Foundations That Fund Education in Illinois
3,942 foundations reported 27,852 grants worth $1.6B to education organizations in Illinois on their most recent tax filings. Here is who they are — and which ones actually accept applications.
Repeat funding in education, Illinois
Across 1,099 funder-year observations in this group, a typical foundation funded 67% of the same organizations again the following year. That is the core reason historical giving data is useful: past grantees are the best available predictor of future ones. It also means a funder with no history in your cause rarely starts with you.
Foundations that fund education in Illinois and accept requests
These are the funders worth your time first: each one granted to this cause in this state, and none of them told the IRS it only funds organizations it picks itself. Ordered by how many grants they made — a foundation writing dozens of cheques is far more approachable than one writing two huge ones. Typical grant is the median, so you can judge whether you are their size.
| Foundation | Based in | Typical grant | Grants made | Granted here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Bank of America Charitable | Charlotte, NC | $500 | 621 | $2.5M |
| Arie and Ida Crown Memorial | Chicago, IL | $75K | 393 | $63.8M |
| Polk Bros Foundation Inc | Chicago, IL | $40K | 257 | $12.8M |
| Circle of Service Foundation | Chicago, IL | $43K | 234 | $20.0M |
| The Allstate Foundation | Northbrook, IL | $2K | 173 | $5.4M |
| Helen V Brach Foundation | Chicago, IL | $10K | 168 | $2.8M |
| John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation (consolidated) | Chicago, IL | $12K | 160 | $10.0M |
| Enterprise Holdings Foundation | Saint Louis, MO | $2K | 134 | $1.1M |
| Lloyd a Fry Foundation | Chicago, IL | $25K | 130 | $4.3M |
| The Joyce Foundation | Chicago, IL | $102K | 97 | $13.2M |
The largest funders — for reference
These give the most money to this cause in this state, but most do not accept unsolicited requests, and their grants are usually far larger than a small organization would seek. Useful context, not a target list.
| Foundation | Typical grant | Granted here | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zell Family Foundation | $225K | $72.2M | Preselected only |
| Arie and Ida Crown Memorial | $75K | $63.8M | Accepts requests |
| The Thomas and Stacey Siebel | $50.0M | $50.0M | Preselected only |
| Gates Foundation | $338K | $48.9M | Accepts requests |
| James S and Paula H Crown Family Foundat | $42.6M | $42.6M | Preselected only |
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Where the money actually goes in Illinois
Total granted to organizations in each city. Funding is usually far more concentrated than people expect, which matters when you are judging your own odds.
How to use this list
- Start with the foundations that accept requests. The rest almost never respond to unsolicited approaches.
- Check whether they fund organizations your size. The median grant here is $3K — a funder writing $3K checks is unlikely to write you a six-figure one.
- Look for a local connection. Foundations concentrate their giving geographically, and repeat the same grantees year after year.
- Read their recent grants before writing. Past giving tells you what they actually fund, which is often narrower than their stated mission.