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Form 990-PFTax year 2024EIN 27-0773475

Make It Better Foundation

A private foundation in Wilmette, IL. Its return for tax year 2024 lists 73 grants and $988,150 paid in grants.

See which foundations fund work like yours Matching by cause, place and grant size

Tax year 2024 (period ending Dec 31, 2024), read from the IRS e-file on Nov 11, 2026. Returns reach the IRS 5 to 18 months after the year they describe.

How to apply

Accepts applications

The return gives an application contact and rules, as below.

Contact
Mibf Attn Jennifer Woolford
PO Box 751
Wilmette, ID 60091
(312) 500-2501
Form and materials
Applications for the annual philanthropy awards competition can be found on the mibf website. Http://foundation.makeitbetter.com/
Deadlines
Nominations for awards are accepted during the specified period, typically september each year
Restrictions
We will review requests for support against our stated mission, which is to identify and amplify the work of oustanding nonprofits while growing a network of well-informed, committed philanthropists; social entrepreneurs; and sponsors. We enter into the agreement using the organization's standard sponsorship form, having confirmed their 501(c)(3) status in advance. Generally these are organizations in the surrounding chicagoland area that are within the distribution footprint of make it better LLC media channels. Please visit http://foundation.makeitbetter.com/values-mission-vision

Assets and giving by year

5 returns on file
Grants paid by tax year. The latest year is in blue.

  • Tax year 2024

    $988,150

    Grants listed
    73
    Assets, end of year
    $80,726

  • Tax year 2023

    $255,000

    Grants listed
    11
    Assets, end of year
    $413,795

  • Tax year 2022

    $450,000

    Grants listed
    45
    Assets, end of year
    $112,482

  • Tax year 2021

    $0

    Grants listed
    0
    Assets, end of year
    $10,411

  • Tax year 2020

    $20,896

    Grants listed
    3
    Assets, end of year
    $26,495

Grants paid in 2024

73 grants, largest first

As listed on the return.

  1. American Red CrossWashington, DC

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $125,000
  2. Nurse Family PartnershipDenver, CO

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $100,000
  3. Nurse Family Partnership wire not showing up in glDenver, CO

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $100,000
  4. A Safe HavenChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  5. After School MattersChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  6. Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association IncChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  7. AneraWashington, DC

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  8. Art Institute of ChicagoChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  9. Athletes Against Anxiety & DepressionWestchester, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  10. Cinema ChicagoChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  11. City YearBoston, MA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  12. Cradles to CrayonChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  13. Good Jobs InstituteCambridge, MA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  14. Harris TheaterChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  15. Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education CenterSkokie, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  16. KIPP Chicago SchoolsChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  17. Metropolitan Family ServicesMerrionette Park, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  18. NAMI ChicagoChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  19. Pres and Fellows of Harvard CollegeCambridge, MA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  20. The Greater Science Center BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  21. US Center for Safe SportDenver, CO

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $25,000
  22. Palestine Children's Relief FundBurbank, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $20,000
  23. World Central KitchenWashington, DC

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $20,000
  24. Catchafire IncClaymont, DE

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $10,000
  25. George Mark HouseSan Leandro, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $10,000
  26. Go CampaignSanta Monica, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $10,000
  27. Goodwill Foundation of Central and Southern IndianaIndianapolis, IN

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $10,000
  28. Hope SolutionsPleasant Hill, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $10,000
  29. Interfaith AmericaChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $10,000
  30. Lyric Opera ChicagoChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $10,000
  31. McGaw YMCAEvanston, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $10,000
  32. Side by SideSan Anselmo, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $10,000
  33. The Family Institute of Northwestern UniversityChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $10,000
  34. Twist Out CancerPhiladelphia, PA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $10,000
  35. American Red CrossWashington, DC

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $5,181
  36. AneraWashington, DC

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $5,163
  37. American Red Cross (EOY 2023)Washington, DC

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $5,125
  38. Middle East ChildrenBerkeley, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $5,000
  39. Cleveland Angels (EOY 2023)Cleveland, OH

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $4,000
  40. Sojourn ProjectMillbrae, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $4,000
  41. Cancer Research Institute (EOY 2023)New York, NY

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,500
  42. The City Mission of Cleveland (EOY 2023)Cleveland, OH

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,500
  43. Wild Salmon CenterPortland, OR

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,500
  44. The Royal Marsden Cancer CharityLondon, United Kingdom

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,160
  45. Stargazing Farm FundBoyds, MD

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,021
  46. American Red CrossWashington, DC

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  47. Brushwood Center at Ryerson WoodsRiverwoods, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  48. By the HandChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  49. By the HandChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  50. Care for RealChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  51. Care for RealChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  52. Chicago Philharmonic SocietyChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  53. Donorschoose organizationNew York, NY

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  54. Family Institute (EOY 2023)Chicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  55. Family Service Center (EOY 2023)Northfield, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  56. Feel the BeatGlendale, CO

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  57. GO CampaignSanta Monica, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  58. GO CampaignSanta Monica, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  59. Joffrey BalletChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  60. Mskgiving (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)New York, NY

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  61. New West SymphonyThousand Oaks, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  62. Oakland Fund OrganizationOakland, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  63. Save Mount DiabloWalnut Creek, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  64. Shore Community ServicesSkokie, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  65. Siena Retreat CenterRacine, WI

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  66. Sit Stay Read IncChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  67. The Family Institute of Northwestern UniversityChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  68. The Honeycomb ProjectChicago, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  69. The Record Community News GroupWilmette, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  70. The Trevor Project OrganizationWest Hollywood, CA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  71. The Volunteer CenterWinnetka, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  72. The Volunteer CenterWinnetka, IL

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000
  73. Twist Out CancerPhiladelphia, PA

    Unrestricted Charitable Donation

    $1,000

Where the money goes

By cause: grants to organizations we matched to the IRS list of exempt organizations, by their category.

  1. Human services11 grants $181,18133% of the total
  2. Health2 grants $125,00023% of the total
  3. Education6 grants $102,00019% of the total
  4. International aid4 grants $70,16313% of the total
  5. Arts and culture4 grants $28,0005% of the total
  6. Medical research2 grants $11,0002% of the total
  7. 6 other causes6 grants $33,5006% of the total

By State

Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.

  1. Illinois31 grants $331,000
  2. Colorado4 grants $226,000
  3. District of Columbia7 grants $186,469
  4. California15 grants $125,000
  5. Massachusetts3 grants $75,000
  6. Pennsylvania2 grants $11,000
  7. Delaware1 grant $10,000
  8. Indiana1 grant $10,000
  9. Ohio2 grants $5,500
  10. New York3 grants $3,500

Officers, directors and trustees

5 people as filed

As filed on the return, with average hours per week and pay from the foundation.

  • Kathy RoeserDIRECTOR Hours 1Pay $0
  • Sandra TsuchidaDIRECTOR Hours 1Pay $0
  • Susan NoyesDIRECTOR Hours 1Pay $0
  • Melinda FauntleroyPRESIDENT Hours 1Pay $0
  • Sharon P KroneCOO/Secretary/Treasurer Hours 40Pay $75,000

The return

This is an amended return.

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