William G. McGowan Charitable Fund
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund welcomes applications from 501(c)(3) organisations working in education, human services and healthcare, as well as initiatives advancing ethics in business and community life nationally; its geographic focus covers Colorado, Eagle County, the Kansas/Missouri counties of Jackson, Wyandotte and Johnson, the neighbourhoods of Austin and North Lawndale, and Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Yates, Steuben and Ontario counties, so organisations should check their work fits this footprint or the national ethics strand.
- A modest request is realistic: half of its 428 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fell between $500 and $55,000, though the largest grant reached $1,500,000.
- The application method varies by programme, and there are three deadlines each year – 8 February, 8 May and 8 August – so plan submissions around these dates.
- With 69% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded the previous year, the Fund looks relationship-led, so new applicants should expect a competitive field, while repeat applicants must submit final reports before seeking new funding.
- No further eligibility restrictions are stated, so any organisation whose work matches the funded themes and geographic focus may consider applying.
Overview
William G. McGowan Charitable Fund is a US private foundation based in Chicago, IL.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Fund makes community grants to 501(c)(3) organisations in five US regions, seeking healthy, independent and sustainable lives and addressing the causes and impact of poverty. Its community grantmaking spans education, human services and healthcare. In education, it supports out-of-school programmes, schools and scholarships, with emphasis on measurable gains in achievement, teaching and learning, and reduced disparities. Human-services work focuses on stabilising housing, food and clothing security, adult education and homelessness prevention. Healthcare grants seek to remove barriers to work, education and a family’s movement out of poverty through quality care for people who may have no other care options. Across community grants, it attends to immediate needs as well as long-term impact for vulnerable families and individuals. Separately, it supports initiatives intended to advance ethics in business and community life nationally.
Themes
- Education
- Stabilized housing
- Food and clothing security
- Healthcare access
- Homelessness prevention
- Ethics in business and community life
Geographic Focus
Colorado; Eagle County; Kansas/Missouri: Jackson, Wyandotte and Johnson counties; Neighborhoods of Austin and North Lawndale; Lackawanna County; Luzerne County; Monroe County; Yates County; Steuben County; Ontario County.
How to apply
Applicants complete an application form covering their organisation’s mission, structure and finances, the population served, and the proposed programme’s structure, narrative, goals, theory of change, inputs and outputs.
Deadlines:
- The spring application deadline is February 8.
- The summer application deadline is May 8.
- The fall application deadline is August 8.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 69% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 428 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Education proposals should be innovative and show measurable improvement in addressing achievement gaps, improving teaching and learning, and reducing student disparities.
- Community proposals should address immediate needs and pursue long-term impact for vulnerable families and individuals.
- Repeat applicants must submit final reports before applying for new funding.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 20% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2023, 69% of grant dollars went to organisations William G. McGowan Charitable Fund had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 16% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 249 grants in tax year 2023 by size
Median $5,000 (tax year 2023)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Rush University Medical Center · A national trial of the elm lifestyle program and remission of the metabolic syndrome - year 6$1,300,0002023 tax year
- Rochester Area Community Foundation · Daf contribution$500,0002023 tax year
- Bishop Miege High School · The helping hand tuition fund$130,0002023 tax year
- Literacy Kansas City · Adult education & literacy$130,0002023 tax year
- Rockhurst High School · Challenge: hurtado scholars program$130,0002023 tax year
- Vibrant Health · Challenge: charitable care for low-income individuals & families$125,0002023 tax year
- Warren Village · Building economic and personal sustainability for unstably housed single-parent families$125,0002023 tax year
- Community LINC · Community linc's housing programs$125,0002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Megan McGowan — Director
- Patrick McGowan — Director
- Marianne Rosica-Brand — Director
- Daniel McGowan — Director
- Mary McGowan-Swartz — Director
- Mark Rosica — Director
- Daniel Rosica — Director
- Gertrude McGowan — Director
- Brian McGowan — Treasurer
- A Joseph Rosica — Secretary
- Leo McGowan — President
- William P McGowan — Chairman Of The Board
- Janet Crombie — Director Of Finance & Administration
- Brian Peckrill — Executive Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $9,746,465 | $8,229,990 | $205,649,544 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $8,377,066 | $7,105,582 | $216,682,198 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to William G. McGowan Charitable Fund?
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Applying to William G. McGowan Charitable Fund?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required