The David B and Pamela M Waud Foundation concentrates its giving on faith-based organizations and local social service ministries in the Chicago area, providing unrestricted operating support to churches and parish-run outreach programs. A secondary interest is environmental conservation through support for national conservation groups. Grants are sizable and directed to a small number of repeat grantees, indicating long-term partnerships rather than broad, one-off giving.
Highly concentrated: few, relatively large grants focused on a small set of repeat grantees. Predominantly provides general operating funding rather than project-specific grants, signaling sustained core support.
A small set of repeat grantees defines the David B and Pamela M Waud Foundation’s giving, with large unrestricted awards flowing year after year to Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest and St Leonard's Ministries in Chicago. That pattern points to a grantmaker built around ongoing operating support rather than broad, one-time project funding. The foundation’s recent grants also show a parallel conservation track, with The Nature Conservancy receiving multiple general operating grants across 2023, 2024, and 2025. Most of the activity is tied to Illinois organizations, especially Chicago-area churches, parish-connected ministries, and local social service groups. Lake Forest-based grantees also appear repeatedly, including Lake Forest Open Lands and Ragdale Foundation, which suggests a strong local relationship to north suburban institutions. The grants listed are generally substantial, and several recipients return in multiple years, indicating continuing support for organizations the foundation already knows well. Across the portfolio, general operating fund language appears often, reinforcing the foundation’s preference for flexible support that can cover core organizational needs.
Faith-based and parish-connected work takes a central place in the foundation’s portfolio. In 2025, it gave $140,199 to Church of the Holy Spirit for general operating support, and the same organization received $291,075 in 2024 and $249,643 in 2023. St Leonard's Ministries also received repeated general operating support, including $121,772 in 2025 and $251,566 in 2024, showing sustained attention to local ministries serving vulnerable populations. Environmental conservation is another clear thread. The Nature Conservancy received general operating grants of $69,801 in 2023, $60,547 in 2024, and $41,429 plus $22,889 in 2025. The portfolio also includes support for Lake Forest Open Lands, reflecting interest in local land conservation alongside faith-based and social service giving.
Typical grant sizes cluster in the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $23,417, a median of $50,058, and a p75 of $77,502. The pattern is strongly recurring: several recipients appear across 2023, 2024, and 2025, which points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its grants are framed as general operating support, unrestricted support, or general operating fund awards, which suggests flexible operating assistance rather than project-specific funding. The recent record also shows a relatively concentrated set of recipients rather than a broad open-call approach.
$898K
$3.3M
$1.3M
$902K
Most grants fall between $23K and $78K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$23K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$78K
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Notable grantees: Church of the Holy Spirit, St. Leonard's Ministries, The Nature Conservancy
Grantmaking is concentrated in Illinois, which accounts for 64% of grants and is also the top state by grant count. Lake Forest and Chicago are the most visible recipient cities, appearing repeatedly through Church of the Holy Spirit, St Leonard's Ministries, Lake Forest Open Lands, Ragdale Foundation, and Bernies Book Bank. Outside Illinois, grants in the recent list go to organizations in Arlington, Virginia; Princeton, New Jersey; and Miami, Florida. All listed grants in the recent sample are to U.S. recipients.
Its recent grants center on parish churches, parish-run social service ministries, and conservation organizations. Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest and St Leonard's Ministries in Chicago appear repeatedly, and The Nature Conservancy also receives multiple general operating grants. Local Chicago-area and north suburban Illinois nonprofits make up much of the portfolio.
Yes. The recent grants are repeatedly labeled general operating fund or general operating support. That includes awards to Church of the Holy Spirit, St Leonard's Ministries, The Nature Conservancy, Lake Forest Open Lands, and others, showing a consistent preference for flexible support that can cover core expenses.
Recurring. Several recipients show up across multiple years: Church of the Holy Spirit appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; St Leonard's Ministries appears in 2024 and 2025; The Nature Conservancy appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Parkinson's Foundation appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The grant-size distribution is fairly substantial. The p25 is $23,417, the median is $50,058, and the p75 is $77,502. The recent list also includes larger awards above $250,000, which reinforces that the foundation makes meaningful operating grants rather than small awards.
Illinois is the main geography in the recent data, with 64% of grants going to recipients in the state and Illinois listed as the top state by grant count. Lake Forest and Chicago appear frequently among recipient cities, while a smaller number of grants go to organizations in Virginia, New Jersey, and Florida.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | LAKE FOREST, IL | $126,457 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| ST LEONARD'S MINISTRIES | CHICAGO, IL | $95,872 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | LAKE FOREST, IL | $91,452 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| ST LEONARD'S MINISTRIES | CHICAGO, IL | $91,452 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | LAKE FOREST, IL | $86,189 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | LAKE FOREST, IL | $85,437 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| LAKE FOREST OPEN LANDS | LAKE FOREST, IL | $51,142 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | LAKE FOREST, IL | $43,950 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| ST LEONARD'S MINISTRIES | CHICAGO, IL | $43,950 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| ST LEONARD'S MINISTRIES | CHICAGO, IL | $39,626 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| ORPHAN OF THE STORM | RIVERWOODS, IL | $34,867 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $33,338 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $32,295 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| BERNIES BOOK BANK | LAKE BLUFF, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $17,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | LAKE FOREST, IL | $140,199 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| ST LEONARD'S MINISTRIES | CHICAGO, IL | $121,772 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| ST LEONARD'S MINISTRIES | CHICAGO, IL | $77,502 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | LAKE FOREST, IL | $77,502 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| LAKE FOREST OPEN LANDS | LAKE FOREST, IL | $52,751 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| ST LEONARD'S MINISTRIES | CHICAGO, IL | $49,535 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | LAKE FOREST, IL | $46,636 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $41,429 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| BERNIES BOOK BANK | LAKE BLUFF, IL | $25,426 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $22,889 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $17,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | LAKE FOREST, IL | $291,075 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| ST LEONARD'S MINISTRIES | CHICAGO, IL | $251,566 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $60,547 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $12,500 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| RAGDALE FOUNDATION | LAKE FOREST, IL | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | LAKE FOREST, IL | $249,643 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $69,801 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| REVIVE CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $50,582 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $12,500 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
| RAGDALE FOUNDATION | LAKE FOREST, IL | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
$126,457GENERAL OPERATING FUND
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
$91,452GENERAL OPERATING FUND
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
$86,189GENERAL OPERATING FUND
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
$85,437GENERAL OPERATING FUND
LAKE FOREST OPEN LANDS
$51,142GENERAL OPERATING FUND
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
$43,950GENERAL OPERATING FUND
ORPHAN OF THE STORM
$34,867GENERAL OPERATING FUND
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
$140,199GENERAL OPERATING FUND
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
$77,502GENERAL OPERATING FUND
LAKE FOREST OPEN LANDS
$52,751GENERAL OPERATING FUND
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
$46,636GENERAL OPERATING FUND
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
$291,075GENERAL OPERATING FUND
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
$249,643GENERAL OPERATING FUND
REVIVE CENTER
$50,582GENERAL OPERATING FUND