Thomas W Dower Foundation
The Thomas W Dower Foundation is a private foundation based in Kenilworth, Illinois. It makes contributions to charitable organizations; its 2024 filing states that it contributes only to preselected organizations.
Thomas W Dower Foundation at a glance
In short: Thomas W Dower Foundation gave $429K across 72 grants in 2026 (avg $6K), mostly in Illinois. 11% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $429,000
- +9.2% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 72
- -2.7% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $5,958
- +12.2% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $12,326,604
- +13.0% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (8 of 72, 2026)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (76% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Thomas W Dower Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its filing describes the process as a written request mailed to the attention of Mary K Hartigan. It lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Attention Mary K Hartigan
Mailing address: PO Box 416, Kenilworth, IL 60043
Phone: (847) 256-0600
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Thomas W Dower Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Steppenwolf Theater Company ($25K). Together the top 10 received $174K.
Grant Size Distribution
369 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 369 grants of 369 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 77% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois. Other leading recipient states were Wisconsin (5%), Colorado (3%), Indiana (3%), and Florida (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 72 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Thomas W Dower Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 8 of 72 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 85% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−1%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 92% 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 (2019–2026). 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 2019 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $322K (2022) to $435K (2023). In 2026 it made 72 grants totaling $429K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Steppenwolf Theater Company Chicago, IL | To provide for charitable activities as determined by the recipient organization | $25,000 |
| St Coletta of Wisconsin Jefferson, WI | To provide for charitable activities as determined by the recipient organization | $24,000 |
| De Lasalle Institute Chicago, IL | To provide for charitable activities as determined by the recipient organization | $20,000 |
| St Rita High School Chicago, IL | To provide for charitable activities as determined by the recipient organization | $20,000 |
| Lutheran Social Services of Illinois Des Plaines, IL | To provide for charitable activities as determined by the recipient organization | $15,000 |
| Midwest Augustinians Chicago, IL | To provide for charitable activities as determined by the recipient organization | $15,000 |
| St Malachy School Chicago, IL | To provide for charitable activities as determined by the recipient organization | $15,000 |
| Univversity of St Mary of the Lake Seminary Mundelein, IL | To provide for charitable activities as determined by the recipient organization | $15,000 |
| Irish Georgian Society Chicago, IL | To provide for charitable activities as determined by the recipient organization | $12,500 |
| Anderson Ranch Art Center Snowmass Village, CO | To provide for charitable activities as determined by the recipient organization | $12,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $12,326,604 | $1,282,533 | $657,580 | $429,000 | 72 | $510,000 | $1,193,533 | $555,519 |
| 2025 | $10,906,264 | $891,647 | $576,699 | $393,000 | 74 | $480,563 | $820,460 | $516,112 |
| 2024 | $10,526,307 | $516,863 | $551,339 | $378,000 | 71 | $467,750 | $441,613 | $483,012 |
| 2023 | $9,345,424 | $166,339 | $611,175 | $434,700 | 81 | $524,450 | $88,501 | $469,861 |
| 2022 | $9,794,860 | $258,973 | $508,845 | $321,500 | 71 | $411,250 | $173,970 | $497,069 |
| 2021 | $10,528,791 | $784,527 | $520,349 | $345,000 | 74 | — | $705,135 | $446,529 |
| 2020 | $8,002,357 | $329,173 | $521,662 | $345,750 | 67 | — | $257,173 | $401,210 |
| 2019 | $8,394,889 | $607,570 | $466,721 | $345,000 | 74 | — | $517,418 | $435,149 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Thomas W Dower Foundation reported a distributable amount of $556K for 2026 — 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 separate mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois describes its mission as seeking to bring healing, justice, and wholeness to people through service and advocacy. Trilogy says it supports people recovering from mental illness, while the Brain Research Foundation says it supports neuroscience research related to brain function and brain-related disorders. These are the grantees’ missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 74 grants totaling $393,000. Grants ranged from $500 to $25,000, with a median of $5,000. Recent recipients included Steppenwolf Theater Company ($25,000), De La Salle Institute ($20,000), St. Coletta of Wisconsin ($20,000), and St. Rita High School ($20,000). Other grants included $15,000 to Midwest Augustinians and St. Malachy School, and $10,000 each to Anderson Ranch Art Center, Irish Georgian Society, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, University of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, and St. Jerome School. Its 2026 filing, the latest on this page, reports 72 grants totaling $429,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mary K Hartigan, Eileen Madigan, and Mary Hartigan Esquire as trustees.
Thomas W Dower Foundation's 2026 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2026 are compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Eileen Madigan
Trustee
On filings since 2019
9 hrs/week
$15K (2019) → $25K (2026)
Mary Hartigan Esquire
Trustee
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$13K (2019) → $55K (2026)
Mary K. Hartigan
Trustee
On filings since 2019
30 hrs/week
$85K (2019) → $60K (2026)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2026. "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 $60K, to Mary K Hartigan (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Thomas W Dower Foundation
How much does Thomas W Dower Foundation give each year?
Thomas W Dower Foundation gave $429K across 72 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $393K across 74 grants.
What is Thomas W Dower Foundation's typical grant size?
Thomas W Dower Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,958, across 72 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Thomas W Dower Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Thomas W Dower Foundation give grants?
Thomas W Dower Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Wisconsin (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (33 grants), Notre Dame, IN (3 grants), Palatine, IL (2 grants) and Oak Park, IL (2 grants).
Does Thomas W Dower Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 72 grants with a stated purpose on Thomas W Dower Foundation's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Thomas W Dower Foundation's largest grantees?
Thomas W Dower Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Steppenwolf Theater Company ($25,000), St Coletta of Wisconsin ($24,000) and De Lasalle Institute ($20,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 16% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Thomas W Dower Foundation?
Thomas W Dower Foundation reported $12.3M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $510K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $556K (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 Thomas W Dower Foundation fund?
No separate mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois describes its mission as seeking to bring healing, justice, and wholeness to people through service and advocacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Thomas W Dower Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Thomas W Dower Foundation's EIN?
Thomas W Dower Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6071665. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2026.
Does Thomas W Dower Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(9)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS September 23, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 12, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 18, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 8, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Thomas W Dower Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/thomas-w-dower-foundation-morg_c2a7071ffe6646b88ca5d49fd69fefd7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366071665_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Thomas W Dower Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/thomas-w-dower-foundation-morg_c2a7071ffe6646b88ca5d49fd69fefd7},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-02. 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 Thomas W Dower 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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