Ortus Foundation
Ortus Foundation is a private foundation focused on youth and young adult mental health and suicide prevention, founded in 2022 and led by founder Sabrina Gracias. The site describes grantmaking, partnerships with universities and national organizations, and states grants are made by request (unsolicited applications not accepted).
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Organizations focused on youth and young adult mental health or suicide prevention with programmatic alignment to the foundation's priorities and demonstrable regional or institutional connections (especially ties into Illinois-based systems, universities, hospitals, or established national partners).
Good Fit
- • Clear program alignment with youth/young adult mental health or suicide prevention.
- • Existing partnership or relationship with a university, hospital, or national organization the foundation already funds or cites.
- • Capacity to manage mid-size grants ($15k–$100k) and to report on outcomes.
- • A regional presence or established connections in Illinois or in networks the foundation's program staff move in.
Geography
The latest observed grants were paid to organizations in three states, but nearly 80% of dollars went to Illinois recipients, indicating a multi-state footprint that is nonetheless regionally concentrated.
Recipient Variety
In 2022 the foundation made five grants to five independent charities spanning education, health, arts and advocacy; that count shows a moderate spread of recipients for a newly active small foundation despite dollar concentration toward a few awards.
New Applicants
The website and application notes explicitly say unsolicited proposals are not accepted and grants are by request/preselection, so an unfamiliar applicant is unlikely to enter the portfolio; direct multi-year turnover cannot be tested from the single observed year.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
