Foundations that fund organizations in Highland Park, Illinois
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for Highland Park nonprofits
402 private foundations gave $33M to Highland Park organizations in their latest filings; 27 of the 100 that say either way accept applications.
638 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to Highland Park around $33K. 70 of these funders are based in Illinois; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 402
- Accept applications
- 27
- of 100 that state a policy
- Dollars to Highland Park
- $33M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 638
- Typical median grant
- $33K
- Based in IL
- 70%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to Highland Park organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Negaunee Foundation | Northbrook, IL | 4 | $6.3M | $45K | Preselected only | Restricted use; Unrestricted use; Unretricted ues |
| The Ezrah Charitable Trust | Charlotte, NC | 3 | $5.3M | $2.0M | Preselected only | General support to One Acre Fund's mission to supply and su…; Support for specific endeavors to underwrite One Acre Fund'…; Support for One Acre Fund's digital transformation |
| Hunter Family Foundation C/O Financial Investment Corp | Chicago, IL | 1 | $3.0M | $3.0M | Preselected only | Cso program sponsorship for maxine hunter/the hunter pavili… |
| Valhalla Foundation | Woodside, CA | 1 | $2.9M | $2.9M | Preselected only | Scaling international development programs |
| Edwardson Family Foundation | Boca Grande, FL | 2 | $1.5M | $745K | Preselected only | General operations |
| The Sheba Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 1 | $1.1M | $1.1M | Preselected only | Support the synagogue and its security |
| Dolores Kohl Education Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 10 | $1.0M | $31K | Preselected only | Charitable; The animal orchestra exhibit will use anthropomorphic anima…; Costs for recognizing a leader in the education field that… |
| Circle of Service Foundation | Chicago, IL | 11 | $826K | $25K | Yes | Match/discretionary; Community services; Education |
| Knight Impact Partners C/O Rlk Partners LLC | Lake Forest, IL | 1 | $750K | $750K | Preselected only | General support |
| Gates Foundation | Seattle, WA | 1 | $550K | $550K | Yes | Empower women and girls |
| Cf Industries Foundation | Northbrook, IL | 1 | $500K | $500K | Preselected only | Farmer led reforestation program. |
| Gitlab Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $500K | $500K | Preselected only | To support driving greater income growth: tech-enabled crop… |
| Jackson Kemper Foundation | Hawthorn Woods, IL | 1 | $500K | $500K | Preselected only | Grant to support rwanda & kenya |
| Eleven Eleven Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 3 | $425K | $10K | Preselected only | Unrestricted charitable gift |
| Miriam U and H Earl Hoover Foundation C/O Thomas Swaney | Chicago, IL | 1 | $360K | $360K | Preselected only | Unrestricted |
| Sall Family Foundation | Cary, NC | 1 | $300K | $300K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Donald L & Susan J Schwartz Foundation | Northbrook, IL | 2 | $263K | $132K | Preselected only | Charity |
| The Forsythe Family Foundation | Northfield, IL | 2 | $255K | $128K | Preselected only | General charitable |
| Sacks Family Foundation C/O Michael Sacks | Highland Park, IL | 6 | $251K | $10K | Preselected only | To further the exempt purpose of the organization |
| The Dancing Skies Foundation | Chicago, IL | 1 | $190K | $190K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| Butler Family Foundation | Lake Forest, IL | 1 | $160K | $160K | Yes | General charitable, religious, educational or scientific pu… |
| Lester & Edna Shapiro Family Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 1 | $151K | $151K | Preselected only | Religious, education, youth |
| Gill Foundation | Denver, CO | 1 | $150K | $150K | Yes | Project support for lgbtq issues |
| Craig J Umans Family Foundation | Winnetka, IL | 1 | $145K | $145K | Preselected only | General grant |
| Harold M & Adeline S Morrison Family Foundation | Chicago, IL | 2 | $135K | $68K | Preselected only | Rsmi gift to honor lois steans & maxine hunter; Ravinia's smi singer & outreach |
| Sedge Plitt Charitable Trust III C/O Loren Stone | Wilmette, IL | 1 | $125K | $125K | Preselected only | General funds |
| Sage Foundation | Brighton, MI | 1 | $120K | $120K | Yes | General, charitable, educational |
| Modestus Bauer Foundation | Chicago, IL | 12 | $115K | $9,000 | Preselected only | General charitable use |
| Sam I Am Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 2 | $100K | $50K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Wilson Sheehan Foundation | Springfield, OH | 1 | $100K | $100K | Yes | Advancing crop commercialization and market access for smal… |
| Hampshire Foundation Inc | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | Serve small scale farmers |
| Berkshire Foundation | Carmel, CA | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | To fund community services |
| Cushing Family Foundation C/O Robert T Napier Harrison Llp | Chicago, IL | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | General purposes |
| Latkin Family Foundation - Co D Canmann | Highland Park, IL | 1 | $83K | $83K | Preselected only | Genral charitable purposes |
| The Will and Jan Sukenik Family Foundation | Pepper Pike, OH | 1 | $75K | $75K | Preselected only | General purpose |
| Conrad N Hilton Foundation | Westlake Village, CA | 1 | $75K | $75K | Yes | To support the usaid/usg engagement strategy |
| The Simon Family Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 1 | $75K | $75K | Yes | To further the exempt purpose of the organization |
| FIRST Bank Chicago Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 28 | $69K | $1,375 | Yes | General operating support |
| Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund | Chicago, IL | 2 | $65K | $33K | Preselected only | General support |
| Kovler Family Foundation | Chicago, IL | 5 | $64K | $1,000 | Yes | Cultural & Civic-To aid in achieving the exempt purpose of…; General Welfare-To aid in achieving the exempt purpose of t…; Education-To aid in achieving the exempt purpose of the var… |
| Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation Inc | Sarasota, FL | 1 | $60K | $60K | Preselected only | Grant to sponsor summer concert, 2025 |
| Walter and Karla Goldschmidt Foundation | Glencoe, IL | 3 | $55K | $5,000 | Yes | Activities of the organization to which money was donated |
| Virginia Lee Shirley Private Foundation C/O Harrison Llp | Chicago, IL | 2 | $55K | $28K | Preselected only | General purposes |
| Leahy Family Foundation | Wilmette, IL | 2 | $55K | $28K | Preselected only | To further the exempt purpose of the organization; Development opportunities for people with special needs |
| Arie and Ida Crown Memorial | Chicago, IL | 2 | $50K | $25K | Yes | General operating |
| Paul Galvin Memorial Foundation Trust | Chicago, IL | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Public charity |
| The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Inc | Owings Mills, MD | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | To support aspiritech academy, a job-training program that… |
| Minow Family Foundation | Cambridge, MA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Unrestricted |
| Walder Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Immigrant and Refugee Legal Aid Services |
| Frankel Julius N Foundation | Chicago, IL | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Program support |
| Martin and Mary L Boyer Foundation C/O Louis S Harrison Harrison Llp | Chicago, IL | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General purposes |
| Schultz Family Private Foundation | Lake Bluff, IL | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | General fund |
| Lloyd a Fry Foundation | Chicago, IL | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | For support of the music discovery and sistema ravinia prog… |
| Samuel S and Dorothy R Haber Family Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| The Cynthia Elkins Foundation | Schererville, IN | 2 | $45K | $23K | Preselected only | General use |
| Zollie & Elaine Frank Fund Dba Mrs Zollie S Frank Fund | Highland Park, IL | 1 | $43K | $43K | Preselected only | General fundraising |
| Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANTS - SEE GENERAL EXPLAN… |
| The Bill Bass Foundation C/O Marc Schwartz Harrison & Held Llp | Chicago, IL | 4 | $40K | $8,750 | Preselected only | General funds |
| Gurtz Family Foundation C/O Gurtz Electric Company | Arlington Heights, IL | 3 | $38K | $7,500 | Preselected only | Exempt purpose operations |
| Mitchell P and Karen J Kopin Family Fdn | Delray, FL | 1 | $37K | $37K | Preselected only | To support religious programs |
| Foxman Family Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 1 | $36K | $36K | Yes | Donation |
| Madigan Family Foundation C/O Mjms Family Office Services LLC | Chicago, IL | 2 | $36K | $18K | Preselected only | Charitable purpose |
| Progress Charitable Foundation de | Dover, DE | 1 | $35K | $35K | Preselected only | General support |
| Cretors Family Foundation | Lake Bluff, IL | 2 | $35K | $18K | Preselected only | Support social services and educational needs; Providing education and community engagement through classi… |
| Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation | Houston, TX | 1 | $35K | $35K | Yes | Advancement of violin studies |
| Polk Bros Foundation Inc | Chicago, IL | 2 | $35K | $18K | Yes | Family |
| Susan Nicholas Fasciano Family Foundation Inc | Glenview, IL | 1 | $35K | $35K | Yes | General support |
| Leva Family Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 12 | $33K | $900 | Preselected only | Community support; Social support; Digestive disease research |
| Mason Foundation Inc | Chicago, IL | 1 | $31K | $31K | Preselected only | Annual fund; steans institute |
| Jbs Foundation | Bannockburn, IL | 5 | $31K | $7,000 | Preselected only | To further the goals of the charitable organization |
| The Ehlert Family Foundation | Palatine, IL | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | General support |
| Pritzker Military Foundation | Chicago, IL | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | General support |
| Takiff Family Foundation | Glencoe, IL | 2 | $30K | $15K | Yes | General Operating Support |
| Blane Foundation | West Chicago, IL | 3 | $30K | $5,000 | Preselected only | Program support |
| The Duchossois Family Foundation | Chicago, IL | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | Youth development program |
| Tremble Foundation | Grand Rapids, MI | 1 | $30K | $30K | Yes | Charitable |
| Vail Family Foundation | Chicago, IL | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | General operating fund, setting the stage |
| The Forest Fund Inc | Indianapolis, IN | 1 | $29K | $29K | Yes | Operations |
| Hochberg Family Foundation | Skokie, IL | 2 | $28K | $14K | Preselected only | To further the exempt purpose of the organization |
| Trillium Foundation | Chicago, IL | 6 | $28K | $5,000 | Preselected only | General operating purposes; General operating services; General operting purposes |
| Malvin and Ruth Kaufman Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 1 | $27K | $27K | Preselected only | General charitable purpose |
| Locust Family Foundation | Great Falls, VA | 1 | $26K | $26K | Yes | Capmpaign for camp for the blind |
| Friend Family Foundation | Chicago, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General fund |
| Smart Family Foundation of Illinois | Chicago, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Cultural, historical & other educational |
| Rice Foundation | Skokie, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| Irving & Roberta Lewis Charitable Foundation | Bannockburn, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | Charitable |
| Klaff Family Foundation C/O Rita Sawyer | Chicago, IL | 2 | $25K | $13K | Preselected only | General |
| Abra Prentice Foundation Inc | Chicago, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Earmarked for mindfulness-based social programs in chicago… |
| Walter Family Foundation Inc | Chicago, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Supplies smallholder farms with the financing and training… |
| The Ralph S Hoffman Foundation | Lake Bluff, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General purposes |
| Julian Grace Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Fred J Brunner Foundation | Bensenville, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | Empower individuals with autism |
| The Melkus Family Foundation | Nashville, TN | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity |
| Dr Scholl Foundation | Northbrook, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | Program for Piano and Strings |
| Quinn Emanuel Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| Abbvie Foundation | North Chicago, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Employee resource group grant - general mission support |
| William and Evelyn Fuchs Family Foundation | Lombard, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General |
| Brock and Kristen Lamarca Family Foundation | Ellison Bay, WI | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Counseling and professional care services for underprivileg… |
| Kathryn B McQuade Foundation | Pennington, NJ | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| Steve and Janice Hefter Family Foundation | Highland Park, IL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Charity |
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 Highland Park, Illinois?
The Negaunee Foundation, The Ezrah Charitable Trust, Hunter Family Foundation C/O Financial Investment Corp, Valhalla Foundation, Edwardson Family Foundation and 95 others reported grants to Highland Park 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 Highland Park. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.