The Daniel P. Haerther Charitable Trust concentrates large gifts to prominent Chicago-area cultural, environmental, and faith-based social service institutions. Their funding supports major public attractions and conservation education (Shedd Aquarium, Morton Arboretum) as well as local Catholic social services, indicating a mix of civic-minded cultural stewardship and religiously affiliated community support.
Highly concentrated: very few, large grants (multiple six-figure gifts), including repeat support to flagship grantees rather than many small awards.
The Daniel P Haerther Charitable Trust C/o Burke Warren Mackay & Serritell shows a clear pattern of large, recurring support for Chicago institutions rooted in education, faith-based service, and public-facing cultural organizations. In the recent grant list, Shedd Aquarium received $460,000 in 2025 after a $330,000 grant in 2023, while Catholic Charities received $300,000 in 2023 and another $100,000 in 2025. Those awards sit alongside substantial support for Morton Arboretum, Chicago Jesuit Academy, and Arrupe College of Loyola University, suggesting a portfolio that combines civic institutions with Catholic-affiliated schools and social service providers. The trust also reaches beyond Chicago proper to nearby Illinois recipients such as Morton Arboretum in Lisle and Trinity High School in River Forest. Its giving includes both major gifts and many smaller awards, but the recurring recipients indicate sustained relationships rather than isolated transactions. The largest recent grants are directed to organizations that serve broad public or student audiences, and many awards are labeled for general purposes.
Education-related giving appears prominently in the trust’s recent awards. In 2025, it gave $154,650 to De Lasalle Institute for general purposes, and it supported several Chicago high schools at similar levels, including Holy Trinity High School at $148,250 and St Patrick High School at $148,100. Catholic higher education also appears in the record: Arrupe College of Loyola University received $51,000 in both 2023 and 2025 for general purposes. The trust’s faith-linked social service pattern is visible in awards such as $100,000 to Highsight in 2025 and $50,000 to The Resurrection Project in both 2023 and 2025. Cultural and environmental institutions are also part of the mix, with Morton Arboretum receiving $215,000 in 2023 and $125,000 in 2025.
Typical grants are small at the low end and much larger for select institutions: p25 is $500, the median is $500, and p75 is $45,000. The recent record shows repeat support across multiple years rather than one-off awards, including grants to Shedd Aquarium, Catholic Charities, Morton Arboretum, Chicago Jesuit Academy, Arrupe College of Loyola University, The Resurrection Project, and Princeton University. The trust’s pattern is largely general-purpose support, and it also funds individuals. The giving profile is local, with nearly all grants directed to recipients in Illinois.
$2.4M
$38.6M
$3.9M
$3.1M
Most grants fall between $500 and $45K, with a median of $500.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$500
75th Percentile
$45K
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Notable grantees: Shedd Aquarium, Morton Arboretum, Catholic Charities
Grant recipients are overwhelmingly in Illinois, which accounts for 98% of grants. Chicago is the center of the trust’s giving, with many awards going to organizations there, including Catholic Charities, De Lasalle Institute, and Highsight. The trust also supports nearby Illinois locations such as Lisle and River Forest. Outside Illinois, Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey appears in the recent grant list, but the broader distribution remains concentrated in the Chicago area.
The recent grants show a mix of Chicago cultural institutions, Catholic-affiliated schools and colleges, and local social service organizations. Examples include Shedd Aquarium for public-facing cultural work, Chicago Jesuit Academy and Arrupe College of Loyola University for education, and Catholic Charities and The Resurrection Project for community support.
Yes. Several recipients appear in more than one year in the recent grant list, including Shedd Aquarium, Catholic Charities, Morton Arboretum, Chicago Jesuit Academy, Arrupe College of Loyola University, The Resurrection Project, and Princeton University. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards.
The distribution is highly skewed. The p25 and median are both $500, while p75 is $45,000. Recent grants range from small awards at that low end to much larger general-purpose gifts such as $460,000 to Shedd Aquarium.
Very local. Illinois receives 98% of the grants, and the top state by grant count is Illinois. Chicago recipients make up much of the list, with additional Illinois grants going to places like Lisle and River Forest.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHEDD AQUARIUM | CHICAGO, IL | $460,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $166,667 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| DE LASALLE INSTITUTE | CHICAGO, IL | $154,650 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| DEPAUL PREP COLLEGE | CHICAGO, IL | $148,300 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| HOLY TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $148,250 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL | RIVER FOREST, IL | $148,100 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| ST PATRICK HIGH SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $148,100 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MOTHER MCAULEY HIGH SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $148,100 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BROTHER RICE HIGH SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $140,895 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MORTON ARBORETUM | LISLE, IL | $125,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| HIGHSIGHT | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| CHICAGO JESUIT ACADEMY | CHICAGO, IL | $52,500 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| ARRUPE COLLEGE OF LOYOLA UNIVERSITY | CHICAGO, IL | $51,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| OFFICE OF HUMAN DIGINITY | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| THE RESURRECTION PROJECT | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| SAN MIGUEL SCHOOLS | CHICAGO, IL | $45,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| LAWRENCE HALL YOUTH SERVICES | CHICAGO, IL | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| HOLY FAMILY SCHOLARS | CHICAGO, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| ACADEMIC APPROACH | CHICAGO, IL | $18,135 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MARILLAC ST VINCENT FAMILY SERVICES | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MIA NUNEZ | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| ANDREA VILLANUEVA | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| KAYLENE MCGRATH | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| DOMINIC PETTENON | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| JAYLENE RESPETO | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| DECLAN GOGGIN | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| AVA GRACE SALES | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| OLIVIA SEARS | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| WILLIAM JACOBSEN | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| GISELLE ALENCASTRO | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| DELANEY JOHNSON | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| RANDY PEREZ | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| CHARLIE LAZO | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| ESMERALDA ESCARPITA | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| CHRISTOPHER DAUGHTERY | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| GISELLE GODNEZ | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| ITZEL ANTONIO | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| JACK PETTER | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| LUZ DEL ROSARIO KWIATKOWSKI PEREZ | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| MARIA ESTRADA | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| SAMANTHA CONJAR | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| DANIEL CARRERA | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| PRESTON BROOME | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| BENJAMIN GADISON | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| ZARI YOUNG | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| JULISSA TORRES-MATA | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| ALEXIA GOLAB | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| MIKAYLA PIPES | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| MARTHA RIOS | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
$166,667GENERAL PURPOSES
DE LASALLE INSTITUTE
$154,650GENERAL PURPOSES
HOLY TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL
$148,250GENERAL PURPOSES
TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL
$148,100GENERAL PURPOSES
ST PATRICK HIGH SCHOOL
$148,100GENERAL PURPOSES
MOTHER MCAULEY HIGH SCHOOL
$148,100GENERAL PURPOSES
BROTHER RICE HIGH SCHOOL
$140,895GENERAL PURPOSES
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
$100,000GENERAL PURPOSES
HIGHSIGHT
$100,000GENERAL PURPOSES
CHICAGO JESUIT ACADEMY
$52,500GENERAL PURPOSES
OFFICE OF HUMAN DIGINITY
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSES
THE RESURRECTION PROJECT
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSES
LAWRENCE HALL YOUTH SERVICES
$40,000GENERAL PURPOSES
HOLY FAMILY SCHOLARS
$30,000GENERAL PURPOSES
ACADEMIC APPROACH
$18,135GENERAL PURPOSES
MIA NUNEZ
$1,000EDUCATIONAL
ANDREA VILLANUEVA
$500EDUCATIONAL
KAYLENE MCGRATH
$500EDUCATIONAL
DOMINIC PETTENON
$500EDUCATIONAL
JAYLENE RESPETO
$500EDUCATIONAL
DECLAN GOGGIN
$500EDUCATIONAL
AVA GRACE SALES
$500EDUCATIONAL
OLIVIA SEARS
$500EDUCATIONAL
WILLIAM JACOBSEN
$500EDUCATIONAL
GISELLE ALENCASTRO
$500EDUCATIONAL
DELANEY JOHNSON
$500EDUCATIONAL
RANDY PEREZ
$500EDUCATIONAL
CHARLIE LAZO
$500EDUCATIONAL
ESMERALDA ESCARPITA
$500EDUCATIONAL
CHRISTOPHER DAUGHTERY
$500EDUCATIONAL
GISELLE GODNEZ
$500EDUCATIONAL
ITZEL ANTONIO
$500EDUCATIONAL
JACK PETTER
$500EDUCATIONAL
LUZ DEL ROSARIO KWIATKOWSKI PEREZ
$500EDUCATIONAL
MARIA ESTRADA
$500EDUCATIONAL
SAMANTHA CONJAR
$500EDUCATIONAL
DANIEL CARRERA
$500EDUCATIONAL
PRESTON BROOME
$500EDUCATIONAL
BENJAMIN GADISON
$500EDUCATIONAL
ZARI YOUNG
$500EDUCATIONAL
JULISSA TORRES-MATA
$500EDUCATIONAL
ALEXIA GOLAB
$500EDUCATIONAL
MIKAYLA PIPES
$500EDUCATIONAL
MARTHA RIOS
$500EDUCATIONAL