The Baustert Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on education—particularly higher-education institutions and scholarships in the Midwest—while also supporting health and medical relief organizations, including pediatric and international surgical charities. Most grants are directed to a small set of regional institutions (with a notable religious/faith-affiliated education thread), plus selective gifts to medical relief and local food-security nonprofits.
A single $10,000,000 general-support grant to NIU Foundation stands out in the recent record for Baustert Family Foundation % March E Wiseley US Bank Ep-mn-s14. That gift sits alongside a pattern of sizeable support for colleges, schools, food-security groups, and health-focused charities, suggesting a funder that uses both major institutional grants and repeated mid-sized awards. In 2025, the foundation also gave $200,000 to St John's Preparatory School and $150,000 to Food for Greater Elgin, showing continued attention to education and basic needs. The foundation’s education giving is especially visible in higher education and faith-affiliated schooling. It supported St John's University with a named scholarship grant and has backed St John's Preparatory School in multiple years. Outside education, the foundation has made general-support grants to pediatric care, surgical charity, public media, and food-bank organizations. The mix is broad, but the recurring thread is institutional support rather than individual aid, with awards routed to established nonprofits across the Midwest and beyond.
Education is a central theme. The foundation gave $200,000 to St John's Preparatory School for general support, and it awarded $150,000 to St John's University for the Baustert Scholarship. A larger education-related commitment also appears in the $10,000,000 grant to NIU Foundation for general support. Basic needs and food access are another visible area. It granted $150,000 to Food for Greater Elgin for general support, after a $125,000 award to the same organization in 2024. The foundation also supported Northern Illinois Food Bank and Greater Chicago Food Depository with $50,000 grants. Health and medical relief appear as a third strand. It gave $100,000 to Lurie Children's Foundation for general support and $100,000 to Mercy Ships for general support. In global surgical care, Smile Train received a $100,000 grant to support the education of third-world-country doctors to provide free cleft repair surgery.
Typical grants cluster at $25,000 to $50,000, with a median grant size of $25,000 and a 75th percentile of $50,000. The distribution is shaped by a few much larger awards, including the $10,000,000 grant to NIU Foundation. Recipients recur across years: Food for Greater Elgin, St John's Preparatory School, Smile Train, Season for Sharing, Northern Illinois Food Bank, Greater Chicago Food Depository, and Twin Cities-based organizations appear more than once. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments, indicating a conventional grantmaking structure centered on institutional gifts.
$27.7M
$162.4M
$104.2M
$29.3M
Most grants fall between $25K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 29% of grants go to recipients in IL.
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Highly concentrated giving: one very large transformational gift dominates the portfolio, complemented by several mid-size gifts to repeat regional grantees and mission-focused health charities. Mix of multi-year/major endowment-style commitment plus targeted gifts to both recurring and one-off beneficiaries.
Notable grantees: NIU Foundation, St. John’s University (Baustert Scholarship), Food for Greater Elgin, Smile Train, Mercy Ships
Grant recipients are entirely in the United States. Minnesota appears frequently, including St Paul, Collegeville, Brooklyn Park, and Roseville, while Illinois is also prominent with DeKalb, Elgin, Chicago, and Geneva. Arizona recipients appear in Phoenix through Season for Sharing. Additional grants went to Washington, DC; Texas; New York; Florida; and Missouri. By count, Minnesota is the top state for giving, and 26% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state.
Its recent grants emphasize education, food security, and health-related nonprofits. Examples include a $10,000,000 general-support grant to NIU Foundation, $200,000 to St John's Preparatory School, and grants to food banks, pediatric health organizations, and surgical charities.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. That pattern sits alongside a few much larger awards, including a $10,000,000 grant in 2025.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Food for Greater Elgin, St John's Preparatory School, Smile Train, Season for Sharing, Northern Illinois Food Bank, Greater Chicago Food Depository, and Twin Cities-area organizations.
Most grants go to recipients in Minnesota, which is the top state by grant count. The recent list also shows a strong Illinois presence, plus recipients in Arizona, Washington, DC, Texas, New York, Florida, Missouri, and all grants in the file are U.S.-based.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $15,155,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | DEKALB, IL | $10,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST JOHN'S PREPARATORY SCHOOL | COLLEGEVILLE, MN | $750,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOOD FOR GREATER ELGIN INC | ELGIN, IL | $150,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY | CHICAGO, IL | $150,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND | BROOKLYN PARK, MN | $150,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK | GENEVA, IL | $150,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELGIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | ELGIN, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MERCY SHIPS | GARDEN VALLEY, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ANN & ROBERT H LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SMILE TRAIN INC | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE EDUCATION OF THIRD WORLD COUNTRY DOCTORS TO PROVIDE FREE CLEFT REPAIR SURGERY |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE | CINCINNATI, OH | $70,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO | ST PAUL, MN | $62,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION INC | ST PAUL, MN | $62,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WINDOW TO THE WORLD COMMUNICATIONS INC | CHICAGO, IL | $62,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHICAGO PUBLIC MEDIA | CHICAGO, IL | $62,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARIZONA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | PHOENIX, AZ | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE & RELATED DISORDERSASSOCIATION INC DBA ALZHEIMER'S ASSO | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COVENANT HOUSE ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EVOLVE ADOPTION & FAMILY SERVICES | STILLWATER, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEXUS FAMILY HEALING | PLYMOUTH, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ONE TREE PLANTED | SHELBURNE, VT | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SALVATION ARMY NORTHERN DIVISION | ROSEVILLE, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE POOR |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF NOTHERN FOX VALLEY | ELGIN, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE BUILDING AND REPAIR OF HOMES FOR THOSE IN NEED OF A PLACE TO LIVE |
| SALVATION ARMY SOUTHWEST DIVISION | PHOENIX, AZ | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE POOR |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN | TAMPA, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT CHILDRENS HEALTH CARE |
| BARRINGTON AREA COUNCIL ON AGING INC | BARRINGTON, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD NORTHERN CENTRAL STATES FOUNDATION | ST PAUL, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER OF MINNESOTA | ROSEVILLE, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE REHABILITATION OF INJURED, SICK, AND ORPHANED ANIMALS |
| TWIN CITIES HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INC | ST PAUL, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE BUILDING AND REPAIR OF HOMES FOR THOSE IN NEED OF A PLACE TO LIVE |
| NIU FOUNDATION | DEKALB, IL | $10,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST JOHN'S PREPARATORY SCHOOL | COLLEGEVILLE, MN | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOOD FOR GREATER ELGIN | ELGIN, IL | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LURIE CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MERCY SHIPS | LINDALE, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SMILE TRAIN INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE EDUCATION OF THIRD WORLD COUNTRY DOCTORS TO PROVIDE FREE CLEFT REPAIR SURGERY |
| CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELGIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | ELGIN, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO | ST PAUL, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SEASON FOR SHARING | PHOENIX, AZ | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED IN THE ARIZONA COMMUNITY |
| SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND | BROOKLYN PARK, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WTTW CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION | ST PAUL, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WBEZ CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK | GENEVA, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TWIN CITIES HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | ST PAUL, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE BUILDING AND REPAIR OF HOMES FOR THOSE IN NEED OF A PLACE TO LIVE |
| SALVATION ARMY SOUTHWEST DIVISION | PHOENIX, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE POOR |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
ST JOHN'S PREPARATORY SCHOOL
$750,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MERCY SHIPS
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SUPPORT THE EDUCATION OF THIRD WORLD COUNTRY DOCTORS TO PROVIDE FREE CLEFT REPAIR SURGERY
WINDOW TO THE WORLD COMMUNICATIONS INC
$62,500GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
EVOLVE ADOPTION & FAMILY SERVICES
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SALVATION ARMY NORTHERN DIVISION
$25,000SUPPORT THE POOR
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF NOTHERN FOX VALLEY
$25,000SUPPORT THE BUILDING AND REPAIR OF HOMES FOR THOSE IN NEED OF A PLACE TO LIVE
SALVATION ARMY SOUTHWEST DIVISION
$25,000SUPPORT THE POOR
BARRINGTON AREA COUNCIL ON AGING INC
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PLANNED PARENTHOOD NORTHERN CENTRAL STATES FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER OF MINNESOTA
$25,000SUPPORT THE REHABILITATION OF INJURED, SICK, AND ORPHANED ANIMALS
SUPPORT THE BUILDING AND REPAIR OF HOMES FOR THOSE IN NEED OF A PLACE TO LIVE
NIU FOUNDATION
$10,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST JOHN'S PREPARATORY SCHOOL
$200,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LURIE CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MERCY SHIPS
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SMILE TRAIN INC
$100,000SUPPORT THE EDUCATION OF THIRD WORLD COUNTRY DOCTORS TO PROVIDE FREE CLEFT REPAIR SURGERY
CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SEASON FOR SHARING
$50,000SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED IN THE ARIZONA COMMUNITY
WTTW CHICAGO
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WBEZ CHICAGO
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SUPPORT THE BUILDING AND REPAIR OF HOMES FOR THOSE IN NEED OF A PLACE TO LIVE
SALVATION ARMY SOUTHWEST DIVISION
$25,000SUPPORT THE POOR