The Jentes Family Foundation concentrates its giving on arts and higher-education program support, primarily underwriting cultural institutions and college programming. Grants are aimed at program services (notably visual and performing arts) with several multi-year or repeat awards to flagship organizations. While Chicago-area arts groups dominate, the foundation also makes sizable education gifts outside the city, indicating an interest in both place-based cultural vibrancy and institutional higher-education support.
Concentrated, relatively large grants focused on program support; a small number of repeat flagship grantees in the arts and selective multi-grant support for higher education.
The Jentes Family Foundation C/o William Jentes shows a clear preference for program support at arts organizations and colleges, with repeated awards to the same institutions across multiple years. Hyde Park Art Center received $101,152 in 2025, following $101,101 in 2024 and $100,805 in 2023 for program services, a three-year run that reflects the foundation’s sustained backing of Chicago visual arts programming. Another recurring recipient, Bryn Mawr College, received $76,609 in 2024, $75,102 in 2023, and $74,882 in 2025 for program services. The grant list also includes major support for theatrical and performing-arts institutions such as Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Stratford Festival, and Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, plus grants to The Art Institute of Chicago and Lyric Opera of Chicago. The pattern points to institutional support rather than project-by-project experimentation: the same grantees reappear, and the purpose language is consistently “to further program services.” Chicago organizations make up the largest share of the foundation’s giving, but the presence of college and arts grants outside Illinois, including Bryn Mawr College and Macalester College, shows that the portfolio is not limited to one city. The foundation also gives to service organizations and education-related groups such as Metropolitan Family Services and Chi Arts High School.
A major thread in the foundation’s giving is contemporary visual arts. Hyde Park Art Center received $101,152 in 2025 for program services, after similar awards in 2024 and 2023, indicating continued support for its program delivery. Performing arts is another consistent area. Chicago Shakespeare Theater received $51,040 in 2024 for program services, while Stratford Festival received $52,433 in 2023 and $25,832 in 2024 for the same purpose. Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival also appears with a $51,515 grant in 2023. Higher education and youth-serving education groups are part of the mix as well. Bryn Mawr College received a $76,609 award in 2024 for program services, and Chi Arts High School received $25,101 in 2023. The foundation also made education-related grants to 826 Digital and 826 National for program services.
$469K
$6.5M
$704K
$596K
Most grants fall between $8K and $25K, with a median of $16K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$16K
75th Percentile
$25K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Jentes Family Foundation C/O William Jentes.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 76 | $1.7M | 96.2% |
| 2 | Canada |
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Notable grantees: Hyde Park Art Center, Bryn Mawr College, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, The Art Institute of Chicago
Grant sizes cluster around mid-five figures, with a p25 of $8,271, a median of $15,778, and a p75 of $25,111. The recent list shows repeat funding rather than one-time gifts: Hyde Park Art Center, Bryn Mawr College, The Art Institute of Chicago, Stratford Festival, Metropolitan Family Services, The Salvation Army, and 826 National all appear more than once across 2023-2025. Jentes Family Foundation C/o William Jentes is classified as a Regular Funder, and the grants are framed almost uniformly as support “to further program services.” The available data does not indicate an application process.
Giving is heavily concentrated in Illinois: 80% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and Illinois is also the top state by grant count. Chicago dominates the recipient city list, with grants to Hyde Park Art Center, Metropolitan Family Services, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Parks Foundation, Chi Arts High School, Grant Park Orchestral Association, and others. Outside Illinois, grants also reached Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; St Paul, Minnesota; San Francisco, California; New York, New York; and Stratford in Canada. The country distribution is overwhelmingly U.S.-based, with 76 U.S. grants and 3 Canadian grants.
The foundation’s recent grants go mainly to arts and higher-education organizations, with program services support for institutions such as Hyde Park Art Center, Bryn Mawr College, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Art Institute of Chicago, and Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Hyde Park Art Center in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Bryn Mawr College in those same three years; and Stratford Festival, Metropolitan Family Services, The Salvation Army, and 826 National across more than one year.
The grant-size distribution is centered in the mid-five figures: p25 is $8,271, the median is $15,778, and p75 is $25,111. Recent awards also include larger commitments above $100,000 to Hyde Park Art Center.
Illinois is the top state by grant count, and 80% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Chicago accounts for many of the listed grants, including support for arts, education, and service organizations.
The giving is local overall, but it reaches beyond Chicago. Recent recipients include Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, Macalester College in Minnesota, 826 Digital and 826 National in San Francisco, Doctors Without Borders in New York, and Stratford Festival in Canada.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| 3 |
| $90K |
3.8% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HYDE PARK ART CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $101,711 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| BRYN MAWR COLLEGE | BRYN MAWR, PA | $56,814 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGREM SERVICES |
| MACALESTER | SAINT PAUL, MN | $26,427 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | CHICAGO, IL | $25,786 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| 826 NATIONAL (DIGITAL) | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,524 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| STRATFORD FESTIVAL | STRATFORD, ON | $20,773 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| 826 CHI | CHICAGO, IL | $20,561 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| PROPUBLICA | NEW YORK, NY | $20,561 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CHICAGO DANCEMAKERS | CHCIAGO, IL | $20,372 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| LINKS HALL | CHICAGO, IL | $15,856 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $15,758 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| GREATER FOOD CHICAGO DEPOSITORY | CHICAGO, IL | $15,598 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ENSEMBLE | BROOKLYN, NY | $15,598 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| INSTITUTE FOR NONVIOLENCE | CHICAGO, IL | $10,782 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| START EARLY | CHICAGO, IL | $10,781 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL | CAROL STREAM, IL | $10,744 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| DEBORAH'S PLACE | CHICAGO, IL | $10,744 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| PROJECT UNLOAD | CHCIAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CABINET OF CURIOSITY | OAK PARK, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| YOUNG CHICAGO AUTHORS | CHICAGO, IL | $8,595 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| NOURISHING HOPE | CHCIAGO, IL | $5,453 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| NORTHWESTERN SETTLEMENT | CHICAGO, IL | $5,416 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| LACASA NORTE | CHICAGO, IL | $5,384 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| HYDE PARK ART CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $101,152 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| BRYN MAWR COLLEGE | BRYN MAWR, PA | $74,882 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGREM SERVICES |
| METROPOLITAN PEACE ACADEMY | CHICAGO, IL | $20,943 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| 826 NATIONAL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $20,898 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| 826 CHI | CHICAGO, IL | $20,014 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CABINET OF CURIOSITY | OAK PARK, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| LINKS HALL | CHICAGO, IL | $16,075 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | CHICAGO, IL | $16,056 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $16,056 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| GREATER FOOD CHICAGO DEPOSITORY | CHICAGO, IL | $11,253 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| PROPUBLICA | NEW YORK, NY | $11,253 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| WTTW | CHICAGO, IL | $11,253 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| STRATFORD FESTIVAL | STRATFORD, ON | $11,239 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CHICAGO READER | CHICAGO, IL | $11,239 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| DEBORAH'S PLACE | CHICAGO, IL | $9,634 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| YOUNG CHICAGO AUTHORS | CHICAGO, IL | $8,028 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| SOLTI FOUNDATION US | EVANSTON, IL | $6,422 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| START EARLY | CHICAGO, IL | $6,422 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| INSTITUTE FOR NONVIOLENCE | CHICAGO, IL | $4,788 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| HYDE PARK ART CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $101,101 | 2024 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| BRYN MAWR COLLEGE | BRYN MAWR, PA | $76,609 | 2024 | TO FURTHER PROGREM SERVICES |
| CHICAGO SHAKESPEAR THEATHER | CHICAGO, IL | $51,040 | 2024 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| BLAIR THOMAS | CHICAGO, IL | $46,138 | 2024 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $33,976 | 2024 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| STRATFORD FESTIVAL | STRATFORD, ON | $25,832 | 2024 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| METROPOLITAN FAMILY SERVICES | CHICAGO, IL | $25,649 | 2024 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| 826 NATIONAL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $23,423 | 2024 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
MACALESTER
$26,427TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
STRATFORD FESTIVAL
$20,773TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
CHICAGO DANCEMAKERS
$20,372TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
LINKS HALL
$15,856TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
INSTITUTE FOR NONVIOLENCE
$10,782TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL
$10,744TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
PROJECT UNLOAD
$10,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
CABINET OF CURIOSITY
$10,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
YOUNG CHICAGO AUTHORS
$8,595TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
METROPOLITAN PEACE ACADEMY
$20,943TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
CABINET OF CURIOSITY
$20,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
LINKS HALL
$16,075TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$16,056TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
GREATER FOOD CHICAGO DEPOSITORY
$11,253TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
WTTW
$11,253TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
STRATFORD FESTIVAL
$11,239TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
CHICAGO READER
$11,239TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
YOUNG CHICAGO AUTHORS
$8,028TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
SOLTI FOUNDATION US
$6,422TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
CHICAGO SHAKESPEAR THEATHER
$51,040TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
BLAIR THOMAS
$46,138TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
STRATFORD FESTIVAL
$25,832TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES