The Walsh Foundation concentrates its giving on Catholic education and local Catholic-affiliated social services in the Chicago area, providing major gifts to secondary schools, a university, and faith-based human service agencies. Grants are large and concentrated, often repeat awards to the same institutions, indicating long-term institutional support rather than broad, one-off giving. The foundation prioritizes general operating or unrestricted support for these organizations, suggesting trust in grantee leadership and a focus on sustaining core programs.
A defining feature of The Walsh Foundation C/o Madden Jiganti Moore & Sheridan LLP is the scale of its support for Catholic education in Chicago, especially repeated large gifts to St Ignatius College Prep. The school received $3,625,000 in 2023, $3,302,750 in 2024, and $2,600,000 in 2025, showing a sustained pattern of major institutional support rather than isolated awards. That same approach appears across the foundation’s portfolio, which includes Catholic schools, Catholic higher education, and faith-based human service organizations. The foundation also backs organizations serving children, families, and people with developmental disabilities, often through general charitable purpose grants. Recent awards include repeated support for Misericordia Foundation, Marillac St Vincent Family Services, Francis Xavier Warde School, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, and Chicago Jesuit Academy. Several recipients appear more than once across the recent-grants list, indicating long-term relationships with grantees. The mix of schools, social services, and Catholic institutions points to a grantmaker that favors established organizations with ongoing operational needs. Grants are frequently sizable and recur over multiple years, reinforcing that pattern of steady, institution-focused funding.
Catholic education is central to the foundation’s giving. It awarded $2,600,000 in 2025 to St Ignatius College Prep for general charitable purposes, and it also supported Nazareth Academy with $325,000 in 2024 and $300,000 in 2025. At the college level, John Carroll University received $2,000,000 in 2024 and $1,000,000 in 2025. Faith-based social services are another clear theme. Misericordia Foundation received $1,535,000 in 2024 and $1,510,000 in 2025, while Marillac St Vincent Family Services received $1,001,000 in 2024 and $700,000 in 2025. The foundation also gave $550,000 in 2025 to Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. Its portfolio includes support connected to health and specialized care as well. In 2025, it gave $500,000 to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and $250,000 to Lurie Children's Hospital - Cystic Fibrosis, both in Chicago.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile, but its recent awards also include several seven-figure grants. The pattern is relationship-based: multiple grantees appear in successive years, including St Ignatius College Prep, Misericordia Foundation, Marillac St Vincent Family Services, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, and St Mary's College. The grants are listed as general charitable purposes, and the foundation does not fund individuals. Its structure looks discretionary and institution-focused, with giving concentrated in established nonprofits rather than a competitive application model.
$11.7M
$186.4M
$16.9M
$13.3M
Most grants fall between $10K and $100K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Concentrated, large-dollar grants with repeated multi-grant relationships; few grantees account for the majority of dollars, favoring sustained general-purpose support to established local Catholic institutions.
Notable grantees: St. Ignatius College Prep, Misericordia Foundation, John Carroll University, Marillac St. Vincent Family Services, Francis Xavier Warde School
Giving is overwhelmingly U.S.-based, with 204 grants to recipients in the United States and 79% of grants going to recipients in Illinois. Chicago is the center of activity, with many awards to organizations there, including St Ignatius College Prep, Misericordia Foundation, Marillac St Vincent Family Services, and Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. Beyond Chicago, the recent-grants list also reaches University Heights, Ohio; Notre Dame, Indiana; LaGrange Park, Illinois; and Western Springs, Illinois.
Its recent grants center on Catholic education and Catholic-affiliated social services. The list includes Catholic high schools, a Catholic university, parochial K–8 schooling, and organizations serving children, families, and people with developmental disabilities.
Yes. Multiple recipients appear in consecutive years, including St Ignatius College Prep, Misericordia Foundation, Marillac St Vincent Family Services, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, and St Mary's College. That pattern suggests ongoing institutional relationships.
The grant-size distribution shows a 25th percentile of $10,000, a median of $25,000, and a 75th percentile of $100,000. Recent grants also include much larger awards, including several in the $1 million range and above.
The foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 79% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state of Illinois, and 204 grants in the dataset go to U.S. recipients overall. Chicago is the main city in the recent-grants list.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP | CHICAGO, IL | $2,600,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| MISERICORDIA FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $1,510,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY | UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OH | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| FRANCIS XAVIER WARDE SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| MARILLAC ST VINCENT FAMILY SERVICES | CHICAGO, IL | $700,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| MERCY HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS | CHICAGO, IL | $550,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| JESUIT INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS | CHICAGO, IL | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| CYSTIC FIBROSIS FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| NAZARETH ACADEMY | LAGRANGE PARK, IL | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST JOHN OF THE CROSS | WESTERN SPRINGS, IL | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST MARY'S COLLEGE | NOTRE DAME, IN | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL - CYSTIC FIBROSIS | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| MOTHER MCAULEY HIGH SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME | NOTRE DAME, IN | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| WTTW | CHICAGO, IL | $125,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| CATHOLIC EXTENSION SOCIETY | CHICAGO, IL | $110,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ERICKSON INSTITUTE | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BIG SHOULDERS FUND | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST SABINA PARISH | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| LALUMIERE | LAPORTE, IN | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP - KATHERINE CHANDLER FUND | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| FRIENDS OF TED & NED NOTRE DAME SOCIETY | NOTRE DAME, IN | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ASCENSION HEALTH FOUNDATION | ELK GROVE, IL | $80,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| OLD ST PAT'S CHURCH | CHICAGO, IL | $61,477 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BEACON FOUNDATION | ST PAUL, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL | KANSAS CITY, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST BENEDICT'S GRAMMAR SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BARNSTABLE BROWN GALA | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| LOYOLA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| WOMENS CARE CENTERS | MISHAWAKA, IN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST GILES SCHOOL | OAK PARK, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| LOYOLA MEDICAL CENTER | MAYWOOD, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP - MARTIN DE PORRES SCHOLARSHIP | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ELIM CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | CRESTWOOD, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST BARNABAS | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP - BILL MADDEN SCHOLARSHIP | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| WFMT | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| WBEZ | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP - BOB KRAMER SCHOLARSHIP | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION | PHOENIX, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| PEGGY NOTEBAERT NATURE MUSEUM | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ADVOCATE HEALTH FOUNDATION | OAK BROOK, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| EDWARD HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | NAPERVILLE, IL | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| GENEVA LAKE WATER SAFETY | WILLIAMS BAY, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| DEPAUL COLLEGE PREP | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TUTORING CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ST MALACHY SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP
$2,600,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
FRANCIS XAVIER WARDE SCHOOL
$1,000,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
MERCY HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
JESUIT INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS
$500,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
CYSTIC FIBROSIS FOUNDATION
$500,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
NAZARETH ACADEMY
$300,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST JOHN OF THE CROSS
$250,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST MARY'S COLLEGE
$250,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
MOTHER MCAULEY HIGH SCHOOL
$200,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
$150,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
WTTW
$125,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
CATHOLIC EXTENSION SOCIETY
$110,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ERICKSON INSTITUTE
$100,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY
$100,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST SABINA PARISH
$100,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP - KATHERINE CHANDLER FUND
$100,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
FRIENDS OF TED & NED NOTRE DAME SOCIETY
$100,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ASCENSION HEALTH FOUNDATION
$80,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
OLD ST PAT'S CHURCH
$61,477GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
BEACON FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST BENEDICT'S GRAMMAR SCHOOL
$50,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
BARNSTABLE BROWN GALA
$50,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
WOMENS CARE CENTERS
$50,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST GILES SCHOOL
$50,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$30,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP - MARTIN DE PORRES SCHOLARSHIP
$25,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ELIM CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
$25,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST BARNABAS
$25,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP - BILL MADDEN SCHOLARSHIP
$25,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
WFMT
$25,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP - BOB KRAMER SCHOLARSHIP
$25,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
PEGGY NOTEBAERT NATURE MUSEUM
$25,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ADVOCATE HEALTH FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
EDWARD HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$15,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
GENEVA LAKE WATER SAFETY
$10,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
DEPAUL COLLEGE PREP
$10,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ST MALACHY SCHOOL
$10,000GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES