The Andrew and Joan McKenna Foundation makes a small number of very large gifts, primarily to Chicago-area institutions focused on care for vulnerable populations and science/education. Their grants indicate a strong interest in supporting long-term residential and medical services for children and adults with significant needs, plus cultural STEM education through major museums. Gifts are highly targeted rather than broadly distributed.
A $2,000,000 general support grant to Misericordia anchors the Andrew and Joan McKenna Foundation’s recent giving. The foundation makes a small number of very large gifts, often to established Chicago-area institutions that serve people with high levels of need. Its 2024 portfolio also included $615,000 to the Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago and $400,000 to Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chica for the Magoon Institute Fund, showing a mix of human services, pediatric health, and science education. The foundation’s pattern points to long-term support rather than broad, dispersed grantmaking. General support appears frequently, alongside named funds and institutional support for organizations with deep roots in the region. Clearbrook received grants in both 2023 and 2024, and Catholic Theological Union also appears in consecutive years, suggesting repeat relationships with selected grantees. The overall picture is concentrated and selective: large awards, a limited set of recipients, and a strong preference for Chicago and nearby communities. Grants also reach organizations serving education, disability services, and cultural institutions, but the center of gravity is consistent—major, established nonprofits that can absorb substantial unrestricted or program-specific support.
Disability services are a central theme. In 2024, the foundation gave $2,000,000 to Misericordia for general support, and it also awarded $100,000 in 2023 and 2024 to Clearbrook for general support. These gifts show sustained backing for organizations serving people with developmental disabilities. Pediatric health and research is another visible area. Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chica received $400,000 in 2024 and $112,000 in 2023, both for the Magoon Institute Fund. The repeat funding points to ongoing support for a named institute within a major children’s hospital. The foundation also supports informal science and civic education. It gave $615,000 to the Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago for general support, plus smaller gifts to Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, wttw, and Chicago History Museum. Those grants suggest interest in museums and public-facing educational institutions.
$3.3M
$2.4M
-$68K
$3.3M
Most grants fall between $10K and $100K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$100K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in IL.
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a few flagship institutions—limited number of large awards rather than many small grants; geographically focused on Chicago-area organizations and institutions.
Notable grantees: Misericordia, Museum of Science & Industry (Chicago), Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (Magoon Institute Fund)
The median grant size is $25,000, with a lower quartile of $10,000 and an upper quartile of $100,000, but the recent grants list shows that the foundation also makes much larger awards, including seven-figure and mid-six-figure gifts. Grantmaking is selective rather than broad, and several recipients appear in more than one year, including Clearbrook, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chica, Catholic Theological Union, and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. The pattern is consistent with flexible support: general support, named funds, and institutional support dominate the list. The foundation does not make grants to individuals and does not make program-related investments.
Giving is concentrated in Illinois, which accounts for the largest share of grants by count. Chicago is the main recipient city, with additional grants to Arlington Heights, Evanston, Winnetka, Wilmette, and Palatine. Outside Illinois, the foundation’s recent grants also reached Virginia Beach, Alexandria, and New Orleans, but all recipients are in the United States. The geographic footprint is regional rather than national.
The recent grants point to a mix of disability services, pediatric health and research, and science or museum education. Large gifts went to Misericordia and Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chica, while the Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago also received substantial support.
Yes, but sparingly. In the recent grants list, recipients outside Illinois include The Navy Seal Foundation in Virginia Beach, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation in Alexandria, and The National WWII Museum in New Orleans. Most grants, however, go to Illinois organizations.
The distribution centers on $25,000, with a lower quartile of $10,000 and an upper quartile of $100,000. The list also includes much larger awards, such as $2,000,000 to Misericordia and $615,000 to the Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago.
General support appears often, including awards to Misericordia, Clearbrook, Loyola Academy, and the Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago. The foundation also uses named or restricted support in some cases, such as the Magoon Institute Fund at Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chica.
Yes. Clearbrook appears in both 2023 and 2024, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chica appears in both years, and Catholic Theological Union and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum also received repeated grants. That suggests ongoing relationships with selected institutions.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Misericordia | Chicago, IL | $2,000,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Museum of Science & Industry | Chicago, IL | $615,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chica | Chicago, IL | $400,000 | 2024 | Magoon Institute Fund |
| Loyola Academy | Wilmette, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Clearbrook | Arlington Heights, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Catholic Theological Union | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Sts Fait Hope and Charity | Winnetka, IL | $226,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chica | Chicago, IL | $112,000 | 2023 | Magoon Institute Fund |
| Clearbrook | Arlington Heights, IL | $100,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Shirley Ryan | Chicago, IL | $100,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | $100,000 | 2023 | Institute for Global Health |
| United Way Metro Chicago | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| The Navy Seal Foundation | Virginia Beach, VA | $50,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| TimeLine Theatre Company | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Chicago Council on Global Affairs | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Erikson Institute | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Big Shoulders Fund | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| wttw | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Catholic Theological Union | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2023 | general support |
| WINGS Program Inc | Palatine, IL | $25,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Chicago History Museum | Chicago, IL | $15,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Chicago Shakespeare Theater | Chicago, IL | $12,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation | Alexandria, VA | $10,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Teach for America | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Girl Scouts Chicago | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2023 | general support |
| UCAN | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| The National WWII Museum | New Orleans, LA | $5,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| The Lincolnway Academy | Springfield, IL | $2,500 | 2023 | general support |
| Special Olympics Illinois | Normal, IL | $2,500 | 2023 | General Support |
| Comer Education Campus | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2023 | General Support |
Misericordia
$2,000,000General Support
Museum of Science & Industry
$615,000General Support
Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chica
$400,000Magoon Institute Fund
Loyola Academy
$100,000General Support
Clearbrook
$100,000General Support
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
$25,000General Support
Catholic Theological Union
General Support
Sts Fait Hope and Charity
$226,000General Support
Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chica
$112,000Magoon Institute Fund
Clearbrook
$100,000General Support
Shirley Ryan
$100,000General Support
Northwestern University
$100,000Institute for Global Health
United Way Metro Chicago
$50,000General Support
The Navy Seal Foundation
$50,000General Support
TimeLine Theatre Company
$50,000General Support
Chicago Council on Global Affairs
$25,000General Support
Erikson Institute
$25,000General Support
Big Shoulders Fund
$25,000General Support
wttw
$25,000General Support
Catholic Theological Union
$25,000general support
WINGS Program Inc
$25,000General Support
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
$25,000General Support
Chicago History Museum
$15,000General Support
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
$12,000General Support
Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation
$10,000General Support
Teach for America
$10,000General Support
YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
$5,000General Support
Girl Scouts Chicago
$5,000general support
UCAN
$5,000General Support
The National WWII Museum
$5,000General Support
The Lincolnway Academy
$2,500general support
Special Olympics Illinois
$2,500General Support
Comer Education Campus
$1,000General Support