White Flag Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Kenilworth, IL EIN: 26-1565152

White Flag Foundation is a private foundation based in Kenilworth, Illinois. Its 2025 filing lists contributions to charitable organizations, including educational, cultural, and community organizations.

White Flag Foundation at a glance

In short: White Flag Foundation gave $107K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), top state New York. 42% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$106,524
+29.1% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
12
-14.3% vs 2024
Average grant
$8,877
+50.6% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,013
Total assets
$183,834
+13.0% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
42% first-time grantees (5 of 12, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
New York (43% 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 White Flag Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: 74 Robsart Rd, Kenilworth, IL 60043
Phone: (312) 953-1708

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who White Flag Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

TED Foundation Inc: $45KTED Foundation Inc$45KDenison University: $38KDenison University$38KNorthwestern University: $8KNorthwestern University$8KRavinia Festival: $8KRavinia Festival$8KLakeland Area Scholarship Fund Inc: $5KLakeland Area Scholarship FundInc$5KMinocqua Winter Park: $1KMinocqua Winter Park$1KKenilworth Union Church: $1KKenilworth Union Church$1KIndian Hill Scholarship Fund: $500Indian Hill Scholarship Fund$500Chequamegon Bay Renewables INC: $500Chequamegon Bay Renewables INC$500Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle High School: $500Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle HighSchool$500

The largest 2025 recipient was TED Foundation Inc ($45K). Together the top 10 received $106K.

Grant Size Distribution

66 grants across all recorded years

65<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 66 (98%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 filing shows grant dollars going to recipients in New York (43%), Ohio (35%), Illinois (15%), Wisconsin (6%), and Washington (0%).

Grant Distribution by State

16states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.

Cities

MinocquaEvanstonGranvilleKenilworthNew YorkWinnetkaManitowish WatersChapel HillChicagoLouisvilleColumbusDenverLac Du FlambeauMiddletownMilwaukeeRochesterSeattleBayfieldBoulderBowie

Is White Flag Foundation open to new grantees?

42%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 5 of 12 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $14K. How we count

Medians: $500 first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 169% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 502% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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

$0$50K$100K$150K12 grants2020 16 grants2021 9 grants2022 15 grants2023 14 grants2024 12 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $34K (2020) to $107K (2025). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $107K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
TED Foundation Inc New York, NYCharitable$45,000
Denison University Granville, OHCharitable$37,500
Northwestern University Evanston, ILCharitable$7,500
Ravinia Festival Highland Park, ILCharitable$7,500
Lakeland Area Scholarship Fund Inc Minocqua, WICharitable$5,000
Minocqua Winter Park Minocqua, WICharitable$1,026
Kenilworth Union Church Kenilworth, ILCharitable$1,000
Indian Hill Scholarship Fund Winnetka, ILCharitable$500
Chequamegon Bay Renewables INC Bayfield, WICharitable$500
Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle High School Seattle, WACharitable$500
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$183,834$134,718$113,507$106,52412$107,274$132,368$21,350
2024$162,623$64,158$89,028$82,52614$83,291$61,908$21,481
2023$187,493$31,874$38,036$35,07115$35,570$30,423$20,128
2022$193,655$27,523$46,424$39,6699$44,628$26,766—
2021$213,214$51,217$71,407$71,35016$71,407$51,217—
2020$233,404$14,066$41,348$33,98012—$14,066—

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, White Flag Foundation reported a distributable amount of $21K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose missions, as they describe them, include academic scholarships, college-preparatory education, university teaching and research, and cultural programming. For example, Lakeland Area Scholarship Fund says it raises funds for academic scholarships for students graduating from Lakeland Area schools; Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle High School describes its work as combining college-preparatory academics, professional work experience, and faith development; and Northwestern University describes a commitment to teaching, research, and student growth.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation gave 12 grants totaling $106,524. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $45,000, with a median of $1,013. The largest grants were $45,000 to TED Foundation Inc, $37,500 to Denison University, and $7,500 each to Northwestern University and Ravinia Festival. Other listed grants included $5,000 to Lakeland Area Scholarship Fund, $1,026 to Minocqua Winter Park, and $500 to Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle High School.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Joanne S Johnson as president; Jeffrey L Johnson as vice president and treasurer; Andrew Johnson as vice president and secretary; and Remy Johnson and Therese Ellen Johnson as vice presidents.

White Flag Foundation is led by Joanne S. Johnson, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Joanne S. Johnson

    President

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Andrew Johnson

    Vice President & Secretary

    Director → Vice President & Secretary, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Jeffrey L. Johnson

    Vice President & Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Remy Johnson

    Vice President

    Director → Vice President, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Therese Ellen Johnson

    Vice President

    New on the 2025 filing

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about White Flag Foundation

How much does White Flag Foundation give each year?

White Flag Foundation gave $107K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $83K across 14 grants.

What is White Flag Foundation's typical grant size?

White Flag Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,013, and its average grant was $8,877, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from White Flag Foundation that year got $2K on average.

Where does White Flag Foundation give grants?

White Flag Foundation's top state is New York, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Ohio (35%) and Illinois (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants) and Minocqua, WI (2 grants).

Does White Flag Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on White Flag Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (11 grants).

Who are White Flag Foundation's largest grantees?

White Flag Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include TED Foundation Inc ($45,000), Denison University ($37,500) and Northwestern University ($7,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 84% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is White Flag Foundation?

White Flag Foundation reported $184K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $107K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $21K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does White Flag Foundation fund?

The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose missions, as they describe them, include academic scholarships, college-preparatory education, university teaching and research, and cultural programming. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from White Flag Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is White Flag Foundation's EIN?

White Flag Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1565152. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does White Flag Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(3)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 8, 2023)
  2. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 31, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in White Flag Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). White Flag Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/white-flag-foundation-morg_e116ceef1d2c4e0681cacaf8fe1bb17f

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_261565152_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{White Flag Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/white-flag-foundation-morg_e116ceef1d2c4e0681cacaf8fe1bb17f},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 White Flag 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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