Helen Brach Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $5,900,000 (2025)
• Total Assets: $118,000,000+
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Approximately 3 months (December deadline, March board review)
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $375,000 (most grants $5,000 - $100,000)
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Chicago metropolitan area, with some national reach
• Number of Awards: 544 grants (2025), 508 grants (2024)

Contact Details

Address: 104 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1310, Chicago, IL 60603

Phone: (312) 372-4417

Fax: (312) 372-0290

Website: None

Note: The foundation does not maintain a website and operates with limited public accessibility. Contact is initiated through written Letter of Inquiry (LOI).

Overview

Established in 1974, the Helen V. Brach Foundation honors the legacy of Helen Brach, wife of Frank Brach, principal and owner of E.J. Brach and Sons Candy Company in Chicago. Following Frank Brach's death in 1970, Helen became heir to the Brach family fortune and established the foundation through her will, dedicating a substantial portion of the family wealth to charitable purposes. With assets exceeding $118 million and annual giving of approximately $5.9 million, the foundation is one of Chicago's significant private grantmakers. The foundation stands out particularly for its support of animal welfare programs, being one of the few major foundations in Chicago that awards grants to animal shelters and anti-cruelty programs. The foundation maintains a traditional, low-profile approach to grantmaking, operating without a website and carefully reviewing hundreds of applications each year through its annual grant cycle.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates a single grant program with an annual application cycle:

• General Grantmaking: $5,000 - $375,000 (most grants fall within $5,000 - $100,000 range)
  • Annual deadline around December 31
  • Board review in March
  • Minimum organizational budget requirement: $50,000 in prior year expenses
  • Minimum grant size: $5,000

Priority Areas

According to the foundation's charter, it operates for the following purposes:

• Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: Strong priority area; one of the few major Chicago foundations supporting animal shelters and anti-cruelty programs
• Prevention of Cruelty to Children: Core focus area
• Education: Regular grants to educational organizations, particularly those serving K-12 students; supports both public and private schools in greater Chicago area; also funds higher education (past support to DePaul University, Loyola University, Northwestern University)
• Youth Services: Programs serving young people
• Health: Mental health and animal therapy nonprofits; support for organizations like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
• Veterans: Programs supporting military veterans
• Homelessness: Organizations addressing housing insecurity
• Arts and Culture: Promotion of music, arts, and theater
• Religious and Scientific: Within charitable mission
• Support for Economically Disadvantaged: Low-income individuals and people with disabilities
• Community and Economic Development: Programs strengthening Chicago communities
• Environmental Issues: Selected environmental programs

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations with prior year expenses below $50,000
• Grants below $5,000
• Unsolicited full proposals (LOI required first)
• Organizations outside the Chicago metropolitan area (with limited exceptions)

Governance and Leadership

President: R. Matthew Simon

• Also serves as Of Counsel to the law firm Simon & Griseta
• Has practiced law for more than 25 years
• Active in Chicago legal and philanthropic community

The foundation maintains a traditional private foundation structure with board oversight. Additional board member details are not publicly disclosed, consistent with the foundation's low-profile operational approach.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited full proposals. The application process follows these steps:

1. Letter of Inquiry (LOI): Organizations must first submit a Letter of Inquiry explaining their project and requesting a hard copy of the application form
2. Application Form: If the foundation is interested, they will provide their official application form
3. Full Application: Complete and submit the full application by the deadline

Address for Correspondence: Helen Brach Foundation 104 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1310 Chicago, IL 60603

Phone Inquiries: (312) 372-4417

Decision Timeline

• Application Deadline: December 31 (annually)
• Board Review: March meetings
• Estimated Timeline: Approximately 3 months from deadline to decision
• Notification: Methods not publicly specified; likely written notification

Success Rates

The foundation makes 500+ grants annually (544 in 2025, 508 in 2024, 541 in 2023). However, the total number of applications received is not publicly disclosed, so a specific success rate cannot be calculated. The high number of awards suggests the foundation maintains an active grantmaking program, though competitiveness levels are unknown.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. Organizations should inquire about reapplication procedures when submitting their initial LOI or upon receiving a decision.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's limited public guidance, applicants should focus on these strategic factors:

Alignment with Charter Purposes: The foundation takes its charter seriously. Applications should clearly demonstrate how the project aligns with one or more charter purposes: charitable, educational, literary, prevention of cruelty to animals, prevention of cruelty to children, promotion of music/arts/theater, religious, or scientific.

Chicago Connection: While the foundation has made some national grants, there is a strong preference for organizations serving the Chicago metropolitan area. Clearly articulate your Chicago presence and impact.

Animal Welfare Applicants: This is a distinctive strength of the foundation. If your organization works in animal welfare, emphasize this connection strongly, as the foundation is known as one of the few major Chicago funders in this space.

Education and Youth Focus: Programs serving K-12 students, particularly those addressing prevention of cruelty to children or vulnerable youth populations, align well with foundation priorities.

Organizational Capacity: Meet the threshold requirements (minimum $50,000 in prior year expenses, request at least $5,000). These requirements suggest the foundation prefers established organizations with demonstrated operational capacity.

Appropriate Grant Size: Most grants fall in the $5,000-$100,000 range. While grants up to $375,000 have been made, requests should be realistic and well-justified for your organization's size and the project scope.

Professional, Formal Approach: The foundation operates in a traditional manner without modern conveniences like online applications or a website. Correspondence should be professional, formal, and submitted through traditional mail channels.

Patience with Process: The foundation is described as not making itself "very accessible." Organizations should expect a more formal, slower-paced process than with foundations offering online applications and rapid responses.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Start with LOI: Never send a full proposal first; always begin with a Letter of Inquiry to request the application form
• Target Chicago Impact: Strongest preference for organizations serving the Chicago metropolitan area; clearly articulate local connections
• Animal Welfare Advantage: If working in animal welfare or anti-cruelty programs, this foundation is a rare and valuable funder in this space
• Meet Minimum Thresholds: Ensure your organization had at least $50,000 in expenses last year and request at least $5,000
• Plan for Annual Cycle: With a December deadline and March review, build this timeline into your fundraising calendar
• Be Patient and Professional: This is a traditional, low-profile foundation; expect formal processes and limited communication compared to more accessible funders
• Consider Multi-Year Relationship: With 500+ grants annually, the foundation clearly funds many organizations; focus on building a relationship over time rather than one-time funding