The Daniel and Gloria Kearney Foundation concentrates support on civic/public policy research and healthcare institutions, with a secondary interest in youth services and mentoring. Grants are often substantial and directed to established institutions—particularly Chicago/Illinois public policy organizations and major Midwestern hospitals—reflecting a preference for impactful, institutional partners rather than small grassroots groups.
Concentrated giving with several large grants and multiple repeat awards to core institutional grantees; funding is institution-focused and regional (Chicago/Midwest) with a mix of health and public-policy recipients.
A $60,000 unrestricted grant to the Civic Federation set the tone for Daniel and Gloria Kearney Foundation’s recent giving: the foundation backs established institutions with flexible support, often at meaningful sizes. In the latest grants, it also made $40,000 unrestricted awards to Northwestern Memorial Foundation and Cleveland Clinic, showing a pattern of support for large health systems alongside public policy groups. The foundation’s portfolio is not limited to one sector. Recent awards include children’s health, youth mentoring, education, civic research, cultural institutions, and hospital philanthropy, with most grants structured as unrestricted support. Repeated support for groups such as the Civic Federation, Northwestern Memorial Foundation, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Westchester suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. Chicago organizations appear frequently, but the foundation also funds recipients in New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC. The overall picture is of a grantmaker that favors operating flexibility and established nonprofit partners across public policy, healthcare, and community-serving programs.
Public policy research and advocacy is a central theme. The foundation gave $60,000 to the Civic Federation in 2024, then followed with $50,000 in 2023 and $35,000 in 2025, all unrestricted. It also made a $30,000 unrestricted grant to Wirepoints Corp in 2023 and a $5,000 grant to Advance Illinois in 2024. Healthcare is the other major line of support. Grants include $50,000 to Children’s Wisconsin Foundation in 2023, $40,000 to Northwestern Memorial Foundation in 2024, $40,000 to Cleveland Clinic in 2024, and $25,000 to Northwestern Memorial Foundation in 2025. Youth development appears as well, with $25,000 in 2023 and $5,000 in 2024 and 2025 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Westchester. Cultural and civic institutions also receive smaller awards, including The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Shakespeare, and Writers Theatre.
Typical grant size is modest relative to a few large awards: p25 is $500, median is $1,000, and p75 is $2,375. The recent record shows a mixed pattern of small gifts and larger institutional grants, with multiple grantees appearing across more than one year, including the Civic Federation, Cleveland Clinic, Northwestern Memorial Foundation, Openlands, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Westchester. That repetition points to recurring support rather than isolated awards. The foundation gives unrestricted grants, and the recent data suggests a preference for flexible operating support. It does not make program-related investments and does not fund individuals.
$185K
$2.6M
$155K
$204K
Most grants fall between $500 and $2K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$2K
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Notable grantees: Civic Federation, Cleveland Clinic, Northwestern Memorial Foundation, Children’s Wisconsin Foundation, Wirepoints Corp
Grantmaking is national, with every recent grant in the United States. Chicago is the most visible city in the recent list, with recipients including the Civic Federation, Northwestern Memorial Foundation, The Art Institute of Chicago, World Business Chicago, Openlands, Advance Illinois, Mikva Challenge Grant Foundation, Chicago Shakespeare, and Lincoln Presidential Foundation. Outside Illinois, the foundation gave repeatedly to Port Chester, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, while also funding organizations in Salem, Oregon, Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, Falmouth, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC. By grant count, New York is the top state outside the foundation’s Illinois headquarters.
Recent grants show support for public policy research and advocacy, healthcare institutions, youth mentoring, and cultural organizations. Examples include the Civic Federation, Cleveland Clinic, Children’s Wisconsin Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Westchester, and The Art Institute of Chicago.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including the Civic Federation in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Northwestern Memorial Foundation in 2024 and 2025; Cleveland Clinic in 2024 and 2025; Openlands in 2024 and 2025; and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Westchester in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The middle of the distribution is small: p25 is $500, median is $1,000, and p75 is $2,375. At the same time, the recent list includes larger unrestricted gifts such as $60,000 to the Civic Federation and $50,000 awards to Children’s Wisconsin Foundation and the Civic Federation.
Its grantmaking is national, with recent grants going to organizations in Illinois, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC. Chicago is the most common city in the recent list, while New York is the top state by grant count.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIVIC FEDERATION | CHICAGO, IL | $35,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CLEVELAND CLINIC | CLEVELAND, OH | $30,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $6,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| O'CONNOR SCHOLARSHIP FUND | CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| OPENLANDS | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WORLD BUSINESS CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SALEM HOSPITAL | SALEM, OR | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| COMPASSION CARE ALS | FALMOUTH, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF WESTCHESTER | PORT CHESTER, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MIKVA CHALLENGE GRANT FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $3,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION | SPRINGFIELD, IL | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MCLEAN HOSPITAL | ELGIN, IL | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WRITERS THEATRE | GLENCOE, IL | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM | SALEM, MA | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FRIEND OF THE PARKS | CHICAGO, IL | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FEEDING AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | EVANSTON, IL | $1,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE NEWBERRY | CHICAGO, IL | $1,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SHIRLEY RYAN ABILITY LAB | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ADVANCE ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS | BOSTON, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SPUR COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | KETCHUM, ID | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SHELBY AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY | SHELBY, MI | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE GUILD OF THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS | BOSTON, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SUMMIT LAND CONSERVANCY | PARK CITY, UT | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION | STATEN ISLAND, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| COSTUME COUNCIL OF THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHRESTRA | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LINCOLN PARK CONSERVANCY | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY (LLS) DONOR SERVICES | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TOMORROW'S HOPE FOUNDATION | UNIONDALE, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| JOFFREY BALLET | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CAPE ANN MUSEUM | GLOUCESTER, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ROCKPORT MUSIC | ROCKPORT, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CHICAGO COUNCIL ON GLOBAL AFFAIRS | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MARBLEHEAD CONSERVANCY INC | MARBLEHEAD, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GOLD COAST NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION | CHICAGO, IL | $795 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GREEN CITY MARKET | CHICAGO, IL | $750 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HPTF | WASHINGTON, DC | $600 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ST PAUL'S CHOIR SCHOOL | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MAKING ENDS MEET | AIEA, HI | $500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MARBLEHEAD FESTIVAL-ARTS INC | MARBLEHEAD, MA | $500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
CIVIC FEDERATION
$35,000UNRESTRICTED
CLEVELAND CLINIC
$30,000UNRESTRICTED
NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
O'CONNOR SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
UNRESTRICTED
SALEM HOSPITAL
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
COMPASSION CARE ALS
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
MCLEAN HOSPITAL
$2,500UNRESTRICTED
WRITERS THEATRE
$2,500UNRESTRICTED
PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART CHICAGO
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$1,500UNRESTRICTED
THE NEWBERRY
$1,500UNRESTRICTED
CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
SHELBY AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
THE GUILD OF THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
COSTUME COUNCIL OF THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY (LLS) DONOR SERVICES
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
TOMORROW'S HOPE FOUNDATION
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
ROCKPORT MUSIC
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
MARBLEHEAD CONSERVANCY INC
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
GOLD COAST NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION
$795UNRESTRICTED
GREEN CITY MARKET
$750UNRESTRICTED
HPTF
$600UNRESTRICTED
ST PAUL'S CHOIR SCHOOL
$500UNRESTRICTED
MAKING ENDS MEET
$500UNRESTRICTED
MARBLEHEAD FESTIVAL-ARTS INC
$500UNRESTRICTED