The Woods Foundation
The Woods Foundation is a private foundation based in Lincoln, Illinois. In its 2025 filing, it reported 32 grants totaling $864,457, including support for cancer research, scholarships, education, food assistance, and community services.
The Woods Foundation at a glance
In short: The Woods Foundation gave $864K across 32 grants in 2025 (avg $27K), mostly in Illinois. 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $864,457
- +12.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- +10.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $27,014
- +1.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $15,966,158
- +1.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (5 of 32, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (96% 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 Woods Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applicants should contact the foundation for its grant application; the filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: The Woods Foundation
Mailing address: 306 Clinton St, Lincoln, IL 62656
Phone: (217) 735-1234
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Woods Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was OSF Healthcare System ($200K). Together the top 10 received $682K.
Grant Size Distribution
168 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 149 grants of 168 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 3% to Tennessee, and 1% to North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Woods Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 32 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $30K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 75% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 105% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $445K (2020) to $864K (2025). In 2025 it made 32 grants totaling $864K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| OSF Healthcare System Peoria, IL | Cancer Research | $200,000 |
| Academic Development Institute Lincoln, IL | Scholarship Program | $141,916 |
| Lincoln Economic Advancement Develo Lincoln, IL | Unrestricted. | $100,000 |
| Timber Pointe Charitable Foundation Bloomington, IL | Renovation & Equipping Woods Center for Programs | $72,500 |
| Lincoln Elementary School Dist #27 Lincoln, IL | Logan County 5TH Grade Field Trip | $36,126 |
| Southern IL University Edwardsville, IL | Scholarships | $35,429 |
| LincolnLogan Food Pantry Lincoln, IL | Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Community Action Partnership Central IL Lincoln, IL | Meals on Wheels Equipment | $25,000 |
| Illinois College Jacksonville, IL | College Scholarships | $21,868 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL | Tuition | $18,956 |
Ready to take the next step with The Woods 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 | $15,966,158 | $1,224,502 | $1,034,200 | $864,457 | 32 | $922,512 | $1,143,650 | $878,871 |
| 2024 | $15,775,856 | $1,030,112 | $919,715 | $769,296 | 29 | $816,470 | $951,545 | $845,056 |
| 2023 | $15,665,459 | $689,583 | $899,147 | $755,787 | 36 | $802,630 | $609,841 | $820,312 |
| 2022 | $15,885,474 | $846,480 | $980,288 | $832,167 | 35 | $877,380 | $768,148 | $837,382 |
| 2021 | $16,009,690 | $1,294,401 | $703,229 | $540,427 | 36 | $594,904 | $1,212,900 | $903,617 |
| 2020 | $15,417,801 | $997,252 | $605,390 | $445,311 | 35 | — | $924,990 | $794,325 |
| 2019 | $15,025,630 | $1,029,108 | $967,684 | $798,976 | 50 | — | $958,512 | $809,731 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Woods Foundation reported a distributable amount of $879K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filings do not state a mission. Its 2025 grants show support for scholarship programs and tuition, cancer research, food assistance, school field trips, and equipment and renovation. Among the organizations it supported, Academic Development Institute describes its mission as assisting families, schools, and communities with children’s academic and personal development and conducting related research. Timber Pointe Charitable Foundation says it raises funds to provide and expand facilities at an outdoor center serving individuals with disabilities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 32 grants totaling $864,457. Grants ranged from $4,894 to $200,000, with a median of $10,000. Notable grants included $200,000 to OSF HealthCare System for cancer research, $141,916 to Academic Development Institute for a scholarship program, $100,000 to Lincoln Economic Advancement Development for an unrestricted purpose, and $72,500 to Timber Pointe Charitable Foundation for renovation and equipping of Woods Center for programs.
Other grants included $36,126 to Lincoln Elementary School District #27 for Logan County fifth-grade field trips, $30,000 to LincolnLogan Food Pantry for an unrestricted purpose, and $25,000 to Community Action Partnership Central Illinois for Meals on Wheels equipment.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists William B Bates as president; William B Bates Jr and Christopher L Golwitzer as directors; David L Golwitzer as secretary/treasurer; and Christy Cross as a director.
The Woods Foundation is led by William B. Bates, President on every filing since 2019; 4 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
William B. Bates
President
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$12K (2019) → $12K (2025)
Christopher L. Golwitzer
Director
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$12K (2019) → $12K (2025)
William B. Bates Jr.
Director
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$12K (2019) → $12K (2025)
Christy Cross
Director
On filings since 2024
9 hrs/week
$4K (2024) → $20K (2025)
David L. Golwitzer
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$12K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $20K, to Christy Cross (Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Woods Foundation
How much does The Woods Foundation give each year?
The Woods Foundation gave $864K across 32 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $769K across 29 grants.
What is The Woods Foundation's typical grant size?
The Woods Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $27,014, across 32 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Woods Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does The Woods Foundation give grants?
The Woods Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lincoln, IL (10 grants), Peoria, IL (4 grants), Bloomington, IL (2 grants) and Springfield, IL (2 grants).
Does The Woods Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 34% of The Woods Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "College Scholarships" (3 grants) and "Cancer Research" (3 grants).
Who are The Woods Foundation's largest grantees?
The Woods Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include OSF Healthcare System ($200,000), Academic Development Institute ($141,916) and Lincoln Economic Advancement Develo ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Woods Foundation?
The Woods Foundation reported $16.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $923K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $879K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Woods Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filings do not state a mission. Its 2025 grants show support for scholarship programs and tuition, cancer research, food assistance, school field trips, and equipment and renovation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Woods Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Woods Foundation's EIN?
The Woods Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4196899. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Woods Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Woods Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-woods-foundation-morg_b2903647505442cc865585a82207e501
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364196899_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Woods Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-woods-foundation-morg_b2903647505442cc865585a82207e501},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Woods 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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