Wayfarer Foundation
Invitation OnlyHighland Park, Illinois · EIN 86-2088032 · Private foundation · Website
Grants paid (2024)$23.9M
Organizations funded166
Typical grant$85,000
Total assets$27.3M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $50,000 and $150,000.
From the return
How to apply
On its return for tax year 2024 the foundation checked the box saying it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
72% of grants went outside Illinois.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horace Holley Foundation | Evanston, IL | General operating support | $4,500,000 |
| National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States | Evanston, IL | General operating support | $1,750,000 |
| Mona Foundation | Bellevue, WA | General operating support | $650,000 |
| National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Inc | Cincinnati, OH | General operating support | $500,000 |
| New Era Creative Space | Peekskill, NY | General operating support | $370,000 |
| Parent University | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $362,200 |
| Tahirih Justice Center | Falls Church, VA | General operating support | $340,000 |
| Equiticity | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $325,000 |
| Palenke Arts | Seaside, CA | General operating support | $290,000 |
| Friends of Givat Haviva Inc | New York, NY | General operating support | $270,000 |
| Miracle Messages | San Francisco, CA | General operating support | $255,000 |
| Proteus Fund | New York, NY | General operating support | $225,000 |
| Fetzer Institute | Kalamazoo, MI | General operating support | $210,000 |
| World Federalist Movement Institute for Global Policy | Washington, DC | General operating support | $205,000 |
| Center for Research in Education for Development | West Palm Beach, FL | General operating support | $203,000 |
| Center for Neighborhood Technology | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $200,000 |
| First Nations Development Institute | Longmont, CO | General operating support | $200,000 |
| The Policy Academies | Washington, DC | General operating support | $200,000 |
| Wozu | Cannon Ball, ND | General operating support | $200,000 |
| Learning to Impact | San Diego, CA | General operating support | $200,000 |
| Coherent Development Research Institute | San Diego, CA | General operating support | $180,000 |
| Hispanics in Philanthropy | San Francisco, CA | General operating support | $180,000 |
| The Workers Lab | Oakland, CA | General operating support | $175,000 |
| Cheyenne River Youth Project | Eagle Butte, SD | General operating support | $170,547 |
| Logan Square Neighborhood Association | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $170,125 |
| American Society of the University of Haifa | New York, NY | General operating support | $170,000 |
| City Hope San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | General operating support | $170,000 |
| Deeply Rooted Productions | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $170,000 |
| Euchee Yuchi Language Project | Glenpool, OK | General operating support | $170,000 |
| Freedom Community Center | St Louis, MO | General operating support | $170,000 |
| Love Unity and Values Institute | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $170,000 |
| Period Inc | Portland, OR | General operating support | $170,000 |
| Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding | New York, NY | General operating support | $170,000 |
| The Aspen Institute Inc | Washington, DC | General operating support | $170,000 |
| True Star Foundation | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $170,000 |
| Journalism for Change Inc | Arlington, VA | General operating support | $170,000 |
| Southside Blooms | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $170,000 |
| Redress Movement | West Tisbury, MA | General operating support | $160,000 |
| Intonation Music Workshop | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $158,993 |
| Parents of Children With All Special Needs | Los Angeles, CA | General operating support | $156,000 |
| Birth Detroit | Detroit, MI | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Books and Breakfast | Evanston, IL | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Chicago Cares | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Fearless Dialogues | Atlanta, GA | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Friends of the Highwood Library | Highwood, IL | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Guitars Over Guns Organization Inc | Miami, FL | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Hopa Mountain | Bozeman, MT | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Inner City Muslim Action Network | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Latinos for Education | Boston, MA | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Maia | Denver, CO | General operating support | $150,000 |
| New England Center for Arts and Technology | Boston, MA | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Organic Oneness | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Testimonies of Hope Inc | Davenport, IA | General operating support | $150,000 |
| White Pony Express | Concord, CA | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Faith Matters Network Collaborative | Nashville, TN | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Naca Inspired Schools Network | Albuquerque, NM | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Lighthouse Foundation of Chicagoland | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $148,000 |
| First Alaskans Institute | Anchorage, AK | General operating support | $140,000 |
| Rise and Remember | Minneapolis, MN | General operating support | $140,000 |
| Sawalmem | Redding, CA | General operating support | $132,000 |
Showing the 60 largest of 166 grants to organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $23,912,892 | 166 |
| 2023 | $19,164,170 | 153 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Nov 12, 2025 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202513169349102466
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 86-2088032
- 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.