Mather creates Ways to Age WellSM
Mather Foundation’s recent giving is centered on mission-driven program support, with three successive grants to Mather in Evanston, Illinois: $17,766,960 in 2023, $17,292,429 in 2024, and $16,432,284 in 2025. That pattern points to a funder that uses large, project-tied grants to sustain its own aging-focused work over time rather than spreading support across many unrelated recipients. The foundation’s stated focus areas include aging and older adults, senior living and life plan communities, wellness and brain health, applied research in aging, community programs and engagement, and creative aging in the arts. Its chartered activity also includes Mather Institute Awards, which recognize innovative research in aging and promising practices in aging services. Through Mather Possibilities, the charitable arm supports initiatives that would not otherwise fit within operating budget constraints, including projects that expand service to older adults and related research. The overall picture is of a foundation funding program implementation, organizational development, and evidence-based aging work through Mather-linked efforts.
In applied research, Mather Foundation supports aging-focused evidence and practice through Mather Institute Awards. The research arm’s annual Innovative Research in Aging Awards and Promising Practices Awards recognize and disseminate evidence-based research and promising practices in aging services. That aligns with the foundation’s stated interest in wellness and brain health, older adults, and programs that support aging well. The charitable arm, Mather Possibilities, provides financial support for initiatives that would not otherwise be possible through Mather’s operating budget. Its stated uses include community programs for older adults, projects that enhance quality of life, and applied research supported through Mather Institute projects. The foundation also lists community programs and engagement as a focus area, indicating support for direct program delivery and mission-driven implementation tied to aging-related services.
The typical grant size is very large and tightly clustered: p25 is $17,411,062, median is $17,529,694, and p75 is $17,648,327. Recent awards show repeated support over multiple years rather than one-off grants, with annual grants recorded in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation gives through a charitable arm, Mather Possibilities, and a research arm, Mather Institute, and the active grant programs are program-specific rather than open to unsolicited applications. The support described is programmatic, mission-aligned, and restricted to grant-tied uses.
$16.4M
$807.6M
$66.6M
$23.4M
Most grants fall between $17.4M and $17.6M, with a median of $17.5M.
25th Percentile
$17.4M
Median
$17.5M
75th Percentile
$17.6M
MARY SCHOEGGL
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Grantmaking is entirely in Illinois in the provided data: 100% of grants went to recipients in the HQ state, and Illinois is also the top state by grant count. The recent grants list places the largest awards in Evanston, showing a strong concentration in the foundation’s own local area. The geographic scope is local, with recipient-country data limited to the United States.
Its stated focus areas include aging and older adults, senior living and life plan communities, wellness and brain health, applied research in aging, community programs and engagement, and creative aging in the arts. The grant programs emphasize evidence-based research, promising practices, and aging-well initiatives.
The typical grant size is extremely consistent: p25 is $17,411,062, median is $17,529,694, and p75 is $17,648,327. The recent grants listed are all in the same general range, from $16,432,284 to $17,766,960.
The active grant programs described are not open to unsolicited applications. Mather Institute Awards are an internal awards program, and Mather Possibilities is the charitable arm that supports initiatives tied to Mather’s mission and operations.
The recent grants show recurring support over three consecutive years, with awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That pattern suggests sustained, multi-year backing rather than isolated one-time gifts.
All grants in the provided data went to recipients in the United States, and every grant listed was to an Illinois recipient. The recent grant list specifically shows Mather in Evanston, Illinois.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MATHER | EVANSTON, IL | $16,432,284 | 2025 | MISSION DRIVEN PROGRAMS |
| MATHER | EVANSTON, IL | $17,292,429 | 2024 | MISSION DRIVEN PROGRAMS |
| MATHER | EVANSTON, IL | $17,766,960 | 2023 | MISSION DRIVEN PROGRAMS |
MATHER
$16,432,284MISSION DRIVEN PROGRAMS
MATHER
$17,292,429MISSION DRIVEN PROGRAMS
MATHER
$17,766,960MISSION DRIVEN PROGRAMS