The Illinois State Capitol

Form 990-PFTax year 2025EIN 27-4334359

Virginia Lee Cook Foundation

A private foundation in Chicago, IL. Its return for tax year 2025 lists 5 grants and $460,000 paid in grants.

Tax year 2025 (period ending Dec 31, 2025), 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

Preselected only

The return checks the box saying the foundation gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets and giving by year

8 returns on file
Grants paid by tax year. The latest year is in blue.
  • Tax year 2025

    $460,000

    Grants listed
    5
    Assets, end of year
    $434,644
  • Tax year 2024

    $300,000

    Grants listed
    5
    Assets, end of year
    $479,299
  • Tax year 2023

    $220,000

    Grants listed
    5
    Assets, end of year
    $496,448
  • Tax year 2022

    $230,000

    Grants listed
    5
    Assets, end of year
    $582,669
  • Tax year 2021

    $255,000

    Grants listed
    3
    Assets, end of year
    $549,653
  • Tax year 2020

    $265,000

    Grants listed
    3
    Assets, end of year
    $715,831
  • Tax year 2019

    $179,001

    Grants listed
    4
    Assets, end of year
    $1,005,597
  • Tax year 2018

    $156,250

    Grants listed
    3
    Assets, end of year
    $867,080

Grants paid in 2025

5 grants, largest first

As listed on the return.

  1. University of Wisconsin FoundationMadison, WI

    General purpose

    $300,000
  2. Animal Aid IncWilliamstown, NJ

    General purpose

    $75,000
  3. K9 Battle BuddiesHinesville, GA

    General purpose

    $50,000
  4. Monkey's House Dog Hospice and SanctuarySouthampton, NJ

    General purpose

    $25,000
  5. St Patrick ParishSt Charles, IL

    General purpose

    $10,000

Where the money goes

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

  1. Education1 grant $300,00071% of the total
  2. Animals2 grants $125,00029% of the total

By State

Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.

  1. Wisconsin1 grant $300,000
  2. New Jersey2 grants $100,000
  3. Georgia1 grant $50,000
  4. Illinois1 grant $10,000

Officers, directors and trustees

3 people as filed

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

  • Jeffrey BakiaresPRESIDENT/DIRECTOR Hours 5Pay $50,237
  • Lynn BakiaresVP & TREASURER/DIRECTOR Hours 5Pay $4,800
  • John BrownDIRECTOR Hours 5Pay $4,800

The return

More foundations

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Same main cause (education), giving between a quarter and four times this foundation’s where possible, nearby first.

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  3. Goldenberg Max TW M G FoundationChicago, IL 45 grants Accepts applications $456,000 giving
  4. David and Susan Schoenholz FoundationChicago, IL 14 grants Preselected only $455,200 giving
  5. Donald R Wilson Jr Family FoundationChicago, IL 12 grants Preselected only $468,874 giving