The Irving Harris Foundation
Invitation OnlyChicago, Illinois · EIN 36-6055115 · Private foundation
Grants paid (2024)$22.1M
Organizations funded337
Typical grant$25,000
Total assets$150.2M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $3,500 and $70,000.
From the return
How to apply
On its return for tax year 2024 the foundation checked the box saying it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
51% of grants went outside Illinois.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stairway Fund | Chicago, IL | Endowment grant | $1,333,333 |
| Coydog Foundation | Mt Pleasant, SC | General operating support | $1,000,000 |
| Coydog Foundation | Mt Pleasant, SC | General operating support | $1,000,000 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | Durham, NC | General operating support | $1,000,000 |
| Goldman Sachs and Co LLC | New York, NY | General operating support | $1,000,000 |
| Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $1,000,000 |
| Mako Foundation | Chicago, IL | Endowment grant | $1,000,000 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | Durham, NC | General operating support | $750,000 |
| Harris Theater for Music and Dance | Chicago, IL | Harris theater mainstage presents sponsorship | $500,000 |
| The Barack Obama Foundation | Chicago, IL | 5-Year grant for capital campaign support | $400,000 |
| University of Chicago - Harris School of Public Policy Studies | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $400,000 |
| University of Chicago - Arts Public Life | Chicago, IL | Arts + public life for the arts lawn | $333,333 |
| Start Early | Chicago, IL | General operating support and illinois policy team work | $300,000 |
| Healthconnect One | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $250,000 |
| Third Sector New England Inc (Tsne) | Amherst, MA | Early childhood funders collaborative | $250,000 |
| The Regents of the University of California - Ctrp - Pdn | San Francisco, CA | Child trauma research program | $205,000 |
| Alliance for Early Success | Washington, DC | General operating support | $200,000 |
| American Friends of the Hebrew University Inc | New York, NY | National center for innovation in childrens resilience, trauma and mental health | $200,000 |
| Juilliard School | New York, NY | The juilliard capital campaign | $200,000 |
| Third Sector New England Inc (Tsne) | Boston, MA | General operating support and build initiative | $200,000 |
| Zero to Three Nat'l Ctr for Infants Toddlers & Families | Washington, DC | Leadership development institute | $200,000 |
| Start Early - First Five Years Fund | Washington, DC | General operating support | $150,000 |
| University of Minnesota Foundation - Pdn | Minneapolis, MN | Harris programs at the institute of child development | $130,000 |
| Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund - Pdn | New Orleans, LA | Institute of infant & early childhood mental health | $125,000 |
| Boston Medical Center Corporation - Pdn | Boston, MA | Training programs of the dept of pediatrics & div of dev & behavioral pediatrics | $125,000 |
| Erikson Institute | Chicago, IL | General operating support for the policy & leadership department | $125,000 |
| American Friends of Bar-Ilan University | New York, NY | The harris program at bar-ilan university | $117,000 |
| The Century Foundation Inc | New York, NY | General operating | $115,000 |
| American Friends of the Hebrew University Inc | New York, NY | Infant and early childhood mental health advanced degree at afhu's paul baerwald school | $107,000 |
| Childrens Hospital & Research Center at Oakland Dba Ucsf Benioff Childrens | San Francisco, CA | Irving B. harris infant mental health training program | $105,000 |
| Florida State University Foundation Inc - Pdn | Tallahassee, FL | Harris institute for infant mental health | $105,000 |
| Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services | New York, NY | Jbfcs early childhood programs | $105,000 |
| Lsu Health Foundation New Orleans - Pdn | New Orleans, LA | Harris center for infant mental health | $105,000 |
| Southwest Human Development | Phoenix, AZ | Harris institute | $105,000 |
| University of Colorado Foundation Inc - Pdn | Denver, CO | Irving harris program in child development and infant mental health | $105,000 |
| All Above All | Washington, DC | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation | Washington, DC | General operating support and specifically for the partnership fund | $100,000 |
| Arizona State University Foundation | Tempe, AZ | General operating support and the children's equity project | $100,000 |
| Chicago Abortion Fund | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Chicago Abortion Fund | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Chicago Abortion Fund | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Community Change | Washington, DC | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Erikson Institute | Chicago, IL | Harris excellence scholarships | $100,000 |
| Everthrive | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Family Values at Work - a Multi-State Consortium | Milwaukee, WI | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Fathers Families and Healthy Communities | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Groundswell Fund | San Francisco, CA | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Indigo Cultural Center | Phoenix, AZ | General operating support | $100,000 |
| LA Cocina Inc | Fort Collins, CO | General operating support | $100,000 |
| National Black Child Development Institute | Silver Spring, MD | General operating support | $100,000 |
| National Center for Youth Law | Oakland, CA | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Neo Philanthropy | New York, NY | General operating support for civitas public affairs | $100,000 |
| Proteus Fund Inc | New York City, NY | Rights, faith and democracy collaborative | $100,000 |
| Reproductive Freedom for All Foundation | Washington, DC | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Third Sector New England Inc (Tsne) | Amherst, MA | Raising child care fund | $100,000 |
| Black Mamas Matter Alliance | Atlanta, GA | General operating support | $95,000 |
| National Network of Abortion Funds | Beaverton, OR | General operating support | $90,000 |
| Urge - Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equality | Washington, DC | General operating support | $90,000 |
| National Women's Law Center | Washington, DC | General operating support | $80,000 |
| University of Chicago - Department of Biological Sciences | Chicago, IL | General operating support | $79,000 |
Showing the 60 largest of 337 grants to organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $22,113,372 | 337 |
| 2023 | $13,552,337 | 310 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Nov 10, 2025 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202533139349100213
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 36-6055115
- Profile updated Nov 4, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.