Supporting a Healthy Chicago Since 1911
Our Story
The Sprague Foundation recognizes that social determinants of health such as intergenerational poverty, systemic racism, and one’s own zip code have an impact on both quality of life and life expectancy. Closing these gaps remains core to our vision of a healthy and equitable Chicago where all residents can thrive.
Transformational Initiatives
With a longstanding mission to investigate the root causes of illness and prevent and relieve human suffering, Sprague’s philanthropy has given rise to such transformational initiatives as the Chicago Asthma Consortium, Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children, and Chicago Health Atlas, among others.
Expanding Partnerships
Sprague prides itself on being an enabling foundation, seeding efforts to help partner organizations leverage resources, establish proof of concept, and embed new innovations within health systems. Looking forward, Sprague is committed to growing these pathways by streamlining our strategic priorities, working closely with public and private partners toward collective health impact citywide.
The Otho S.A. Sprague Memorial Institute (now known as the Sprague Foundation) was founded in 1911 as a nonprofit foundation with a mandate to pursue “the investigation of the cause of disease and the prevention and relief of human suffering in the City of Chicago, County of Cook, State of Illinois.”