The Walder Foundation is a private family foundation established by Joseph and Elizabeth Walder. Based in Skokie, Illinois, the foundation champions Chicago and invests in critical issues impacting communities locally and globally. The foundation employs 19 people and operates as a 501(c)(3) organization.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$154.6M
-17.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$24.4M
+8.5% YoY
Grant Count
200
-3.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$122K
+12.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Walder Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Walder Foundation was established to address critical issues impacting the world. The foundation's five primary areas of focus are:
- Science innovation
- Environmental sustainability
- Performing arts
- Migration and immigrant communities
- Jewish life
These funding areas reflect the Walders' lifelong passions, interests, and their personal and professional experiences.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 207 grants in 2023 totaling approximately $22.4 million.
Grant Range
$5,000 to $2,250,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grantmaking is concentrated primarily in the Chicago metropolitan area, with additional support for select projects around the globe that align with the foundation's values and program areas. Notable funding extends to Illinois, New York, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2023:
- Total assets: $187.6 million
- Total giving: $22.4–$26.7 million
- Total revenue: $4.2 million
- Total expenses: $29.1 million
- Giving rate: 11.9–13.3% of assets
- Total liabilities: $25.1 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $154,578,741 | $187,607,820 | $212,459,981 |
| Revenue | $8,972,601 | $4,224,649 | $9,175,580 |
| Expenses | $32,011,208 | $29,076,872 | $25,167,135 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $30,039,451 | $26,689,151 | $23,398,122 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,598,371 | $1,880,649 | $7,506,307 |
| Distributable Amount | $9,121,084 | $9,158,832 | $10,328,205 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Alliance for the Great Lakes ($450,000), Chicago Horticultural Society ($387,049), American Friends of Hala ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A Whitehead Chicago, IL | platform award | $5,000 |
| A Young Chicago, IL | platform award | $66,667 |
| ALBANY PARK THEATER PROJECT CHICAGO, IL | Support for Co-Executive Director Position | $75,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES CHICAGO, IL | Chicago(land) Flooding and Sanitation Equity Initiative | $450,000 |
| AMERICAN COMPOSERS FORUM ST PAUL, MN | Amplifying Artists' Stories on I CARE IF YOU LISTEn | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF HALA CLEVELAND, OH | Support for Purchase of MRI Machine | $250,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF HARUV-MEHALEV ASSOCIATION LTD TULSA, OK | The Haruv Institute - National Center for Innovation in Children's Resilience, Trauma and Mental Health | $100,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAOZ-SEAL INC HAVERHILL, MA | Cross-System Leadership Training for the Mental Healthcare field | $100,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MATAN INC MONSEY, NY | International Advanced Educators Institute - Eshkolot and strategic planning | $125,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF NISHMAT NEW YORK, NY | Kollel Fellowships at Nishmat: The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Studies for Women | $150,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Elizabeth Walder – President, Secretary, Director (30 hours/week)
- Joseph Walder – Director (through March 2024)
- Kate Coughlin – Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer (10 hours/week)
- Jeffrey L Sweet – Vice President (6 hours/week)
- Juliana Kerr – Senior Program Director (40 hours/week)
- Jack Westwood – Senior Program Director (40 hours/week)
- Meagan Leary – Senior Program Director (40 hours/week)
- Jenni Richton – Program Director, Jewish Life (40 hours/week)
- Brittany Andersen – Senior Director of Operations & Grants (40 hours/week)
- Candace Tebbenkamp – Program Director, Science Innovation
- Tamar Snyder – Vice President, Communications
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kate Coughlin | Treas | 10 | $118,913 |
| Jeffrey L Sweet | VP | 6 | $52,562 |
| Elizabeth Walder | Pres, Sec, Dir | 30 | — |
| Joseph Walder through March 2024 | Dir | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced significant support for performing arts organizations in Chicago, including a $3 million grant to 19 performing arts organizations and a $2.4 million support package for performing artists. The foundation also selected Columbia Faculty and alumni for its 2024 Platform Awards and provided a $125,000 grant to Court Theatre.
Columbia Faculty, Alums Chosen for Walder Foundation's 2024 ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Walder Foundation fund?
The Walder Foundation was established to address critical issues impacting the world. The foundation's five primary areas of focus are: • Science innovation • Environmental sustainability • Performing arts • Migration and immigrant communities • Jewish life These funding areas reflect the Walders' lifelong passions, interests, and their personal and professional experiences.
How do I apply for a grant from Walder Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant range: $5,000 to $2,250,000 • Median grant amount: $90,000 • Recent annual grants: Approximately $22–$26 million • Application policy: Invite-only; does not accept unsolicited applications **Recent Grants (2023):** • Lubavitch Girls High School: $2,000,000 (Capital Expenses Fund for Construction of A New School Building) • Field Museum of Natural History: $383,686 (Magnifying Conservation Impact and Biodiversity Understanding in the Guiana Shield) • Il…
Where does Walder Foundation make grants?
Grantmaking is concentrated primarily in the Chicago metropolitan area, with additional support for select projects around the globe that align with the foundation's values and program areas. Notable funding extends to Illinois, New York, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does Walder Foundation award?
In 2024, Walder Foundation awarded 200 grants totaling $24.4M — an average of about $122K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Walder Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Walder Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Walder Foundation's EIN?
Walder Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4092041. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Walder Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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