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Illinois · Private foundation

Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$247k
Granted FY2025(still arriving)
21
Grants FY2025
23
Organizations funded FY2024
22%
First-time grantees FY2024
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2025
$8,000
Largest grant, FY2025
$48,500
Organizations funded a year
20 to 48
FY2018 to FY2024
States reached, FY2025
2
Total assets, FY2025
$17k
Applications
Preselected organizations only
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2024, 22% of the organizations Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation funded were first-time grantees, receiving 7% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 93% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $18k went to new ones.

50%100%’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EducationArts & CultureYouth DevelopmentHealthHuman ServicesRecreation & SportsOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2025still arriving21$247k24%
FY202423$263k22%
FY202320$228k35%
FY202223$420k30%
FY202126$156k27%
FY202033$465k21%
FY201948$446k31%
FY201847$281k62%
95% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Arts & Culture$1.0MEducation$839kHealth$289kPhilanthropy$214kRecreation & Sports$158kPublic Benefit$147kEnvironment$56kCommunity Improvement$51kOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

WA
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
IN
OH
CA
MO
VA
DC
GA
FL

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

Show all 89 grantees
All grantees of Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Chicago Symphony Orchestra$276,14270%
Rush University Medical Center$236,12580%
Erikson Institute$236,10090%
Chicago Theatre Group Inc$209,41790%
Chicago Public Library Foundation$175,10033%
Clayco Foundation$160,00062%
Civic Consulting Alliance$147,00071%
North Central College$126,15090%
Millennium Park Foundation$81,00081%
Northwestern University$75,00030%
Chicago Architecture Biennial Inc$60,00034%
The Trust for Public Land$55,50040%
The Commercial Club Foundation$44,00011%
Grant Park Orchestral Association$37,00060%
Steppenwolf Theatre Company$27,50040%
University of Michigan$25,00014%
The American Writers Museum$21,50041%
The Art Institute of Chicago$17,30070%
Headlands Center for the Arts$15,00011%
Museum of Contemporary Art$13,28740%
Music and Dance Theater Chicago Inc$11,00020%
Depaul University$10,72020%
Shedd Aquarium Society$10,50070%
Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana$10,00020%
Chicago Shakespeare Theater$7,50020%
The Chicago High School for the Arts$7,50030%
Greater Chicago Food Depository$7,25050%
Anti-Defamation League$6,00010%
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation$5,50021%
Alphawood Foundation$5,0001n/a
One Million Degrees$5,00010%
McDermott Center$5,00010%
Chicago Youth Centers$3,50960%
ChiArts Foundation$3,50020%
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum$3,50010%
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs$2,64030%
Friends of United Hatzalah Inc$2,50010%
The Joffrey Ballet$2,50020%
International Churchill Society$2,50010%
Chicago Historical Society$2,50020%
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis$2,50010%
Association of Fundraising Professionals -Chicago Chapter$2,50011%
Advance Illinois Nfp$2,00020%
Start Early$2,00010%
Free Spirit Media Nfp$2,00020%
Equip for Equality$2,00010%
Jesse White Foundation Ltd$1,75020%
Taft High School Foundation$1,7502n/a
Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago$1,50010%
Chicago Neighbors United$1,5001n/a
Field Museum of Natural History$1,0361n/a
Spelman College$1,00010%
Suncrest Christian Church Inc$1,0001n/a
Family Focus Legacy$1,00010%
Cedille Chicago Nfp$1,00010%
Artists Association of Nantucket Inc$1,00010%
University of Chicago$1,00010%
Brain Research Foundation$1,00010%
Francis W Parker School$1,00010%
Nourishing Hope$1,00010%
Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council$1,00010%
Breakthrough T1d$1,00010%
American Diabetes Association$8901n/a
League of Chicago Theatres Foundation$87540%
Northern Illinois University Foundation$85040%
The Family Institute$75020%
The Salvation Army$6002n/a
Metrosquash Nfp$50010%
J Street$50010%
Ingenuity Incorporated Chicago$50010%
Viola Volunteers Inc$50011%
Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois Inc$50010%
Chicago Lights$50010%
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago$50010%
All Stars Project Inc$50010%
Illinois Humanities Council Inc$50010%
Park Day School Corporation$37010%
Vivian G Harsh Society Inc$35021%
Block Club Chicago Nfp$2581n/a
National Kidney Foundation of Illinois$25010%
Touched by an Animal$25010%
Blood Cancer United Inc$25010%
Chicago Lions Charitable Association$25010%
Right to the City Alliance$25010%
Forest Preserve Foundation Inc$25010%
Tree House Humane Society Inc$20010%
College of Dupage Foundation$12010%
Rpm Foundation$10010%
Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Inc$1001n/a

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 46 recipients with no EIN on record ($635k), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

Each grantee by its size and the share of its budget Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation supplied at peak.

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetChicago Symphony Orchestra: $276,142 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetRush University Medical Center: $236,125 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetErikson Institute: $236,100 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetChicago Theatre Group Inc: $209,417 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetChicago Public Library Foundation: $175,100 over 3y, 2.9% of budgetClayco Foundation: $160,000 over 6y, 2.0% of budgetCivic Consulting Alliance: $147,000 over 7y, 0.7% of budgetNorth Central College: $126,150 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetMillennium Park Foundation: $81,000 over 8y, 1.2% of budgetNorthwestern University: $75,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetChicago Architecture Biennial Inc: $60,000 over 3y, 3.7% of budgetThe Trust for Public Land: $55,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetThe Commercial Club Foundation: $44,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetGrant Park Orchestral Association: $37,000 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetSteppenwolf Theatre Company: $27,500 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetUniversity of Michigan: $25,000 over 1y, 4.0% of budgetThe American Writers Museum: $21,500 over 4y, 0.6% of budgetThe Art Institute of Chicago: $17,300 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetHeadlands Center for the Arts: $15,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetMuseum of Contemporary Art: $13,287 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetMusic and Dance Theater Chicago Inc: $11,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetDepaul University: $10,720 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetShedd Aquarium Society: $10,500 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetGirl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana: $10,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetChicago Shakespeare Theater: $7,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetThe Chicago High School for the Arts: $7,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetGreater Chicago Food Depository: $7,250 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetAnti-Defamation League: $6,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetChicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation: $5,500 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetOne Million Degrees: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMcDermott Center: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetChicago Youth Centers: $3,509 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetChiArts Foundation: $3,500 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetThe United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: $3,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetThe Chicago Council on Global Affairs: $2,640 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetFriends of United Hatzalah Inc: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetThe Joffrey Ballet: $2,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetInternational Churchill Society: $2,500 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetChicago Historical Society: $2,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetOpera Theatre of Saint Louis: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAssociation of Fundraising Professionals -Chicago Chapter: $2,500 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetAdvance Illinois Nfp: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetStart Early: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFree Spirit Media Nfp: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetEquip for Equality: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetJesse White Foundation Ltd: $1,750 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetBoys and Girls Clubs of Chicago: $1,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSpelman College: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 80.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

John D and Catherine T Macarthur FoundationIL36.2× affinity18 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation · Polk Bros Foundation Inc · The Chicago Community Trust · Circle of Service Foundation · Arie and Ida Crown Memorial · Lloyd a Fry Foundation · Dr Scholl Foundation · Frank Family Foundation · The Robert Thomas Bobins Foundation · Robert R McCormick Foundation · Patrick G and Shirley W Ryan Foundation · AbbVie Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Compare Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation with peer funders

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation?

Find your warmest path to Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

About Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation

How much does Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation give?
Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation reported 21 grants totaling $247,044 in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 20 and 48 organizations a year over FY2018 to FY2024.
What does Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation fund?
By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2025, its largest causes are Arts & Culture (36%), Education (30%), Health (10%).
Who are Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2017 to FY2025: Chicago Symphony Orchestra ($276k), Rush University Medical Center ($236k), Erikson Institute ($236k).
Does Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation fund new organizations?
In FY2024, 22% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and does not take unsolicited requests. Check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.
Which funders back the same organizations as Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation, Polk Bros Foundation Inc, The Chicago Community Trust.
Where is Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation based?
Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation is based in IL.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 136 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

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