The Robert Thomas Bobins Foundation
Invitation OnlyChicago, Illinois · EIN 26-1569990 · Private foundation
Grants paid (2025)$505K
Organizations funded79
Typical grant$1,000
Total assets$4.9M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $1,000 and $5,000.
From the return
How to apply
On its return for tax year 2025 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
18% of grants went outside Illinois.
Grants paid in tax year 2025
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erikson Institute | Chicago, IL | General support | $75,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago | Chicago, IL | General support | $60,200 |
| University of Chicago (University of Chicago Booth School of Business) | Chicago, IL | General support | $35,000 |
| Field Museum of Natural History | Chicago, IL | General support | $27,500 |
| Window to the World Communications | Chicago, IL | General support | $27,500 |
| Anti-Defamation League | Chicago, IL | General support | $25,000 |
| Brain Research Foundation | Chicago, IL | General support | $25,000 |
| Navy Pier Inc | Chicago, IL | General support | $25,000 |
| Anshe Emet Synagogue | Chicago, IL | General support | $23,750 |
| Kollel Torah Mitzion Inc (Dba - Yu Torah Mitzion Kollel) | Skokie, IL | General support | $20,000 |
| Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center | Skokie, IL | General support | $17,500 |
| United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | Highland Park, IL | General support | $15,000 |
| American Friends of the Louvre Inc | New York, NY | General support | $10,000 |
| Catholic Churchc Extension Society of USA | Chicago, IL | General support | $10,000 |
| Depaul University | Chicago, IL | General support | $10,000 |
| Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University | Chicago, IL | General support | $7,500 |
| Chicago Council on Global Affairs | Chicago, IL | General support | $7,500 |
| Archives of American Art - Smithinsonian Institute | Washington, DC | General support | $5,000 |
| Friends of Elnet | Skokie, IL | General support | $5,000 |
| Old St Partick's Church | Chicago, IL | General support | $5,000 |
| Red Sweater Project | Lake Oswego, OR | General support | $5,000 |
| American Writers Museum | Chicago, IL | General support | $2,500 |
| Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL | General support | $2,500 |
| Chi Arts Foundation | Chicago, IL | General support | $2,500 |
| Erie Family Health Foundation | Chicago, IL | General support | $2,500 |
| Lincoln Park Zoological Society | Chicago, IL | General support | $2,500 |
| Music Institute of Chicago | Evanston, IL | General support | $2,500 |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation | Chicago, IL | General support | $2,500 |
| Teach for America | Boston, MA | General support | $2,500 |
| The Antiquirian Society | Kenilworth, IL | General support | $1,775 |
| Breakthrough T1d | Hagerstown, MD | General support | $1,700 |
| Chicago Cultural Alliance | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,500 |
| Friends of the Children Chicago | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,500 |
| Keshet | Northbrook, IL | General support | $1,500 |
| 626 Landmark Foundation | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Advance Illinois | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee | New York, NY | General support | $1,000 |
| American National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Ausl (Academy for Urban School Leadership) | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Better Government Association | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Build | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Chicago Historical Society | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Chicago Humanities Festival | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Civic Consulting Alliance | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Civic Federation | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| College Possible Inc | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Colonel Il James N Pritzker Library for the Citizen Soldier | Kenosha, WI | General support | $1,000 |
| Council for Jewish Elderly (Dba - Cje Senior Life) | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Enchanted Backpack | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Goldie B Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate Initiative | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Hillel Foundation University of Wisconsin Inc | Madison, WI | General support | $1,000 |
| Israel Cancer Research Fund | New York, NY | General support | $1,000 |
| Jesse White Foundation | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Jewish Child and Family Services (Dba - Jcfs Chicago) | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Kids First Chicago for Education | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Lincoln Academy of Illinois | Champaign, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Lynn Stage Breast Cancer Foundation | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Lyric Opera of Chicago | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
| Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation | Alexandria, VA | General support | $1,000 |
| Mercy Home for Boys & Girls | Chicago, IL | General support | $1,000 |
Showing the 60 largest of 79 grants to organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $504,525 | 80 |
| 2024 | $534,800 | 83 |
| 2023 | $645,610 | 98 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2025, filed Aug 13, 2026 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202622259349100112
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 26-1569990
- Profile updated Nov 5, 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.