The Bruce Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on higher education, directing all recorded grants to Hillsdale College. Its giving appears targeted and institutional — supporting a single college through multiple sizeable awards rather than a diversified portfolio. This indicates a focused interest in sustaining or advancing the programs and mission of that specific institution.
Bruce Foundation’s recorded giving is built around a single institutional relationship: Hillsdale College. The largest recent award in the data is $500,000 in 2025 to that college, following $380,000 in 2024 and $150,000 in 2023. That three-year pattern points to sustained support rather than occasional programmatic giving, and it is the clearest marker of how the foundation operates. Beyond that core commitment, the foundation has also funded a small set of Illinois-based organizations in fields such as housing, health, social services, and education. Recent examples include $100,000 to Beverly Farm in Godfrey, Illinois, and $70,000 to Chicago Furniture Bank in Chicago. Those awards show that while the foundation’s center of gravity is higher education, its broader portfolio extends to local institutions serving people with disabilities, basic-needs providers, and community organizations. The foundation’s overall scale is substantial, with annual grants of $3.734 million and assets of $23.44 million on the latest filing year on file.
Higher education is the clearest cause area in Bruce Foundation’s record, anchored by repeated support for Hillsdale College. In 2025 it gave the college $500,000, and earlier awards of $380,000 in 2024 and $150,000 in 2023 show continuity over time. Outside that central relationship, the foundation’s giving touches several distinct service areas. For housing and basic-needs support, it granted $40,000 to Renaissance Social Services for ending homelessness and $40,000 to Nourishing Hope in Chicago. In health-related work, it made a $50,000 grant to Ability Lab and a $40,000 grant to Cambridge Reproductive Health Map Project for telemedicine care. The foundation also supported environmental and civic work, including $50,000 to Grand Canyon Trust for safeguarding the Grand Canyon and $35,000 to Environmental Voter Project.
Bruce Foundation’s typical grant size sits at $12,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $22,500 at the 75th percentile. The recent-grants record shows a clear repeat-funding pattern rather than one-off awards: Hillsdale College appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and several other recipients recur across multiple years as well. The foundation is not a donor-advised fund or program-related investment vehicle; it is a private foundation filing a standard grantmaking pattern. Its giving is also concentrated in Illinois, which receives the largest share of grants by count.
$2.1M
$22M
$846K
$2.2M
Most grants fall between $12K and $23K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$12K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$23K
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Highly concentrated: all funds to one grantee (Hillsdale College) via two large grants; repeat support rather than broad or small-dollar giving.
Notable grantees: Hillsdale College
Bruce Foundation gives nationally, but its grants are concentrated in Illinois, which accounts for 38% of grants by recipient location and is also the top state by count. Chicago appears repeatedly in the recent-grants list, with awards to Chicago Furniture Bank, Ability Lab, Girl Scouts of Chicago, Fcacc, Revive Center, Renaissance Social Services, and Nourishing Hope. Outside Illinois, recent grants also went to Hillsdale, Michigan; Juno Beach, Florida; Tempe, Arizona; and Boston, Massachusetts. All recorded grants in the dataset go to U.S. recipients.
The strongest pattern in the data is higher education, centered on Hillsdale College. That college received $500,000 in 2025, $380,000 in 2024, and $150,000 in 2023, making it the foundation’s clearest ongoing relationship.
The grant-size distribution is relatively compact: the 25th percentile is $12,000, the median is $15,000, and the 75th percentile is $22,500. Recent awards include a few much larger institutional grants, but most of the portfolio sits in that lower range.
Yes. The recent-grants record shows repeated support for Hillsdale College across 2023, 2024, and 2025. Other organizations also appear in multiple years, indicating a pattern of recurring relationships rather than isolated awards.
Illinois is the top recipient state by grant count, and 38% of grants go to recipients in Illinois. Chicago appears frequently in the recent-grants list, alongside other Illinois cities such as Godfrey, Northbrook, Barrington, and Des Plaines.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE HILLSDALE COLLEGE | HILLSDALE, MI | $400,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS | TEMPE, AZ | $100,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| BEVERLY FARM BEVERLY FARM | GODFREY, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL |
| CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK | CHICAGO, IL | $70,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| AFRICAN AMERICAN MUS OF SO AZ | TUCSON, AZ | $60,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT AFR. AMERICAN CULTURE |
| FCACC FCACC | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $50,000 | 2026 | INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CARE |
| ED BRUNE MEM SCHOLARSHIP FUND | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $50,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE TENNIS SCHOLARSHIPS |
| MARINE LIFE CTR JUNO BEACH MARINE LIFE CTR JUNO BEACH | JUNO BEACH, FL | $50,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL |
| GRAND CANYON TRUST | FLAGSTAFF, AZ | $50,000 | 2026 | SAFEGUARD THE GRAND CANYON |
| REVIVE CENTER REVIVE CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL |
| NOURISHING HOPE NOURISHING HOPE | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| RENAISSANCE SOCIAL SERVICES | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | END HOMELESSNESS |
| AS YOU SOW | EL CERRITO, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | PROMOTE CORPORAL ACCOUNTABILITY |
| MICHAEL J FOZ FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT PARKINSON'S DISEASE RESEARCH |
| CAMBRIDGE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH MAP PROJECT | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $40,000 | 2026 | TELEMEDICINE CARE |
| CHINCAHUA HEALTH FOUNDATION | DOUGLASS, AZ | $40,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICES |
| EASTER SEALS BLAKE FOUNDATION EASTER SEALS BLAKE FOUNDATION | TUCSON, AZ | $40,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL |
| ENVIRONMENTAL VOTER PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL VOTER PROJECT | BOSTON, MA | $35,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| 100 MEMBERS DEBATING BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION | BAY SAINT LOUIS, MS | $35,000 | 2026 | ENDOWMENT TO ASSIST MEMBERS |
| ELYSSA'S MISSION ELYSSA'S MISSION | NORTHBROOK, IL | $30,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL |
| FLINT CREEK WILDLIFE REHAB FLINT CREEK WILDLIFE REHAB | BARRINGTON, IL | $30,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| FRIENDS OF PIMA ANIMAL CARE FRIENDS OF PIMA ANIMAL CARE | TUCSON, AZ | $30,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| SUNNYSIDE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SUNNYSIDE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT | TUCSON, AZ | $30,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| KARUNA HORSE RESCUE KARUNA HORSE RESCUE | TUCSON, AZ | $30,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| MARYVILLE ACADEMY MARYVILLE ACADEMY | DES PLAINES, IL | $30,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION PLANNED PARENTHOOD | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| UNICEF | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE WORLDWIDE AID |
| TOUCHED BY AN ANIMAL TOUCHED BY AN ANIMAL | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| JUDD GOLDMAN ADAPTIVE SAILING FDN | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE TRAINING FOR THE DISABLED |
| HUMANE INDIANA | MUNSTER, IN | $20,000 | 2026 | HUMANE WORLD FOR ANIMALS |
| ABILITY LAB ABILITY LAB | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | HEALTH |
| GIRL SCOUTS OF CHICAGO GIRL SCOUTS OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL |
| SPL SPORTS INC SPL SPORTS INC | TUCSON, AZ | $20,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| NEW MOMS | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | HOUSING/PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG MOMS |
| NURTURING MINDS INC NURTURING MINDS INC | NEWTONVILLE, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL |
| CITY OF CAMBRIDGE SCHOLARSHIP FUND CITY OF CAMBRIDGE SCHOLARSHIP FUND | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| HAP FOUNDATION | OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | HOSPICE/PALLIATIVE CARE |
| HOME DOG SANCTUARY | DEERFIELD, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| ALRAY FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL |
| BRIGHT HORIZONS BRIGHT HORIZONS | TUCSON, AZ | $20,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| EASTER SEALS WISCONSIN RESPITE EASTER SEALS WISCONSIN RESPITE | MIDDLETON, WI | $20,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL |
| GOOD SPORTS GOOD SPORTS | BRAINTREE, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL |
| GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF TUCSON BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF TUCSON | TUCSON, AZ | $20,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL |
| PROVIDENCE ST MEL PROVIDENCE ST MEL | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL |
| DREAMCATCHER FOUNDATION DREAMCATCHER FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | SOCIAL |
| NIGHT MINISTRY NIGH MINISTRY | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| BEAGLE FREEDOM PROJECT BEAGLE FREEDOM PROJECT | VALLEY VILLAGE, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | RESCUE DOGS |
| NATION OF PATRIOTS NATION OF PATRIOTS | HASTINGS, MN | $20,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS
$100,000CIVIC
BEVERLY FARM BEVERLY FARM
$100,000SOCIAL
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUS OF SO AZ
$60,000SUPPORT AFR. AMERICAN CULTURE
FCACC FCACC
$50,000CIVIC
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$50,000INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CARE
ED BRUNE MEM SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$50,000PROVIDE TENNIS SCHOLARSHIPS
MARINE LIFE CTR JUNO BEACH MARINE LIFE CTR JUNO BEACH
$50,000SOCIAL
REVIVE CENTER REVIVE CENTER
$50,000SOCIAL
RENAISSANCE SOCIAL SERVICES
$50,000END HOMELESSNESS
MICHAEL J FOZ FOUNDATION
$40,000SUPPORT PARKINSON'S DISEASE RESEARCH
CAMBRIDGE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH MAP PROJECT
$40,000TELEMEDICINE CARE
CHINCAHUA HEALTH FOUNDATION
$40,000PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICES
ENVIRONMENTAL VOTER PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL VOTER PROJECT
$35,000CIVIC
100 MEMBERS DEBATING BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
$35,000ENDOWMENT TO ASSIST MEMBERS
ELYSSA'S MISSION ELYSSA'S MISSION
$30,000SOCIAL
FLINT CREEK WILDLIFE REHAB FLINT CREEK WILDLIFE REHAB
$30,000CIVIC
SUNNYSIDE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SUNNYSIDE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
$30,000EDUCATION
KARUNA HORSE RESCUE KARUNA HORSE RESCUE
$30,000CIVIC
MARYVILLE ACADEMY MARYVILLE ACADEMY
$30,000CIVIC
UNICEF
$25,000PROVIDE WORLDWIDE AID
TOUCHED BY AN ANIMAL TOUCHED BY AN ANIMAL
$25,000CIVIC
JUDD GOLDMAN ADAPTIVE SAILING FDN
$25,000PROVIDE TRAINING FOR THE DISABLED
HUMANE INDIANA
$20,000HUMANE WORLD FOR ANIMALS
ABILITY LAB ABILITY LAB
$20,000HEALTH
SPL SPORTS INC SPL SPORTS INC
$20,000CIVIC
CITY OF CAMBRIDGE SCHOLARSHIP FUND CITY OF CAMBRIDGE SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$20,000EDUCATION
HOME DOG SANCTUARY
$20,000CIVIC
ALRAY FOUNDATION
$20,000EDUCATIONAL
BRIGHT HORIZONS BRIGHT HORIZONS
$20,000EDUCATION
EASTER SEALS WISCONSIN RESPITE EASTER SEALS WISCONSIN RESPITE
$20,000SOCIAL
PROVIDENCE ST MEL PROVIDENCE ST MEL
$20,000EDUCATIONAL
DREAMCATCHER FOUNDATION DREAMCATCHER FOUNDATION
$20,000SOCIAL
NATION OF PATRIOTS NATION OF PATRIOTS
$20,000CIVIC