Washington Square Health Foundation Inc
Washington Square Health Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. It makes grants to promote and maintain access to adequate healthcare in the Chicagoland area, supporting medical and nursing education, medical research, and direct healthcare services.
Key facts about Washington Square Health Foundation Inc
In short: Washington Square Health Foundation Inc gave $667K across 76 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Illinois. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 36-1210140
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $667,212
- Grants made (2025)
- 76
- Average grant
- $8,779
- Median grant
- $4,125
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (16 of 51, 2025)
- Total assets
- $20,670,433
- Primary geography
- Illinois (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Apply through the online application. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- June 1 and December 1 at midnight; if a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next weekday business…
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$20.7M
+3.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$667K
-1.1% YoY
Grant Count
76
+15.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-14.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Washington Square Health Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Washington Square Health Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 51 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 55% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+16%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 131% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to promote and maintain access to adequate healthcare for all people in the Chicagoland area, regardless of race, sex, creed, or financial need. It identifies medical and nursing education, clinical research, and direct healthcare services—including patient-care equipment and personnel—as areas it funds.
Applicants must apply through a sponsoring organization that is a 501(c)(3) public charity designated under section 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2); the Foundation does not fund 509(a)(3) supporting organizations. The Foundation also requires projects to have community support and to include an up-to-date community healthcare report with a public link.
Recent recipients illustrate the range of organizations funded. A Silver Lining Foundation describes its mission as providing cost-free breast-health testing through community, advocacy, and healthcare partnerships. Gilda’s Club Chicago says it supports people impacted by cancer through knowledge, action, and community. La Rabida Children’s Hospital describes providing specialized, family-centered care to children with medically complex conditions, disabilities, and chronic illness. Howard Brown Health Center says it provides healthcare and social services and conducts behavioral and clinical research.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation awarded 76 grants totaling $667,212. Awards ranged from $250 to $50,000, with a median of $4,125. Recent large grants included $50,000 to A Silver Lining Foundation for an emergency grant request; $43,478 to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for research on a nonsurgical treatment for muscle contractures in cerebral palsy; and $36,115 to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for pediatric emergency-readiness simulation. The Foundation also awarded $25,000 each to Gilda’s Club Chicago, Howard Brown Health Center, Keshet, La Rabida Children’s Hospital, and the University of Illinois Foundation for projects including cancer-program staffing, a clinical research fellowship, a capital project, hospital design, and a scholarship fund.
Review Cycle
June 1 and December 1 at midnight; if a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next weekday business day. Applications are typically reviewed at the Board’s July and February meetings, respectively.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Washington Square Health Foundation Inc
Washington Square Health Foundation Grants: Direct Health Care Services Category
Washington Square Health Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Washington Square Health Foundation Grants: Medical Research Category
Washington Square Health Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with Washington Square Health Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s stated mission concerns healthcare access in the Chicagoland area. In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 1% to recipients in New York, and 1% to recipients in the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 76 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $477K (2023) to $675K (2019). In 2025 it made 76 grants totaling $667K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago ($97K across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $401K.
Grant Size Distribution
322 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 316 grants of 322 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A Silver Lining Foundation Chicago, IL | Emergency Grant Request | $50,000 |
| Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Chicago, IL | Exploring a New Nonsurgical Treatment for Muscle Contractures in Cerebral Palsy | $43,478 |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago, IL | Utilizing High Fidelity Simulation to Improve Pediatric Emergency Readiness Across the Care Continuum | $36,115 |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago, IL | Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Fellowship Program | $30,000 |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago, IL | Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Fellowship Program | $30,000 |
| Gilda's Club Chicago Chicago, IL | Gilda's Club's Adult Program Manager: Revitalizing the GCC Clubhouse | $25,000 |
| Howard Brown Health Center Chicago, IL | Clinical Research Fellowship in Honor of Dr. Catherine M. Creticos | $25,000 |
| Keshet Northbrook, IL | Keshet One Community Capital Project | $25,000 |
| La Rabida Children's Hospital Chicago, IL | La Rabida Inpatient Design | $25,000 |
| University of Illinois Foundation Chicago, IL | Washington Square Health Foundation Scholarship Fund in Honor of Dr. William N. Werner | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants awarded | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $667,212 | 76 |
| 2024 | $674,654 | 66 |
| 2023 | $476,705 | 54 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,670,433 | $20,050,591 | $17,989,998 |
| Revenue | $1,732,836 | $1,373,002 | $454,590 |
| Expenses | $1,486,234 | $1,712,665 | $1,439,869 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,385,022 | $1,926,151 | $1,328,231 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,651,340 | $1,240,822 | $352,499 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,054,103 | $934,499 | $960,747 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 31, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 18, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Washington Square Health Foundation Inc is led by Catherine Kapella MPH, Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2019); all 7 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Catherine Kapella MPH
Executive Director
Associate Director & Vice President → Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$135K (2019) → $234K (2025)
Catherine M Creticos MD
President & Director
Director → Vice Chair & Director, 2023
Vice Chair & Director → President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$9K (2019) → $8K (2025)
William N Werner MD MPH
Board Chair & Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$22K (2019) → $21K (2025)
Barbara Berendt
Treasurer & Director
Director → Treasurer & Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$8K (2019) → $10K (2025)
Sandy Goldberg PhD
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$9K (2019) → $7K (2025)
William B Friedman
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$11K (2019) → $10K (2025)
Howard Nochumson
Director Emeritus
Executive Director & President → Executive Director's Senior Advisor & President, 2023
Executive Director's Senior Advisor & President → Director Emeritus, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$209K (2019) → $7K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: James M Snyder (2019–2022) — Treasurer & Director
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 $234K, to Catherine Kapella MPH (Executive Director). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: Catherine Kapella
Mailing address: 875 North Michigan Ave Suite 3516, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 664-6488
Website: https://www.wshf.org
Frequently asked questions about Washington Square Health Foundation Inc
How much does Washington Square Health Foundation Inc give each year?
Washington Square Health Foundation Inc gave $667K across 76 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $675K across 66 grants.
What is Washington Square Health Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Washington Square Health Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $4,125, and its average grant was $8,779, across 76 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Washington Square Health Foundation Inc that year got $11K on average.
Where does Washington Square Health Foundation Inc give grants?
Washington Square Health Foundation Inc gives mostly in Illinois: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (52 grants), Oak Brook, IL (5 grants), Buffalo, NY (4 grants) and Lincolnwood, IL (3 grants).
Does Washington Square Health Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Occasionally: 1% of Washington Square Health Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 76) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Foundation Designated Grant" (3 grants).
Who are Washington Square Health Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Washington Square Health Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago ($97,115 across 4 grants), A Silver Lining Foundation ($70,000 across 5 grants) and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab ($48,478 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Washington Square Health Foundation Inc?
Washington Square Health Foundation Inc reported $20.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Washington Square Health Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to promote and maintain access to adequate healthcare for all people in the Chicagoland area, regardless of race, sex, creed, or financial need. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Washington Square Health Foundation Inc?
Apply through the online application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Washington Square Health Foundation Inc's EIN?
Washington Square Health Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-1210140. 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 September 2026.
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