Foundations that fund civil rights in Illinois
These 25 foundations made grants to civil rights in Illinois in the most recent IRS filing I have for each. None of them ticked the box for giving only to preselected organizations, and each filing gives application instructions or a website. That doesn't prove a foundation takes applications, and some on this list may not. The text below is copied from the filings, most of them for tax year 2024, so check a foundation's website or call before you apply.
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Woods Fund of Chicago
- $60,000 to Organized Communities Against Deportations, Chicago: General operating support
- $60,000 to Chicago United for Equity, Chicago: General operating support
- $60,000 to Chicago Community and Workers Rights, Chicago: General operating support
How to apply: See our website https://www.woodsfund.org/our-grants for forms and materials
Deadlines: Applications open for one month annually in february with grants announced in july.
Restrictions: Woods fund works primarily as a partner with nonprofit organizations to fight the brutality of poverty and structural racism in the chicago region. Grants are generally limited to nonprofit organizations that operate in the chicago...
Field Foundation of Illinois
- $50,000 to Invisible Institute, Chicago: Project - funding for a specific project or program
- $50,000 to Organized Communities Against Deportations, Chicago: Operating - funding for ongoing operations of the organization
- $50,000 to Chicago United for Equity, Chicago: Operating - funding for ongoing operations of the organization
How to apply: Https://www.grantinterface.com/home/logon?urlkey=fieldfoundation
Deadlines: Https://fieldfoundation.org/how-to-apply/submission-process/
Restrictions: Https://fieldfoundation.org/generalguidelines/
Polk Bros Foundation Inc
- $50,000 to Changing Worlds, Chicago: Arts Access and Learning
- $35,000 to Injustice Watch Nfp, Chicago: Strong Communities
- $30,000 to Chicago United for Equity, Chicago: Special Projects
How to apply: Application form available from foundation office and website
Deadlines: Continuous
Restrictions: Must be organization exempt under sec 501(c)(3)
The Joyce Foundation
- $250,000 to Chicago Votes, Chicago: Democracy
- $200,000 to Change Illinois, Chicago: Democracy
- $114,987 to Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Chicago: Democracy
How to apply: See attachment
Restrictions: See attachment
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- $500,000 to Action Center on Race and the Economy Institute, Chicago: 81708 general operating support for the action center on race and the economy institute,...
- $375,000 to Action Center on Race and the Economy Institute, Chicago: 82008 supporting the acre institute in its work to disrupt the u.s. Tax system to...
- $135,000 to Action Center on Race and the Economy Institute, Chicago: 81757 connecting rwjf financialization grantees with bargaining for the common good...
How to apply: Most of rwjf's grants are made through targeted grant programs and funding partnerships. Rwjf's funding priorities and calls for proposals are described on www.rwjf.org.
Deadlines: No deadlines, except when foundation issues a call for proposal (cfp) or request for proposal (rfp).
Restrictions: Rwjf is dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. We are a national philanthropy that advances transformative systems...
Baskin Family Foundation
- $75,000 to Restore Justice Foundation, Chicago: Criminal justice
- $75,000 to Restore Justice Foundation, Chicago: Criminal justice
- $5,000 to Restore Justice Foundation, Chicago: Criminal justice
How to apply: No particular form - all pertinent information
The Albert Pick Jr Fund
- $30,000 to Chicago United for Equity, Chicago: General & Unrestricted
- $25,000 to Restore Justice Foundation, Chicago: Advocacy Training Program
- $20,000 to Changing Worlds, Chicago: Engaging Low-Income CPS students with Changing World's adapt and flourish project
How to apply: Forms available on our website
Deadlines: See guidelines on our website
Restrictions: Limitations are detailed on our website-refer to our guidelines
Retirement Research Foundation Dba Rrf Foundation for Aging
- $75,000 to Injustice Watch Nfp, Chicago: A third-year grant to produce investigative journalism examining issues of equity and...
- $50,000 to Injustice Watch Nfp, Chicago: A two-year grant for continuation and expansion of injustice watch's reporting on issues...
How to apply: Our website www.rrf.org contains the form in which applications should be submitted along with eligibility criteria, exclusions and letters of inquiry with required inclusions. Web inquiries should be addressed to info@rrf.org. Application forms can be downloaded in word for...
Deadlines: February 1, may 1, and august 1
Restrictions: Our website www.rrf.org contains the eligibility requirements, restrictions or limitations for all major grant programs. The major grant programs are as follows: advocacy; direct service; professional education; research; organizational...
Terra Foundation for American Art
- $50,000 to Folded Map Project, Chicago: Art education
- $30,000 to Folded Map Project, Chicago: Art education
How to apply: Please consult our website "www.terraamericanart.org" for grant application details.
Deadlines: Various
Restrictions: Please consult our website "www.terraamericanart.org" for grant application details.
Frederick Henry Prince Testamentary Trust
- $50,000 to Chicago Votes, Chicago: general operating support (3 year grant 2022-2024 $50,000 per year)
- $7,000 to Blackroots Alliance, Chicago: for Ujimaa Medics Asthma Community Care
How to apply: Information and materials that should be submitted along with an application include: written proposals, irs letter of determination under section 509(a), current budget, audited financial statements, and descriptive literature. The application is available online at the...
Deadlines: Applications are received throughout the year. Deadlines usually are in jan, may and june.
Restrictions: * The Trusts do not fund projects that promote or proselytize any religion. While we do fund the projects of faith-based organizations, those projects must be secular in nature. * The Trusts do not fund organizations that discriminate on...
Lloyd A Fry Foundation
- $35,000 to Changing Worlds, Chicago: For in-school arts education programming in under-resourced chicago public schools
- $3,000 to Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Chicago: For general operating support
How to apply: Please visit: https://www.fryfoundation.org/how-to-apply/overview/
Deadlines: Please visit: https://www.fryfoundation.org/how-to-apply/deadlines/
Restrictions: Please visit: https://www.fryfoundation.org/how-to-apply/overview/
The Howard S Dubin Family Foundation
- $9,000 to Reform for Illinois, Chicago: General support
- $4,000 to Injustice Watch, Chicago: General Support
How to apply: Annual Report
George M Eisenberg Foundation for Charities
- $3,000 to Casa Lake County Inc, Vernon Hills: Social assistance
- $3,000 to Casa of Dupage County Inc, Wheaton: Social assistance
How to apply: No formal application form is required. Submit letter summarizing request and contaning legal name of organization along with following: irs determination letter summary of specified project or need history of organization intended use of funds list of members of the board of...
Deadlines: April 30th of each calendar year in order to be considered for funding for the next calendar year
Restrictions: Grants are only approved for 501c3 organizations
Commerce Bancshares Foundation
- $2,000 to Champaign County Casa Inc, Urbana: Used at the discretion of the board of directors or trustees as they see fit for...
- $1,500 to Casa of Southwestern Illinois, Belleville: Used at the discretion of the board of directors or trustees as they see fit for...
How to apply: Provide documentation re charitable status under irc 501 (c)(3)
Wk Kellogg Foundation
- $500,000 to National Korean American Service and Education Consortium Inc, Chicago: Promise of an Equitable Future
How to apply: See "how to apply" at www.wkkf.org/grantseekers/#how-to-apply
Deadlines: Proposals for grants may be submitted at any time through the website, www.wkkf.org
Restrictions: See "our priorities" (what we fund) on our website, www.wkkf.org/what-we-fund/
The Heinz Endowments
- $126,000 to Action Center on Race and the Economy Institute, Chicago: To support the coalition's efforts to track and publicize the influence of dark money and...
How to apply: You can determine your eligibility and submit your online application online at: https://www.heinz.org/grants.
Deadlines: February 15 - spring board meeting july 15 - fall board meeting
Restrictions: The heinz endowments concentrates its efforts and resources in southwestern pennsylvania. Given its primarily regional focus, the foundation is generally unable to consider applications for funding for projects outside the commonwealth of...
Arcus Foundation
- $100,000 to Byp100 Education Fund, Springfield: General operating support
How to apply: Statement 24
Deadlines: Statement 24
Restrictions: Statement 24
Walter and Karla Goldschmidt Foundation
- $60,000 to Injustice Watch, Chicago: Activities of the organization to which money was donated
How to apply: Written, no specific requirements
Wesley Luehring Foundation C/O Gary Crocus
- $55,000 to Casa of Dupage County, Wheaton: Program support
How to apply: Letter with copy of tax-exempt ruling, program description and budget figures.
Deadlines: There are no submission deadlines
Restrictions: Terms of foundation's documents
Visiting Nurse Association of Chicago (Aka) Vna Foundation
- $55,000 to Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Chicago: To provide education and training on health access to people who are medically...
How to apply: Grants must be submitted via the online grants management system. All grant requests must have measurable goals and objectives and serve the medically underserved.
Deadlines: Grants are disbursed four times a year. See website for submission deadlines.
Restrictions: Must be organization exempt from income tax under 501(c)(3) and designated as public charity under 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2).
Rockefeller Brothers Fund Inc
- $50,000 to Action Center on Race and the Economy Institute, Chicago: For general support
E Rhodes and Leona B Carpenter Foundation
- $50,000 to Reconciling Ministries Network, Chicago: To be applied in its discretion to 2025 general operating expenses and a database upgrade.
How to apply: See grant making guidelines as of 1/19/24 on website and prior to that date 6/21/19 available upon request.
Deadlines: January 31, july 15
Restrictions: See grant making guidelines as of 1/19/24 on website and prior to that date 6/21/19 available upon request.
The Henry Luce Foundation Inc
- $50,000 to Pride in the Pews, Chicago: Support for film development and events
How to apply: All inquiries and proposals must be submitted through our on-line portal.
Restrictions: SEE Supplemental Information
Peggy and Steve Fossett Foundation
- $40,000 to Casa Lake County, Vernon Hills: General purposegeneral operations
How to apply: Written
Landau Family Foundation
- $35,000 to Changing Worlds, Chicago: General support
How to apply: No formal form
Restrictions: No restrictions except applying organizations must be qualified 501(c)(3) organizations
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