The Bill Bass Foundation
Chicago, Illinois · EIN 616314816 · Private foundation
The Bill Bass Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its most recent IRS Form 990-PF reports $698K in grants paid and $11.1M in total assets. Bespoke Grants tracks 362 individual grants from this funder — $4.5M awarded across 2017–2024 — including its support for arts & culture. Below is its full funding profile.
What The Bill Bass Foundation funds
The Bill Bass Foundation's giving carries a documented focus on arts & culture, education, faith-based (christian), faith-based (jewish), food & agriculture, and related causes.
Populations it has supported include children, families, women girls.
Grant history
The largest grants Bespoke Grants has on record for The Bill Bass Foundation, by amount:
| Recipient | Location | Grant | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago GENERAL FUNDS | Chicago, IL | $118K | 2024 |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago GENERAL FUNDS | Chicago, IL | $105K | 2023 |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago GENERAL FUNDS | Chicago, IL | $101K | 2017 |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago GENERAL FUNDS | Chicago, IL | $100K | 2020 |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago GENERAL FUNDS | Chicago, IL | $100K | 2019 |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago GENERAL FUNDS | Chicago, IL | $100K | 2022 |
| Chicago Kent College of Law GENERAL FUNDS | Chicago, IL | $75K | 2023 |
| Shirley Ryan Ability Lab GENERAL FUND | Chicago, IL | $50K | 2023 |
| University of Illinois Foundation GENERAL FUNDS | Urbana, IL | $50K | 2023 |
| Lurie Childrens Foundation GENERAL FUNDS | Chicago, IL | $50K | 2023 |
| University of Illiois I-fund GENERAL PURPOSE | Champaign, IL | $50K | 2022 |
| Chicago Kent College of Law GENERAL FUNDS | Chicago, IL | $50K | 2019 |
| Lurie Childrens Foundation GENERAL FUNDS | Chicago, IL | $50K | 2022 |
| Shirley Ryan Ability Lab GENERAL FUND | Chicago, IL | $50K | 2022 |
| Chicago Kent College of Law GENERAL FUNDS | Chicago, IL | $50K | 2017 |
The Bill Bass Foundation giving by year
Total grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for each filing year:
How to apply for funding from The Bill Bass Foundation
The Bill Bass Foundation's public IRS filing does not spell out a formal application process. Foundations of this size often give primarily to organizations they already know, so a concise letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first contact — not a full proposal.
Is The Bill Bass Foundation the right funder for your nonprofit?
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Match my nonprofit to funders →Frequently asked questions about The Bill Bass Foundation
- Does The Bill Bass Foundation accept grant applications?
- The Bill Bass Foundation's public filing does not specify an application process. A brief letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first step with a private foundation of this size.
- What does The Bill Bass Foundation fund?
- The Bill Bass Foundation's grants focus on arts & culture. Recent recipients include Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago. Its full grant history is listed above.
- How much does The Bill Bass Foundation give in grants?
- The Bill Bass Foundation reported $698K in grants in its most recent IRS filing (FY2020). Across all years in our data it has awarded $4.5M over 362 grants.
- Where is The Bill Bass Foundation located?
- The Bill Bass Foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois. Its IRS employer identification number (EIN) is 616314816.
- How can I find foundations similar to The Bill Bass Foundation?
- Bespoke Grants matches your nonprofit against 225,000+ foundations like The Bill Bass Foundation, ranking each by how well it fits your mission, location, and budget — with the reasoning shown. It is free to search.
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