About Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund
The Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund concentrates its philanthropic support on higher education, making a small number of very large grants to public research universities—primarily in Illinois and the broader Midwest. Its funding appears directed at institution-level priorities (education, research, endowments or program support) rather than a broad array of community nonprofits. The foundation shows a preference for repeat, significant commitments to a handful of university partners.
Focus Areas
Major gifts to public research universities in Illinois (e.g., University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign)Institutional support for university-wide education programs or endowmentsRegional Midwest higher-education funding (including University of Michigan)Large-scale university research or academic program support
Who They Fund
public research universitiesIllinois state university campuses (e.g., University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign)Midwestern public universities (e.g., University of Michigan)
About Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund
ERNEST WENTCHER EDUCATIONAL FUND is based in Chicago, IL. It reported $14,802,472 in annual grants and $69,263,326 in total assets in its latest 990 year on file, 2025. Its grantmaking is concentrated in higher education, with a national scope and a strong tilt toward public research universities and university-wide education support. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Recent grants show repeat support for a small set of institutions, especially in Illinois and the Midwest. Among the largest recent grants are $536,932 to UNIV OF ILLINOIS URBANA (CHAMPAIGN, IL), $473,652 to UNIV OF ILLINOIS URBANA (CHAMPAIGN, IL), and $319,566 to UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (ANN ARBOR, MI). Other named grantees include UNIV OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO (CHICAGO, IL), DEPAUL UNIV (CHICAGO, IL), HOWARD UNIVERSITY (WASHINGTON, DC), CORNELL UNIV (ITHACA, NY), UNIV OF WISCONSIN (MADISON, WI), and LOYOLA UNIVERSITY (CHICAGO, IL). The pattern of awards suggests institution-level support rather than broad community grantmaking, with repeated grants to the same universities across multiple years.
What Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund Funds
Recent grantmaking spans public research university support, university-wide education program funding, and endowment and permanent fund support. Notable grants include $536,932 to UNIV OF ILLINOIS URBANA (CHAMPAIGN, IL) for EDUCATION, $319,566 to UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (ANN ARBOR, MI) for EDUCATION, and $121,356 to HOWARD UNIVERSITY (WASHINGTON, DC) for EDUCATION. The recent grant list also includes EDUCATION awards to UNIV OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO (CHICAGO, IL), DEPAUL UNIV (CHICAGO, IL), CORNELL UNIV (ITHACA, NY), UNIV OF WISCONSIN (MADISON, WI), and LOYOLA UNIVERSITY (CHICAGO, IL). The available data points to institutional support for higher education organizations rather than direct-service charities.
How Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund Gives
ERNEST WENTCHER EDUCATIONAL FUND gives large grants relative to many foundation programs, with a typical grant size of $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $20,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards are much larger than those benchmarks, which indicates a distribution that includes many smaller grants and a set of substantial institutional awards. The foundation does not fund individuals. Its recipient profile is concentrated in public universities and other higher-education institutions, and the grant list shows repeat support over multiple years. The geographic scope of giving is national.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$3M
Total Assets
$69.3M
Total Revenue
$6.2M
Total Expenses
$4.1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $20K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$20K
Geographic Reach
National34 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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