Arts & Culture grants for nonprofits in Illinois
1,462 private foundations reported 5,188 arts & culture grants to organizations in Illinois on IRS 990-PF returns for tax year 2022 or later, $258.8M in all. 808 of them are based in Illinois.
Foundations1,462
Grants on record5,188
Total granted$258.8M
Their typical grant$5,000
Foundations that fund arts & culture in Illinois
20 of the 1,462: profiles in our foundation directory first, then by the number of arts & culture grants to Illinois organizations on their latest return. Each shows its largest such grants.
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Amazonsmile Foundation
Seattle, WA · latest return: tax year 2023- Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, Chicago - General support$2,666
- Chicago Public Media Inc, Chicago - General support$2,158
- Phantom Regiment Inc, Rockford - General support$1,598
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Gave $7.1M in 2024
Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Chicago Community Foundation, Chicago - Arts work fund for organizational development$120,000
- University of Chicago Bmr, Chicago - The center for the arts at usc beaufort$106,000
- Chicago Cultural Alliance, Chicago - Filipino american historical society of chicago$52,500
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Gave $10.8M in 2024
Field Foundation of Illinois Inc
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Alt Space Chicago, Chicago - Operating - funding for ongoing operations of the organization$100,000
- True Star Foundation, Chicago - Operating - funding for ongoing operations of the organization$100,000
- Enrich Chicago, Chicago - Operating - funding for ongoing operations of the organization$100,000
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Gave $19.3M in 2024
Polk Bros Foundation Inc
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Navy Pier Inc, Chicago - Arts Access and Learning$250,000
- Window to the World Communications, Chicago - Special Projects$200,000
- Ingenuity Incorporated Chicago, Chicago - Arts Access and Learning$120,000
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Gave $9.3M in 2024
Lloyd a Fry Foundation
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- The Barack Obama Foundation, Chicago - For support of the obama presidential center$250,000
- Ingenuity Incorporated Chicago, Chicago - For data, research, and professional learning initiatives$100,000
- Uniting Voices, Chicago - For general operating support for chicago music instruction programs$65,000
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John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Institute, Summit - In support of general operations$4,000,000
- The Field Foundation of Illinois Inc, Chicago - In support of "A road together (art), an initiative of the field foundation supported by the macarthur…$2,750,000
- Latinos Progresando, Chicago - In support of the excellerator fund$500,000
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Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
New York, NY · latest return: tax year 2025- Trinity Datta Yoga Center, Carpentersvle - Matching contribution (general operating support)$23,700
- Chicago Theatre Group Inc, Chicago - Matching contribution (general operating support)$10,000
- Chicago Public Media Inc, Chicago - Matching contribution (general operating support)$9,191
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Gave $115.2M in 2024
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Chicago Public Media, Chicago - General operating;capital$500,000
- Ingenuity Incorporated Chicago, Chicago - General operating$500,000
- Chicago Children's Museum, Chicago - Program$200,000
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Gave $52.2M in 2024
The Joyce Foundation
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Chicago Public Media Inc, Chicago - Journalism$300,000
- University of Chicago - Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, Chicago - Culture$170,000
- Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago - Culture$125,000
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Builders Vision Foundation
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Public Media Institute, Chicago - to support an artist-run spaces program in the Midwest$560,000
- United States Artists Inc, Chicago - to support a fellowship program and national convening for artists$400,000
- Illinois Arts Alliance DBA Arts Alliance Illinois, Chicago - to support a project focused on continued revitalization efforts for the arts and culture sector in Illinois$300,000
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Gave $15.4M in 2024
Terra Foundation for American Art
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Floating Museum, Chicago - Arts education$285,000
- University of Chicago, Chicago - Arts education$200,000
- Rebuild Foundation, Chicago - Arts education$125,000
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Gave $37M in 2024
Circle of Service Foundation
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Latinos Progresando, Chicago - Community services$187,500
- Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois Inc, Skokie - Jewish community$75,000
- Chicago Public Media Inc, Chicago - Community services$50,000
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The Irving Harris Foundation
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Chicago - Harris theater mainstage presents sponsorship$500,000
- The Barack Obama Foundation, Chicago - 5-Year grant for capital campaign support$400,000
- University of Chicago - Arts Public Life, Chicago - Arts + public life for the arts lawn$333,333
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Gave $8.9M in 2024
Dr Scholl Foundation
Northbrook, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Chicago Public Media, Chicago - Local reporting and community engagement programs$30,000
- Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago - Museum's education programs$30,000
- Ravinia Festival Association, Highland Park - Program for Piano and Strings$25,000
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Gave $42M in 2024
The Shubert Foundation Inc
New York, NY · latest return: tax year 2024- Chicago Theatre Group Inc, Chicago - General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$350,000
- Steppenwolf Theater Co, Chicago - General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$300,000
- Northlight Theatre Inc, Skokie - General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$200,000
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Reva and David Logan Foundation
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Eta Creative Arts Foundation, Chicago - Fresh produce, winter wear$154,618
- Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting, Champaign - General operating support$150,000
- The People's Music School, Chicago - General operating support$125,000
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Walder Family Foundation
Wilmington, DE · latest return: tax year 2024- Iff, Chicago - America's Cultural Treasures Chicago$250,000
- Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago - Magnifying Conservation Impact and Biodiversity Understanding in the Guiana Shield$229,127
- Steppenwolf Theatre Co, Chicago - Steppenwolf's LookOut Series$150,000
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Edward Jones Foundation
St Louis, MO · latest return: tax year 2024- Adler Planetarium, Chicago - Museums$10,000
- Town of Normal Childrens Discovery Museum Foundation, Normal - Arts, culture and humanities$1,000
- Without Limits Dance Company NFP, Troy - Arts, culture and humanities$1,000
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Gave $555M in 2024
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
New York, NY · latest return: tax year 2024- The Center for Economic Research and Social Change Inc, Chicago - To continue support for the writing freedom fellowship$2,864,500
- The Historymakers, Chicago - To support general operations$2,000,000
- The Heritage Management Organization Inc, Chicago - To support organizational capacity, training, and a regranting program for cultural heritage projects in…$1,750,000
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Gave $844.7M in 2024
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY · latest return: tax year 2024- United States Artists Inc, Chicago - General support$2,000,000
- Iff, Chicago - Core support for the chicagos cultural treasures initiative to support local arts and cultural activities$1,000,000
- United States Artists Inc, Chicago - Core support for disability futures, a fellowship initiative to spotlight the work of disabled creatives…$800,000
Search more arts & culture funders giving in Illinois →
Organizations several of these foundations fund
Illinois organizations that received arts & culture grants from two or more of the foundations above, on the same returns.
| Organization | Funders | Grants total |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Public Media Inc Chicago | 14 | $2,024,449 |
| National Museum of Mexican Art Chicago | 12 | $1,020,753 |
| Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago | 11 | $505,340 |
| Window to the World Communications Inc Chicago | 10 | $501,058 |
| Chicago Shakespeare Theater Chicago | 10 | $411,349 |
| Black Ensemble Theater Chicago | 10 | $249,273 |
| The Barack Obama Foundation Chicago | 9 | $2,803,615 |
| Deeply Rooted Productions Inc Chicago | 9 | $1,206,026 |
| Hyde Park Art Center Chicago | 9 | $672,602 |
| National Public Housing Museum Chicago | 9 | $512,767 |
How to use this list
A foundation is listed because its own latest tax return itemizes grants to organizations in Illinois that we classify as arts & culture, by the purpose the foundation wrote or by the recipient's IRS activity code. Their typical grant is the middle of the funders' own typical grants across everything they fund. Start with funders whose typical grant is close to what you need and whose past recipients look like your organization, then open the profile for all of its grants and any application instructions.
Of these 1,462 foundations, 391 describe how to apply on their latest return; many others give only to organizations they already know. A badge such as Gave $1.2M in 2024 repeats what the latest return reports; it does not mean the foundation is accepting proposals now.
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.