William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund
The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, established in 1992 following the death of its founder, William G. McGowan. The fund was created to provide financial support to organizations that reflect the visions, concerns, and life experiences of its benefactor and have demonstrated success in changing and improving societal conditions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$216.7M
+5.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$7.1M
-13.7% YoY
Grant Count
259
+37.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$27K
-37.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund reported a distributable amount of $10.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund's mission is to impact lives today, create sustainable change, and empower future generations to achieve their greatest potential.
The foundation makes grants in three primary areas:
- Education: Supporting programs to improve high school graduation rates
- Healthcare: Focusing on childhood obesity and cardiac health prevention
- Human Services: Supporting programs for vulnerable populations, including the elderly, victims of abuse, individuals with disabilities, and those experiencing poverty
The fund also operates an Employee Matching Gifts program that matches the contributions of its board members to charitable organizations.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 170+ grants in 2024, with a total of $4,987,607 distributed beyond the largest grants listed.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund works in five communities across the nation, with primary giving concentrated in:
- Pennsylvania
- Kansas
- Missouri
- Chicago, Illinois
- Rochester (location of community foundation partnership)
Giving is limited to specific geographic regions.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $216,682,198
- Total revenues: $9,493,768
- Total expenses: $8,377,066
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $216,682,198 | $205,649,544 | $198,032,018 |
| Revenue | $9,493,768 | $4,758,244 | $17,967,219 |
| Expenses | $8,377,066 | $9,746,465 | $8,826,588 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,667,683 | $10,585,510 | $10,059,279 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,237,510 | $6,285,596 | $17,759,388 |
| Distributable Amount | $10,180,195 | $9,683,121 | $10,638,546 |
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
200 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Literacy Kansas City ($130,000), Commission on Economic Opportunity ($125,000), Community Linc ($125,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1C22 MINISTRIES LENEXA, KS | HOMELESS OUTREACH PROGRAM | $5,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL MESSENGERS CLEAR LAKE, IA | SCHLOFF - POLAND | $2,000 |
| JEFFCO ACTION CENTER INC DBA THE ACTION CENTER LAKEWOOD, CO | THE ACTION CENTER'S HOMELESS PREVENTION AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAM | $45,000 |
| JOBS FOR AMERICA'S GRADUATES ALEXANDRIA, VA | CEO RETIREMENT RECEPTION | $2,500 |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA WILKESBARRE, PA | JA INSPIRE - A CAREER DISCOVERY EVENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS | $5,000 |
| KANSAS CITY CHAPTER OF UNICO NATIONAL KANSAS CITY, MO | KANSAS CITY ITALIAN FESTIVAL | $5,000 |
| KANSAS CITY FREE EYE CLINIC KANSAS CITY, MO | KANSAS CITY FREE EYE CLINIC OPERATIONS | $30,000 |
| KANSAS UNIVERSITY ENDOWMENT ASSOCIATION KANSAS CITY, KS | PHI GAMMA DELTA LEUKEMIA FUND RAISER | $5,000 |
| KC HAMMERS DBA RAVENS BASEBALL CLUB OVERLAND PARK, KS | BASEBALL FIELD IMPROVEMENTS FUNDRAISER | $5,000 |
| KERRIVILLE PETS ALIVE KERRIVILLE, TX | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Brian Peckrill: Executive Director
- Janet Crombie: Director of Finance and Administration
- Liz Finley: Symposium Manager
- Isabella Velez: Grants and Programs Manager
- Mary McGowan Swartz: Board Member
The foundation has 5 employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRIAN PECKRILL | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $200,700 |
| JANET CROMBIE | DIR OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION | 40 | $189,746 |
| WILLIAM P MCGOWAN | CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD | 10 | — |
| LEO MCGOWAN | PRESIDENT | 10 | — |
| A JOSEPH ROSICA | SECRETARY | 10 | — |
| BRIAN MCGOWAN | TREASURER | 10 | — |
| GERTRUDE MCGOWAN | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| DANIEL ROSICA | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| MARK ROSICA | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| MARY MCGOWAN-SWARTZ | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| DANIEL MCGOWAN | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| MARIANNE ROSICA-BRAND | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| PATRICK MCGOWAN | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| MEGAN MCGOWAN | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 30 S Wacker Dr Ste 3825, Chicago, IL 60606-7471
- Phone: 312-544-4412
- Website: www.williamgmcgowanfund.org
- EIN: 52-1829785
Frequently Asked Questions
What does William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund fund?
The fund's mission is to impact lives today, create sustainable change, and empower future generations to achieve their greatest potential. The foundation makes grants in three primary areas: • **Education**: Supporting programs to improve high school graduation rates • **Healthcare**: Focusing on childhood obesity and cardiac health prevention • **Human Services**: Supporting programs for vulnerable populations, including the elderly, victims of abuse, individuals with disabilities, and those …
How do I apply for a grant from William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving: $7,105,582 (2024) • Typical grant awards range from $100 to $1,600,000 • Recent notable grants include: • Rush University Medical Center: $1,300,000 (2024) • Rochester Area Community Foundation: $500,000 (2024) • Literacy Kansas City: $130,000 (2024) The foundation made 170+ grants in 2024, with a total of $4,987,607 distributed beyond the largest grants listed. **Application Process:** The fund maintains an application process with eligibility requirements a…
Where does William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund make grants?
The fund works in five communities across the nation, with primary giving concentrated in: • Pennsylvania • Kansas • Missouri • Chicago, Illinois • Rochester (location of community foundation partnership) Giving is limited to specific geographic regions.
What size grants does William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund award?
In 2024, William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund awarded 259 grants totaling $7.1M — an average of about $27K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund reported a distributable amount of $10.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund's EIN?
William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1829785. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in William G Mcgowan Charitable Fund'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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