The Otho S.A. Sprague Memorial Institute was incorporated in June 1910 to implement the bequest of one of Chicago’s leading businessmen. For nearly a century, it has stayed true to its founder’s intent, provided a cost-effective model of philanthropic management while at the same time exemplifying how focused, mid-sized foundations can make a difference. Mr. Sprague was active in a variety of civic initiatives, including the famed Burnham Plan of 1909 which melded concepts of the city beautiful movement with concerns for health, education and civil society into a template that is equally valid a century later. Because of his own health problems, Otho Sprague understood the need for better treatment, practitioner training and research. He recognized that not all existing healthcare and health education institutions were equal and set his philanthropy on a bold course to improve conditions. By creating one of the nation’s earliest foundations, he was a pioneer in re-distributing personal wealth, as well as a visionary investor in medical research and wellness promotion. The Institute’s early program of research focused on cancer, the effects of chemotherapy on tuberculosis, industrial diseases and the metabolism of carbohydrates affecting diabetes. Early researchers pioneered the use of insulin to control diabetes, performed lung surgeries to stem the effect of cigarettes on lung cancer, and studied environmental factors, like coal dust, for their impact on health. In 1913, mental diseases – specifically chemical treatments of dementia praecox (schizophrenia) and allied conditions were added to the research program. By 1915, The Institute supported a staff of 20. The scientific staff and their families were provided with benefits and pensions, in addition to challenging research opportunities. Institute records are full of publication titles, successful and failed research projects and anecdotes about the program. Among those highlighted from the early years were: Dr. Rollin T. Woodyatt became an international expert on diabetes and was actively involved in the trials of insulin. Maud Slye, an Institute researcher at the University of Chicago was hailed for her 38 years of work in breeding mice used in liver tumor and cancer research. She autopsied 150,000 mice during her career! Sprague Investigators, Dr. George and Gladys Dick began studying treatments for polio. During their effort, they discovered the cause of scarlet fever, a scourge of their time. Dr. Henry Helmholz became a renowned pediatrician and founded the Pediatric Section at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Evarts Graham was among the first to note the relationship of lung cancer to cigarettes. Dr. Henry Corper became the area’s foremost investigator of tuberculosis, a disease that he contracted, but continued to research. The self-perpetuating volunteer Board always has included the City’s health and civic leaders whose fiscal prudence and programmatic vision have maintained The Institute as a philanthropy attuned to current needs, while staying true to the founder’s intent ...investigation of the causes of disease and the prevention and relief of human suffering in the City of Chicago. With assets of approximately $26 million, the foundation makes grants of about $1.8 million annually. There is no office, only a post office box. There is no staff, only a part time consulting Executive Director. There is no check book - grants are paid directly from assets under management by two outside advisors. With low overhead, the foundation’s resources are applied to grantmaking initiatives. The pro-active grant program seeks to identify issues that are under funded and can benefit from interdisciplinary approaches. The Institute created the Chicago Asthma Initiative, a network of researchers, providers and patients to highlight the growing health problem, collect data, apply innovative solutions and share outcomes. Over a period of twelve years, it tracked problems and progress and trained and re-trained providers and empowered patients to better manage their disease.