Foundations that fund organizations in Charleston, Illinois
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for Charleston nonprofits
65 private foundations gave $1.3M to Charleston organizations in their latest filings; 28 of the 65 that say either way accept applications.
100 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to Charleston around $3,000. 39 of these funders are based in Illinois; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 65
- Accept applications
- 28
- of 65 that state a policy
- Dollars to Charleston
- $1.3M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 100
- Typical median grant
- $3,000
- Based in IL
- 60%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to Charleston organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Lumpkin Family Foundation C/O Adrienne N Cole | Mattoon, IL | 3 | $142K | $2,500 | Preselected only | Charitable; Education |
| Charleston Area Charitable Foundation | Charleston, IL | 9 | $134K | $10K | Yes | Community entertainment - eiu orchestras; Linder Sports Complex Development; Red white & blue days community celebration |
| W D Morgan | Dallas, TX | 4 | $105K | $26K | Preselected only | Foreign missions; Home missions of the; Unrestricted general |
| John Templeton Foundation | West Conshohocken, PA | 1 | $100K | $100K | Yes | Making meaning in a post-religious america |
| Levi Ray & Shoup Foundation | Springfield, IL | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | To help organization improve the education of those attendi… |
| Donald J Lindley Trust | Birmingham, AL | 1 | $72K | $72K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Justus Seaman Irrev Tua | Decatur, IL | 1 | $70K | $70K | Preselected only | Education |
| Irwin Family Foundation C/O Mr Robert W Lynch | Westchester, IL | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Scholarships |
| Wheeler Foundation | Rankin, IL | 1 | $45K | $45K | Yes | Scholarships |
| Gertrude a Barnett Foundation | Chicago, IL | 1 | $45K | $45K | Preselected only | General support |
| The Buchanan Family Foundation | Lake Forest, IL | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | General, operating, endowment or capital. |
| The Selma J Hartke Community Foundation | Eagan, MN | 1 | $29K | $29K | Preselected only | Scholarships |
| English Fenton Scholarship Trust | Chicago, IL | 5 | $26K | $5,264 | Preselected only | Scholarship |
| Willow Springs Charitable Trust Jenny B Stoddard Trustee | Mount Carroll, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General purpose |
| Clara Schlecht Tr Xxxxx0002 | Chicago, IL | 1 | $23K | $23K | Preselected only | General |
| Howell-Adams Family Foundation C/O Charles a Adams | Mattoon, IL | 5 | $22K | $4,200 | Preselected only | General operations; General obligations |
| R D Cundiff Scholarship Trust Dtd 10121 | East Peoria, IL | 1 | $19K | $19K | Preselected only | Scholarships |
| Elizabeth Cornelia Waggoner Trust FIRST Mid Wealth Management Trustee | Mattoon, IL | 1 | $19K | $19K | Yes | Provide scholarships to teachers in business education |
| Anna B Welch Memorial Trust FIRST Mid Wealth Management Trustee | Mattoon, IL | 7 | $16K | $2,340 | Yes | To further higher education |
| Leona Stanford Vollintine Charitable Trust | Taylorville, IL | 1 | $16K | $16K | Preselected only | Scholarship |
| Sexson Memorial Music Scholarship Fund | Mattoon, IL | 1 | $16K | $16K | Yes | Degree in music related field. |
| Paul G Rollinson Tuw-#2 | Dallas, TX | 1 | $16K | $16K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| The Speer Family Foundation | Port Orange, FL | 1 | $13K | $13K | Preselected only | Unrestricted gift |
| Katherine Bogardus Trust UW Heartland Bank & Trust Trustee | Normal, IL | 1 | $10K | $10K | Yes | Education at institution listed |
| Richard M Allen Charitable Trust U D 12-23-85 M B | Siesta Key, FL | 1 | $10K | $10K | Preselected only | Nc |
| FIRST Mid Bancshares Inc FIRST Mid Wealth Management | Mattoon, IL | 1 | $10K | $10K | Yes | Unrestricted gift |
| Juanita and Emil Spezia Charitable Trust | Champaign, IL | 1 | $8,827 | $8,827 | Preselected only | Scholarships |
| The Providence Foundation | Humboldt, IL | 2 | $8,500 | $4,250 | Yes | Donation to support care and rehoming of abandoned, lost, a…; Donation to support club activities |
| Harry Borns Trust | St Louis, MO | 1 | $7,200 | $7,200 | Preselected only | General operating |
| Counsellor Foundation Inc | Davis, CA | 1 | $7,000 | $7,000 | Preselected only | outreach |
| Mercedes L Hoag Charitable Trust FIRST Mid Wealth Mgmt Co Trustee | Mattoon, IL | 2 | $6,000 | $3,000 | Preselected only | Operating expenses |
| Enid R France Charitable Trust | Birmingham, AL | 1 | $6,000 | $6,000 | Preselected only | General operating |
| Virginia C Koboldt Charitable Trust | Cincinnati, OH | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Yes | Project/program support |
| Martha & Joseph Schrodt Family Foundation | Chicago, IL | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Preselected only | Education |
| The Presser Foundation | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | $3,000 | $3,000 | Yes | Undergraduate scholar awards |
| J Logan Gover Scholarship Fund FIRST Mid Wealth Management | Mattoon, IL | 1 | $3,000 | $3,000 | Preselected only | Higher education expenses |
| Brett Eldredge Family Foundation | Nashville, TN | 1 | $3,000 | $3,000 | Preselected only | Scholarships |
| Hansen-Furnas Foundation Inc | Batavia, IL | 1 | $2,800 | $2,800 | Yes | Scholarships |
| Wanda M Hart & Willis Edward Hart Memorial Scholarship Trust | Terre Haute, IN | 4 | $2,750 | $750 | Yes | Scholarship |
| Related Affordable Foundation Inc C/O the Related Companies Lp | New York, NY | 1 | $2,500 | $2,500 | Preselected only | Raf 2024 scholarship |
| Marquette Bank Education Foundation | Chicago, IL | 1 | $2,500 | $2,500 | Preselected only | Scholarships |
| Usg Foundation Inc | Chicago, IL | 1 | $2,500 | $2,500 | Yes | Educational Institutions and Related activites |
| The Nature Institute | Godfrey, IL | 1 | $2,500 | $2,500 | Preselected only | Scholarship |
| Paul a Funk Foundation C/O Striegel Knobloch & Co LLC | Bloomington, IL | 1 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Preselected only | Senior nutrition program |
| Harry E Griswold Scholarships Fund | Birmingham, AL | 1 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Yes | Scholarships |
| Virginia M Long Charitable Foundation | Godfrey, IL | 1 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Yes | Unrestricted |
| Elsie C Eberhardt Trust | East Peoria, IL | 1 | $1,500 | $1,500 | Yes | Educational |
| Jean Medaris Scholarship Fund Xxx-Xx-Xxxx | Evansville, IN | 1 | $1,300 | $1,300 | Preselected only | Scholarships |
| Penny Price Rinefort Memorial Trust Co Excellence in Education Foundation | Charleston, IL | 3 | $1,039 | $346 | Preselected only | Support of library services |
| Herrin Education Foundation | Herrin, IL | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Yes | Scholarship |
| Clemence S Lieber Foundation Inc | St Louis, MO | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | General |
| Walter E and Mary Lee Buntain Trus Longview Bank | Chrisman, IL | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Yes | Scholorship |
| The Sparks Foundation Trust Agreement C/O Ray a Sparks | Mattoon, IL | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | Operations |
| Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce Foundation | Joliet, IL | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | Scholarship for esme bryson student id e12738162 |
| John R Lucash Scholarship Trust | Birmingham, AL | 1 | $790 | $790 | Yes | General operating |
| Paul & Mary Collins Trust | Eagan, MN | 1 | $650 | $650 | Yes | Scholarships |
| Buttonwood Foundation Charitable Tr | Kansas City, MO | 1 | $400 | $400 | Preselected only | Charitable contribution |
| Ernest Wentcher Educational Fund | Chicago, IL | 1 | $380 | $380 | Yes | Education |
| Verizon Foundation | Basking Ridge, NJ | 2 | $297 | $148 | Preselected only | Other civic / community |
| John D Richardson Foundation | Phoenix, AZ | 1 | $250 | $250 | Preselected only | General |
| Glass Solutions Foundation | Itasca, IL | 1 | $200 | $200 | Yes | Charitable |
| Arthur Chapter #427 Order of Eastern Star of Il Charitable Trust | Monticello, IL | 1 | $177 | $177 | Yes | General Support |
| Texas Instruments Foundation | Dallas, TX | 1 | $150 | $150 | Yes | Donations to colleges, universities and other organizations… |
| Bunge Foundation | Chesterfield, MO | 1 | $100 | $100 | Yes | General support |
| Demakos Foundation | Amherst, NY | 1 | $50 | $50 | Yes | General purposes of recipient |
Source: IRS Form 990-PF Part XV, latest electronic return per foundation (2026-10-28). "Accepts applications" reflects the foundation's own checkbox on Part XV line 2. Grants to individuals excluded.
Common questions
Which foundations give to nonprofits in Charleston, Illinois?
The Lumpkin Family Foundation C/O Adrienne N Cole, Charleston Area Charitable Foundation, W D Morgan, John Templeton Foundation, Levi Ray & Shoup Foundation and 60 others reported grants to Charleston organizations on their latest Form 990-PF.
How do I approach a foundation that doesn't accept applications?
A foundation that checks "contributes only to preselected organizations" on its 990-PF won't review a cold proposal. Look at who it funds, find a shared board member, grantee or advisor, and ask for an introduction. Foundations that accept applications usually list a contact and deadlines in Part XV; we show that text on each foundation's page.
Is this list complete?
No. It covers private foundations (Form 990-PF filers) whose latest electronic return lists at least one grant to an organization in Charleston. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.