,407 | $3,237,971 | $279,426 |
| Distributable Amount | $966,791 | $848,016 | $905,892 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 1 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
151 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include See Attached Schedule ($774,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $774,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by four officers and trustees:
- Philip A Huss (Principal Officer, Trustee)
- H Thomas Watkins III (Trustee)
- Wendy R Watkins (Trustee)
- Northern Trust Company (Co-trustee, receives compensation for its role)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY | CO-TRUSTEE | 1 | $200,921 |
| H THOMAS WATKINS III | CO-TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WENDY R WATKINS | CO-TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| PHILIP A HUSS DECEASED | CO-TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: PO Box 803878 Chicago, IL 60680-3878 United States
Telephone: 312-630-6000
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from The Watkins Family Charitable Foundation Aka?
The foundation has made 120 grants totaling $1.2 million according to available records. Grant characteristics include: • Average grant size: $838-$10,000 • Median grant: $1,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $100 to $195,000 • The foundation has supported 82 unique organizations The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications.
Where does The Watkins Family Charitable Foundation Aka make grants?
The foundation supports a wide range of U.S. locations, with funded states including: • California • Connecticut • District of Columbia • Florida • Georgia • Illinois • Kentucky • Maryland • Missouri • New York • Ohio • Pennsylvania • South Carolina • Virginia • Wisconsin • West Virginia
What size grants does The Watkins Family Charitable Foundation Aka award?
In 2024, The Watkins Family Charitable Foundation Aka awarded 1 grants totaling $775K — an average of about $775K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Watkins Family Charitable Foundation Aka required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Watkins Family Charitable Foundation Aka reported a distributable amount of $967K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Watkins Family Charitable Foundation Aka's EIN?
The Watkins Family Charitable Foundation Aka's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1873256. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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