Washington Square Health Foundation
Washington Square Health Foundation is a private, non-operating foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1937, the foundation operates a grantmaking program designed to promote and maintain access to adequate healthcare for all people in the Chicagoland area, regardless of race, sex, creed, or financial need. The foundation functions as both a catalyst and guide for other foundations and grantmaking organizations in addressing healthcare community needs.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$20.1M
+11.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$675K
+41.5% YoY
Grant Count
66
+22.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
+15.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Washington Square Health Foundation reported a distributable amount of $934K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement:
The Washington Square Health Foundation, Inc. grants funds in order to promote and maintain access to adequate healthcare for all people in the Chicagoland area regardless of race, sex, creed or financial need. The Foundation meets this goal through its grants for medical and nursing education, medical research and direct healthcare services.
Primary Funding Categories:
- Medical and nursing education
- Medical research
- Direct healthcare services
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation requires applicants to:
Grant Range
$3,200
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
- Primary focus: Chicagoland area (Illinois)
- National giving for medical research and education grants
- Secondary focus areas: New York and District of Columbia
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Giving (Most Recent Data):
- Total assets: $20,050,591 to $20,670,433
- Total annual giving: $667,212 to $882,829
- Total revenues: $1,373,002 (2024)
- Total expenses: $1,712,665 (2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,050,591 | $17,989,998 | $16,811,906 |
| Revenue | $1,373,002 | $454,590 | $1,477,305 |
| Expenses | $1,712,665 | $1,439,869 | $1,395,070 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,926,151 | $1,328,231 | $1,268,123 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,240,822 | $352,499 | $1,389,106 |
| Distributable Amount | $934,499 | $960,747 | $980,029 |
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
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Washington Square Health Foundation
Washington Square Health Foundation Grants: Direct Health Care Services Category
Washington Square Health Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Washington Square Health Foundation Grants: Medical Research Category
Washington Square Health Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include ChesedChicago ($55,000), Chicago Diabetes Project ($38,617), Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago ($36,114).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A Silver Lining Foundation Chicago, IL | Dr. Sandy Goldberg's Board of Director Grant to A Silver Lining Foundation for Mammography | $10,000 |
| A Silver Lining Foundation Chicago, IL | Dr. Catherine M. Creticos' Board of Director Grant to A Silver Lining Foundation for Mammography | $3,500 |
| A Silver Lining Foundation Chicago, IL | Barbara Berendt's Board of Director Grant to A Silver Lining Foundation | $2,000 |
| Advocate Charitable Foundation Oak Brook, IL | A Special Designated Grant to the Angelo P. Creticos, MD Lectureship Fund for support of the Dr. Steven Rosen Lecture on May 2, 2024 at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center | $7,000 |
| Advocate Charitable Foundation Oak Brook, IL | Dr. Catherine M. Creticos' Board of Director Grant to the Angelo P. Creticos, MD Lectureship Fund at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center | $1,000 |
| Advocate Charitable Foundation Oak Brook, IL | Dr. Catherine M. Creticos' Board of Director Grant to the Anastasia and Angelo P. Creticos, MD Medical Innovation Endowment at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. | $500 |
| Advocate Charitable Foundation Oak Brook, IL | Dr. Catherine M. Creticos' Board of Director Grant to the Angelo P. Creticos, MD Cancer Center at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center | $1,000 |
| Advocate Charitable Foundation Oak Brook, IL | Dr. William N. Werner's Board of Director Grant to the Angelo P. Creticos, MD Cancer Center at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center | $3,000 |
| Alexian Brothers Bonaventure House Chicago, IL | Dr. Catherine M. Creticos' Board of Director Grant to Alexian Brothers Bonaventure House | $500 |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago, IL | Utilizing High Fidelity Simulation to Improve Pediatric Emergency Readiness Across the Care Continuum | $36,114 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board and Staff:
- William N Werner, MD, MPH – Board Chair / Director
- Catherine M Creticos, MD – President / Director
- Catherine Kapella, MPH – Executive Director (40 hours/week)
- William B Friedeman – Secretary / Director
- Barbara Berendt – Treasurer / Director
- Sandy Goldberg, PhD – Director
- Howard Nochumson – Director Emeritus
The foundation employs 2 full-time staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation was featured in the Grantmakers in Health Bulletin in January 2025, indicating active engagement with the broader health philanthropy community. The foundation continues to maintain an active grantmaking program with recent grants awarded in 2024.
Greater Washington Community Foundation Awards Over $5.4 Million to Support\Frequently Asked Questions
What does Washington Square Health Foundation fund?
**Mission Statement:** The Washington Square Health Foundation, Inc. grants funds in order to promote and maintain access to adequate healthcare for all people in the Chicagoland area regardless of race, sex, creed or financial need. The Foundation meets this goal through its grants for medical and nursing education, medical research and direct healthcare services. **Primary Funding Categories:** • Medical and nursing education • Medical research • Direct healthcare services • Philanthropy, vol…
How do I apply for a grant from Washington Square Health Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $250 to $55,000 • Median grant size: $3,200 • Recent grant activity: 66-71 grants annually **Recent Grant Examples:** • Shirley Ryan AbilityLab: $43,478 for exploring a nonsurgical treatment for muscle contractures in cerebral Palsy • Chicago Diabetes Project: $38,617 for scientific update meeting • Roseland Community Hospital: $37,447 **Application Process:** The foundation requires applicants to: • Visit the "Fundable Grants" sectio…
Where does Washington Square Health Foundation make grants?
• Primary focus: Chicagoland area (Illinois) • National giving for medical research and education grants • Secondary focus areas: New York and District of Columbia
What size grants does Washington Square Health Foundation award?
In 2024, Washington Square Health Foundation awarded 66 grants totaling $675K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Washington Square Health Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Washington Square Health Foundation reported a distributable amount of $934K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Washington Square Health Foundation's EIN?
Washington Square Health Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-1210140. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Washington Square Health 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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