About Mark H Berens Charitable Foundation
The Mark H Berens Charitable Foundation concentrates its giving on K–12 education in the Chicago area, demonstrated by a single substantial grant for scholarships to Big Shoulders. The foundation appears focused on supporting tuition assistance or scholarship programs—likely for urban, faith-based schools—rather than spreading funds across many causes. Its profile suggests local, targeted philanthropy with an emphasis on enabling school access for students in need.
Focus Areas
Scholarships for low-income students attending Catholic/faith-based elementary and secondary schools in the Chicago areaTuition assistance programs for urban K–12 schoolsSupport for Chicago-area school improvement through scholarship funding
Who They Fund
low-income K–12 studentsstudents attending Catholic/faith-based elementary and secondary schoolsChicago-area/urban students
Giving Approach
Highly concentrated: one large gift to a single grantee (single-year, targeted scholarship support) rather than multiple small or diversified grants.
About Mark H Berens Charitable Foundation
A single 2025 grant of $417,935 to Women’s Care Center stands out in the Mark H Berens Charitable Foundation’s recent giving and points to a local, tightly directed pattern of support. The foundation’s awards also include $250,000 to Big Shoulders Fund and $100,000 to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, showing a preference for large, purpose-specific grants rather than broad dispersion across many recipients. Across the recent record, the foundation supports organizations tied to education, school access, and Catholic or faith-based community services in the Chicago area. Recipients include Highsight and Horizons for Youth, alongside school- and scholarship-oriented support for Big Shoulders. The grant history suggests a funder that uses substantial, designated awards to underwrite tuition assistance, scholarships, and related services for local students and families. The pattern is concentrated and place-based, with all listed recent grants going to U.S. organizations and most activity centered in Illinois.
What Mark H Berens Charitable Foundation Funds
Education is the clearest recurring theme. The foundation gave $250,000 to Big Shoulders Fund in 2025 and previously awarded $70,000 to Big Shoulders in 2023 for support scholarships, pointing to sustained backing for scholarship-related school access. It also made a $100,000 grant to Highsight in Chicago, which fits the foundation’s broader interest in student support. Faith-based education appears as another lane: Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Glenview received $100,000, and the foundation’s existing focus areas emphasize Catholic and faith-based elementary and secondary schools. A third thread is family and student support services, reflected in grants to Horizons for Youth and Aid for Women, both in Chicago. The recent record shows a funder working through organizations that help students and families afford or access schooling and related support.
How Mark H Berens Charitable Foundation Gives
Recent grants cluster at a single amount: the typical grant size is $70,000, and the p25, median, and p75 are all $70,000. That indicates a highly standardized award pattern, even though the recent list also includes larger one-time grants. The foundation’s recent record includes both 2025 gifts and a 2023 grant, showing activity across multiple years rather than a single burst. It is a grantmaking foundation, not an individual-giving vehicle, and it does not make program-related investments. The site pages indicate a grant program with unsolicited applications accepted.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.2M
Total Assets
$86.4M
Total Revenue
$3.6M
Total Expenses
$2.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $70K and $70K, with a median of $70K.
25th Percentile
$70K
Median
$70K
75th Percentile
$70K
Geographic Reach
Regional5 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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