Wavering Family Charitable Foundation concentrates its giving in two clear place‑based arenas: elite K–12 education in the Chicago suburbs and environmental and community causes in Southwest Florida (Collier/Naples). It makes relatively few, large grants — often repeating support to the same institutions — and favors general/core support over project‑restricted gifts. The foundation’s portfolio blends private-school philanthropy and local civic infrastructure with a strong emphasis on water and habitat conservation in Florida.
Concentrated, high-dollar giving with a small number of large grants and repeat grants to select organizations; mixes hometown educational philanthropy with place-based environmental and community funding in Southwest Florida.
Wavering Family Charitable Foundation’s most distinctive pattern is its repeated support for a small set of institutions in Chicago’s North Shore and Southwest Florida. The foundation’s recent largest grant, $401,000, went to the Everglades Foundation for mission support, alongside a $400,000 general grant to North Shore Country Day School and a $305,000 general grant to Collier Community Foundation. That mix shows two strong lanes: private-school support in Winnetka and flexible community or environmental funding in Naples and the broader Collier County area. The foundation also returns to the same grantees across years. North Shore Country Day School appears in multiple grants, as do Collier Community Foundation, Naples Historical Society, Captains for Clean Water, Naples Botanical Garden, and the Everglades Foundation. In Naples, its support extends beyond conservation into civic and cultural institutions, including history, botanical, health, and community organizations. In Illinois, the giving is centered on independent education and related community institutions. Across the portfolio, the emphasis is on general and mission support rather than tightly restricted project funding.
In environmental work, the foundation backed Florida water and habitat efforts with $401,000 to the Everglades Foundation for support of the organization’s mission, plus $130,000 to Captains for Clean Water for support of the organization’s mission and $118,847 to Conservancy of Southwest Florida Florida for general support. Those grants point to a strong Southwest Florida conservation presence. Its community and civic support in Naples includes $305,000 to Collier Community Foundation for general support and $157,200 to Naples Historical Society for general support. The foundation also funded Naples Botanical Garden twice, including $47,300 in 2025 and $23,650 in 2024. Education is another clear lane. North Shore Country Day School received $400,000 in 2023 and $205,000 in 2024, both listed as general support, and Community School of Naples received $45,000 for support of the organization’s mission.
Typical grants are relatively large: the 25th percentile is $18,100, the median is $42,500, and the 75th percentile is $104,712. The recent record shows repeated gifts to the same institutions across multiple years, especially North Shore Country Day School, Collier Community Foundation, Naples Historical Society, Captains for Clean Water, Naples Botanical Garden, and the Everglades Foundation. Most awards are listed as general or mission support, with a smaller number of specific mission-support gifts. The foundation is a private family foundation and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$760K
$10.2M
$572K
$838K
Most grants fall between $18K and $105K, with a median of $43K.
25th Percentile
$18K
Median
$43K
75th Percentile
$105K
About 9% of grants go to recipients in FL.
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Notable grantees: North Shore Country Day School, Collier Community Foundation, Everglades Foundation, Captains for Clean Water, Conservancy of Southwest Florida
Giving is concentrated in the United States, with all 32 recent grants going to US recipients. Florida is the top state by grant count, with Naples appearing repeatedly and Fort Myers, Palmetto Bay, and Tallahassee also represented. Illinois is another key state through Winnetka and Glenview. The distribution reflects a strong Southwest Florida focus, alongside a separate cluster in the Chicago area.
The recent record shows support for independent private day schools, community foundations, conservation groups, historical and cultural institutions, health clinics, and other local nonprofits. Examples include education in Winnetka, community funding in Naples, and water-quality and habitat conservation organizations in Southwest Florida.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including North Shore Country Day School, Collier Community Foundation, Naples Historical Society, Captains for Clean Water, Naples Botanical Garden, and the Everglades Foundation. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts.
Recent grants cluster at a median of $42,500, with a 25th percentile of $18,100 and a 75th percentile of $104,712. The portfolio also includes several larger awards above $100,000, alongside smaller support grants around $5,000 to $20,000.
Florida is the top state by grant count. Recent Florida recipients include organizations in Naples, Fort Myers, Palmetto Bay, Tallahassee, and Augustine, while Illinois recipients are centered in Winnetka and Glenview.
The recent grants are mostly listed as general support or support for the organization’s mission. That includes gifts such as general support for schools, community foundations, and cultural nonprofits, with fewer grants tied to a specific project.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EVERGLADES FOUNDATION | PALMETTO BAY, FL | $401,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| CAPTAINS FOR CLEAN WATER | FT MYERS, FL | $130,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| NAPLES HISTORICAL SOCIETY | NAPLES, FL | $86,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN | NAPLES, FL | $47,300 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF NAPLES | NAPLES, FL | $45,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| HOLOCAUST MUSEUM | NAPLES, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| NORTH SHORE COUNTRY CLUB FOUNDATION INC | GLENVIEW, IL | $5,100 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| NAPLES YACHT CLUB BLUE GAVEL SCHOLARSHIP FUND | NAPLES, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| NORTHWOODS LIVING CARE FOUNDATION | PHELPS, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| YOUTH HAVEN | NAPLES, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CLINIC | NAPLES, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| SHELTER FOR ABUSED WOMEN & CHILDREN | NAPLES, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| COLLIER COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | Naples, FL | $305,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| NORTH SHORE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL | WINNETKA, IL | $205,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| CONSERVANCY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FLORIDA | NAPLES, FL | $118,847 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| EVERGLADES FOUNDATION | PALMETTO BAY, FL | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| CAPTAINS FOR CLEAN WATER | FT MYERS, FL | $35,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| NAPLES HISTORICAL SOCIETY | NAPLES, FL | $29,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN | NAPLES, FL | $23,650 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| NAMI | Tallahassee, FL | $5,500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| BLUE GAVEL | Augustine, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CLINIC | NAPLES, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| NORTH SHORE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL | WINNETKA, IL | $400,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| NAPLES HISTORICAL SOCIETY | NAPLES, FL | $157,200 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| COLLIER COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | Naples, FL | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CLINIC | NAPLES, FL | $64,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| CAPTAINS FOR CLEAN WATER | FT MYERS, FL | $60,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| SOUTHWEST FLORIDA MUSIC EDUCATION CENTER | Naples, FL | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN | NAPLES, FL | $23,650 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| EVERGLADES FOUNDATION | PALMETTO BAY, FL | $22,300 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| SMOKY LANE PESERVATION ASSOCIATION | PHELPS, WI | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| BLUE GAVEL | Augustine, FL | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
$20,000SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
NORTH SHORE COUNTRY CLUB FOUNDATION INC
$5,100SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
NAPLES YACHT CLUB BLUE GAVEL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$5,000SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
NORTHWOODS LIVING CARE FOUNDATION
$5,000SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
NAMI
$5,500GENERAL
BLUE GAVEL
$5,000GENERAL
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA MUSIC EDUCATION CENTER
$50,000GENERAL
SMOKY LANE PESERVATION ASSOCIATION
$5,000GENERAL
BLUE GAVEL
$5,000GENERAL