# Big Shoulders Fund

Big Shoulders Fund is an Endowment / Foundation based in Chicago, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Chicago, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 212 West Van Buren Suite 900, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
- **Founded:** 1986
- **Assets under management:** Less than $100M (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** bigshouldersfund.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/big-shoulders-fund

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Founded in 1986 by business and civic leaders at the urging of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Big Shoulders Fund operates as an independent charitable organization serving schools with demonstrated need in Chicago and Northwest Indiana. Co-Chairmen John A. Canning, Jr. of Madison Dearborn Partners, Kent P. Dauten of Keystone Capital, and Monsignor Kenneth J. Velo have shaped its governance for decades, while President and CEO Joshua Hale leads day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives. The organization functions as a grantmaking conduit and direct-program operator, funding scholarships, academic programs, operational improvements, and leadership development across a network of Catholic schools. Its structural hallmark is a dedicated endowment that absorbs all administrative and fundraising overhead, allowing 100% of externally raised dollars to reach classrooms. Geographic concentration remains tight — Chicago and the Diocese of Gary in Northwest Indiana — and the board draws senior executives from firms including Citadel, Ariel Investments, and Motorola Solutions. Big Shoulders Fund reported an endowment near $72 million, and its leadership maintains active ties to Chicago's civic and financial networks. Joshua Hale holds memberships in The Chicago Club, The Economic Club of Chicago, and The Commercial Club of Chicago, while the organization has been a member of FADICA (Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities) since 2008. Philanthropic partners include the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation and the Lavin Family Foundation. What distinguishes Big Shoulders is a governance model that separates operational funding from program funding by design. The endowment covers overhead; every gift is fronted to schools. This architecture attracts donors who demand zero leakage on their charitable dollar, making the foundation a rarity among education philanthropies where administrative costs routinely consume a visible share of contributions.

## Sectors

- Education

## People

- John A. Canning, Jr. — Co-Chairman
- Kent P. Dauten — Co-Chairman
- Monsignor Kenneth J. Velo — Co-Chairman
- Joshua Hale — President and CEO

## Questions

### Who runs investment and operational decisions at Big Shoulders Fund?

President and CEO Joshua Hale leads operations and strategic initiatives. Governance sits with Co-Chairmen John A. Canning, Jr., Kent P. Dauten, and Monsignor Kenneth J. Velo. The board includes senior figures from Citadel, Ariel Investments, and Motorola Solutions, though day-to-day investment management of the endowment is not publicly detailed.

### How does the 100% pass-through model actually work?

Big Shoulders Fund maintains an endowment that covers all administrative and fundraising expenses. Because headcount, rent, and overhead are paid from endowment income, every dollar a donor contributes to scholarships, academic programs, or school operations reaches the intended program without deduction.

### What is Big Shoulders Fund's relationship with the Archdiocese of Chicago?

The organization is legally independent of the Archdiocese but operates as its primary partner for supporting Catholic schools in Chicago. A parallel partnership exists with the Diocese of Gary for the foundation's Northwest Indiana work, allowing Big Shoulders to fund schools under diocesan supervision without being a diocesan entity itself.

### How large is the endowment, and is the foundation actively fundraising?

The endowment is estimated near $72 million. Because 100% of outside donations flow to programs, the foundation remains an active fundraiser, with disclosed philanthropic partners including the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation and the Lavin Family Foundation.

## Related profiles

- [Amarillo College Foundation](https://altss.com/profile/amarillo-college-foundation)
- [Boca Raton Regional Hospital](https://altss.com/profile/boca-raton-regional-hospital)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/big-shoulders-fund

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology