Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund
Historical FunderChicago, Illinois · EIN 36-4170236 · Private foundation · Website
Grants paid (2024)$3M
Organizations funded96
Typical grant$10,000
Total assets$79.5M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $10,000 and $20,000.
From the return
How to apply
The foundation filed the following application information (Form 990-PF Part XV, tax year 2024):
| Contact | CHRIS BROUGHTON |
|---|---|
| Address | 233 S WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 4400, CHICAGO IL 60606 |
| Phone | 3127226949 |
| CHRIS@WENTCHERFOUNDATION.ORG | |
| Form and materials | OCC POST GRADUATE PROGRAM - FAFSA ELIGIBLE, AN APPLICATION, OCC TRANSCRIPT, TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS AND AN ESSAY ARE REQUIRED. CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS - FAFSA ELIGIBLE, AN APPLICATION, HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT, TEACHER AND COUNSELOR RECOMMENDATIONS, AN ESSAY AND A STUDENT AID REPORT ARE REQUIRED. |
| Deadlines | SPRING OF EACH YEAR |
| Restrictions | SUCCESSFUL OAKTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE WENTCHER SCHOLAR GRADUATES, FAFSA-ELIGIBLE STUDENTS. CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS SENIORS, FASFA-ELIGIBLE |
Copied as filed. Deadlines on a tax return describe the foundation's usual process; they are not confirmation of a current open cycle.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
71% of grants went outside Illinois.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Univ of Illinois Urbana | Champaign, IL | Education | $473,652 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | Education | $319,566 |
| Depaul Univ | Chicago, IL | Education | $170,273 |
| Univ of Illinois Chicago | Chicago, IL | Education | $153,465 |
| Howard University | Washington, DC | Education | $121,356 |
| Univ of Wisconsin | Madison, WI | Education | $101,325 |
| Loyola University | Chicago, IL | Education | $97,500 |
| Univ of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | Education | $97,483 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | Education | $87,927 |
| Cornell Univ | Ithaca, NY | Education | $84,500 |
| Iit | Chicago, IL | Education | $65,407 |
| Dominican Univ | River Forest, IL | Education | $49,772 |
| Middlebury College | Middlebury, VT | Education | $46,356 |
| Spelman College | Atlanta, GA | Education | $40,000 |
| Univ of Chicago | Chicago, IL | Education | $32,247 |
| Illinois State University | Normal, IL | Education | $31,341 |
| Morehouse College | Atlanta, GA | Education | $30,000 |
| Northeastern University | Boston, MA | Education | $30,000 |
| Pomona College | Claremont, CA | Education | $30,000 |
| Lewis University | Romeoville, IL | Education | $28,588 |
| Oakton Comm College | Des Plaines, IL | Education | $26,250 |
| George Washington University | Ashburn, VA | Education | $25,000 |
| Washington University | St Louis, MO | Education | $23,462 |
| Emory Univ | Atlanta, GA | Education | $20,812 |
| American University | Washington, DC | Education | $20,000 |
| Bradley University | Peoria, IL | Education | $20,000 |
| Columbia Univ | New York, NY | Education | $20,000 |
| Depauw University | Greencastle, IN | Education | $20,000 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | Blommington, IL | Education | $20,000 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles, CA | Education | $20,000 |
| Marquette University | Milwaukee, WI | Education | $20,000 |
| New York University | New York, NY | Education | $20,000 |
| School of the Art Institute of Chic | Chicago, IL | Education | $20,000 |
| Univ of Missouri | Columbia, MO | Education | $20,000 |
| University of Miami | Arlington, TX | Education | $20,000 |
| Boston University | Boston, MA | Education | $17,764 |
| Columbia College | Chicago, IL | Education | $17,688 |
| Duke University | Durham, NC | Education | $16,283 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | Education | $15,888 |
| Connecticut College | New London, CT | Education | $15,000 |
| Univ of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | Education | $11,400 |
| Harvard University | Cambridge, MA | Education | $11,000 |
| Augustana College | Rock Island, IL | Education | $10,000 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | Education | $10,000 |
| Barnard College | New York, NY | Education | $10,000 |
| Bowdoin College | Brunswick, ME | Education | $10,000 |
| Cal Polytechnic State University | San Luis Obispo, CA | Education | $10,000 |
| Case Western University | Cleveland, OH | Education | $10,000 |
| Elmhurst University | Elmhurst, IL | Education | $10,000 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universit | Daytona Beach, FL | Education | $10,000 |
| Emerson College | Boston, MA | Education | $10,000 |
| Florida Memorial Univ | Miami Gardens, FL | Education | $10,000 |
| Florida State Univ | Tallahassee, FL | Education | $10,000 |
| Hampton University | Hampton, VA | Education | $10,000 |
| Kenyon College | Gambier, OH | Education | $10,000 |
| Knox College | Galesburg, IL | Education | $10,000 |
| North Carolina A&t State University | Greensboro, NC | Education | $10,000 |
| Oberlin College | Oberlin, OH | Education | $10,000 |
| Ohio Northern Univ | Ada, OH | Education | $10,000 |
| Ohio University | Athens, OH | Education | $10,000 |
Showing the 60 largest of 96 grants to organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,967,198 | 96 |
| 2023 | $3,154,193 | 108 |
| 2022 | $2,996,930 | 119 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Feb 4, 2026 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202620359349100612
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 36-4170236
- Profile updated Nov 5, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.