The William F O'Connor Foundation
The William F O'Connor Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2025, it awarded 27 grants totaling $260,000 to organizations including charities, schools, and arts and literacy organizations.
The William F O'Connor Foundation at a glance
In short: The William F O'Connor Foundation gave $260K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Illinois. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $260,000
- +0.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- +8.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $9,630
- -6.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $9,876,779
- +0.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (3 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (86% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The William F O'Connor Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists a business-letter request with a copy of the applicant’s tax return and financial statements. It names Carol Hennessy as the contact and states that awards are subject to board discretion.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Carol Hennessy The William F O'Conn
Mailing address: 141 W Jackson Suite 2250, Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (312) 922-0062
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The William F O'Connor Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was WTTW Channel 11 ($110K). Together the top 10 received $215K.
Grant Size Distribution
131 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 121 grants of 131 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest share of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois (86%), followed by New York (10%), Michigan (4%), Florida (1%), and California (0%), as reported. The foundation’s 2025 grants included organizations in Chicago and elsewhere in Illinois, as well as recipients in New York and Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The William F O'Connor Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 27 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 89% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 85% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 54% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $258K (2024) to $1.8M (2022). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $260K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| WTTW Channel 11 Chicago, IL | General | $110,000 |
| The Bridge Fund New York, NY | General | $25,000 |
| St Coletta's of Illinois Foundation Tinley Park, IL | General | $15,000 |
| Chicago Jesuit Academy Chicago, IL | General | $10,000 |
| Club of Hearts Inc Chicago, IL | General | $10,000 |
| Mission of Our Lady of Mercy-Mercy Home for Boys and Girls Chicago, IL | General | $10,000 |
| Reading Power Inc Lake Bluff, IL | General | $10,000 |
| St Patrick High School Chicago, IL | General | $10,000 |
| Hazelden Betty Ford Chicago, IL | General | $7,500 |
| Loyola Academy Wilmette, IL | General | $7,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The William F O'Connor 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $9,876,779 | $448,214 | $418,868 | $260,000 | 27 | $260,000 | $448,214 | $479,479 |
| 2024 | $9,847,449 | $519,964 | $395,622 | $258,000 | 25 | $308,000 | $469,964 | $475,602 |
| 2023 | $9,724,476 | $237,128 | $431,683 | $262,000 | 24 | $322,000 | $295,368 | $474,966 |
| 2022 | $9,919,031 | $-2,938,556 | $1,938,315 | $1,760,000 | 25 | $1,820,000 | — | $347,264 |
| 2021 | $14,795,902 | $3,225 | $968,936 | $779,000 | 30 | — | — | $764,155 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The William F O'Connor Foundation reported a distributable amount of $479K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. St. Coletta’s of Illinois Foundation says it supports organizations caring for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Reading Power says it provides literacy tutoring for elementary school children, while Big Shoulders Fund says it supports underserved schools providing a quality, values-based education in Chicago.
Other 2025 recipients include organizations whose stated missions involve food access, care for older adults, and art education and exhibitions. These are the grantees’ missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $260,000. Awards ranged from $250 to $110,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest grant was $110,000 to WTTW Channel 11. Other notable grants included $25,000 to The Bridge Fund; $15,000 to St. Coletta’s of Illinois Foundation; and $10,000 each to Chicago Jesuit Academy, Club of Hearts, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, Reading Power, and St. Patrick High School. The listed purposes for these grants were general.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2025 filing lists Carol Hennessy as president, Mary Jane O’Connor as assistant secretary, and Philip C. Ryan as secretary.
The William F O'Connor Foundation is led by Carol Hennessy, President on every filing since 2021; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Carol Hennessy
President
On filings since 2021
7 hrs/week
$40K (2021) → $40K (2025)
Mary Jane O'Connor
Assistant Secretary
Treasurer → Assistant Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
$40K (2021) → $40K (2025)
Philip C. Ryan
Secretary
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
$20K (2024) → $40K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Joanne Unkovskoy (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Mary Jo McGuire (2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $40K, to Carol Hennessy (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The William F O'Connor Foundation
How much does The William F O'Connor Foundation give each year?
The William F O'Connor Foundation gave $260K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $258K across 25 grants.
What is The William F O'Connor Foundation's typical grant size?
The William F O'Connor Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,630, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The William F O'Connor Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The William F O'Connor Foundation give grants?
The William F O'Connor Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (16 grants) and Wilmette, IL (2 grants).
Does The William F O'Connor Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The William F O'Connor Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The William F O'Connor Foundation's largest grantees?
The William F O'Connor Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include WTTW Channel 11 ($110,000), The Bridge Fund ($25,000) and St Coletta's of Illinois Foundation ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The William F O'Connor Foundation?
The William F O'Connor Foundation reported $9.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $260K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $479K (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 William F O'Connor Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. St. Coletta’s of Illinois Foundation says it supports organizations caring for children and adults with developmental disabilities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The William F O'Connor Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists a business-letter request with a copy of the applicant’s tax return and financial statements. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The William F O'Connor Foundation's EIN?
The William F O'Connor Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3593445. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work The William F O'Connor Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The William F O'Connor Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The William F O'Connor Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-william-f-o-connor-foundation-morg_3a71a8c6f7ce40d3ad1fcb2ef29b9e44
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363593445_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The William F O'Connor Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-william-f-o-connor-foundation-morg_3a71a8c6f7ce40d3ad1fcb2ef29b9e44},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 William F O'Connor 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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