Northwestern Memorial Foundation

Northwestern Memorial Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Northwestern Medicine, a nonprofit academic health system based in Chicago. Its mission is to channel donor generosity — from individuals, corporations and foundations — into patient-centered care, leading-edge research, groundbreaking innovation and expanded access to state-of-the-art facilities. The foundation operates under the Northwestern Medicine umbrella, which comprises 11 hospitals and more than 200 locations serving patients in Chicagoland and around the world. The foundation's fundraising supports a wide range of programs and institutes within Northwestern Medicine. Donor contributions have helped initiatives such as the Northwestern Medicine Mansueto Innovation Institute, which finds, evaluates and implements innovative solutions for challenges affecting patients and care teams; the Lou and Jean Malnati Brain Tumor Institute of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, where funding advances research into brain and spine tumors; and the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, which pursues better treatment and prevention of heart disease. Campaigns such as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month highlight how gifts support artificial intelligence-powered tools and personalized treatment strategies. Beyond individual giving, the foundation runs a corporate and foundation giving program. Corporations and foundations can make charitable gifts or grants, sponsor high-visibility Chicago-area events, participate in gift matching and charitable collaboration, and gain recognition benefits including brand placement on event materials and the foundation website, speaking opportunities, complimentary tickets and volunteer opportunities. The foundation also maintains a dedicated giving team reachable by phone and email to assist donors and corporate partners. As part of Northwestern Medicine, the foundation is connected to a health system with more than 5,400 physicians and care teams, and care informed by research from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Northwestern Medicine itself traces its flagship hospital, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, to 1972, when two of Chicago's oldest hospitals consolidated. The foundation carries forward this legacy by mobilizing philanthropy to support the system's commitment to superior quality, academic excellence, scientific discovery and patient safety.

Northwestern Memorial Foundation is the fundraising organization associated with Northwestern Medicine, a nonprofit academic health system headquartered in Chicago. Its history is intertwined with that of Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the system's flagship, which was created in 1972 through the consolidation of two of Chicago's oldest established hospitals. Over the following decades, the hospital and its affiliated entities grew into an integrated healthcare system bringing together physicians and researchers from award-winning facilities across the Chicago area. As the system expanded — adding hospitals such as Central DuPage Hospital, Delnor Hospital, Lake Forest Hospital, Kishwaukee Hospital, Valley West Hospital and Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital — the need for coordinated philanthropy grew as well. Northwestern Memorial Foundation emerged as the central vehicle for charitable giving to Northwestern Medicine, supporting patient-centered care, research, innovation and expanded access to state-of-the-art facilities. The foundation's work is closely tied to major institutes and programs within Northwestern Medicine. Donor generosity has helped the Northwestern Medicine Mansueto Innovation Institute find, evaluate and implement innovative solutions for challenges affecting patients and care teams. It has supported the Lou and Jean Malnati Brain Tumor Institute of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center in learning more about brain and spine tumors and developing new treatment strategies. It has also bolstered the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute in its pursuit of better treatment and prevention of heart disease. In addition to individual giving, the foundation operates a corporate and foundation giving program that allows businesses and organizations to make charitable gifts or grants, sponsor Chicago-area events, participate in gift matching and charitable collaboration, and receive recognition benefits. The foundation maintains a giving team that donors and corporate partners can contact directly. Today, Northwestern Memorial Foundation continues to serve as the philanthropic bridge between donors and Northwestern Medicine's mission of superior quality, academic excellence, scientific discovery and patient safety. It supports a system with 11 hospitals and more than 200 locations, serving patients in Chicagoland and around the world.

• 1972

  Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the flagship of what became Northwestern Medicine, is created by the consolidation of two of Chicago's oldest hospitals.

• 1971

  Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital becomes the first physical rehabilitation hospital of its kind.

• 1912

  The story of Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital and Valley West Hospital begins with the founding of Sycamore Municipal Hospital.

The philanthropic foundation of a leading nonprofit academic health system, connecting donor and corporate generosity to patient care, research and innovation.

• Individual Giving

  Donors can make gifts to support patient care, research, innovation and facilities across Northwestern Medicine.

• Corporate and Foundation Giving

  Corporations and foundations can make charitable gifts or grants to support Northwestern Medicine's mission.

• Event Sponsorship

  Businesses can sponsor Chicago-area events, gaining brand recognition and other benefits.

• Gift Matching

  Employers can match charitable contributions made by their employees.

1. 1Northwestern Memorial Foundation | Northwestern Medicinenm.org
2. 2History | Northwestern Medicinenm.org
3. 3Corporate Giving | Northwestern Medicinenm.org
4. 4About Us | Northwestern Medicinenm.org
5. 5Northwestern Memorial Foundation - Wikidatawikidata.org