The John H HART Foundation concentrates its giving on major Chicago-area cultural and civic institutions, with large, visible gifts to performing arts organizations, arts education, and a prominent local medical center. Grants are sizeable and often repeat commitments, suggesting a preference for sustaining flagship community assets rather than broad-based small grants. The foundation's support also includes natural science/zoonotic education through Lincoln Park Zoo, indicating interest in family-oriented public institutions.
A defining feature of John H Hart Foundation’s recent giving is the way it concentrates sizable, repeated support on a small set of Chicago institutions. The largest grant in the current record is $775,000 to The Jessica Fund, and other major commitments have gone to Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Northwestern Memorial Foundation, and Lincoln Park Zoo. That pattern points to a funder that backs established civic and cultural assets with meaningful dollars rather than broad, one-off microgrants. The foundation’s profile also shows continuity across years. Northwestern Memorial Foundation appears in multiple recent years, as do Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chi Arts, and Lincoln Park Zoo. Those recurring awards suggest sustained relationships with organizations that serve the public through performing arts, arts education, health, and family-oriented educational programming. Alongside those anchor institutions, the foundation has supported the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Foundation for Hearing & Speech, Mayo Clinic, and Museum of Contemporary Art. The result is a grantmaking record centered on Chicago’s cultural and civic infrastructure, with a smaller set of awards extending to other health and community-serving institutions.
Arts and culture are central in the record. John H Hart Foundation gave $250,000 to Goodman Theatre in 2024, $125,000 to Steppenwolf Theatre in 2025, and $90,000 to Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2025, reflecting sustained support for major Chicago performing arts institutions. Arts education is another visible thread. The foundation awarded $115,000 to Chi Arts in 2025 and $50,000 to Merit School of Music in 2025, following earlier gifts of $100,000 to Chi Arts in 2024 and $40,000 to Merit School of Music in 2024. Those grants show an ongoing relationship with youth-facing arts education organizations. Health and public-serving institutions also appear in the record. Northwestern Memorial Foundation received $150,000 in 2025, while the Foundation for Hearing & Speech received $50,000 in 2025. The foundation also gave $150,000 to Lincoln Park Zoo in 2025, linking its portfolio to public education and family-access institutions.
$1.5M
$8.8M
$924K
$1.6M
Most grants fall between $1K and $15K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$15K
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Concentrated, large-dollar gifts to prominent Chicago institutions with several repeat grantees; funding is targeted to a small set of cultural, healthcare, and public institutions rather than widely distributed small grants.
Notable grantees: THE JESSICA FUND, NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, LINCOLN PARK ZOO, GOODMAN THEATRE, STEPPENWOLF THEATRE
Typical grants cluster around a modest midrange, with a p25 of $1,000, a median of $2,500, and a p75 of $15,000. At the same time, the recent record includes much larger awards, so the distribution is right-skewed rather than uniform. The pattern looks relationship-based: several recipients appear in multiple years, including Northwestern Memorial Foundation, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chi Arts, Lincoln Park Zoo, Merit School of Music, Greater Chicago Food Depository, and Mayo Clinic. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its recent grants are charitable contributions, with some listed simply as charitable.
Grantmaking is national in scope, but the record is highly concentrated in Illinois. Recipients in the HQ state account for 48% of grants, and Chicago dominates the named recipient locations. Outside Illinois, the recent list includes Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, as a non-Illinois recipient. The country distribution is entirely domestic: all 161 grants in the provided dataset went to U.S. recipients. The geography suggests a Chicago-centered portfolio with a limited number of out-of-state awards.
The recent record is centered on Chicago performing arts groups, arts education organizations, and major civic or health institutions. Examples include Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chi Arts, Northwestern Memorial Foundation, Lincoln Park Zoo, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution shows a p25 of $1,000, a median of $2,500, and a p75 of $15,000. The recent grant list also includes larger awards, including multiple six-figure gifts.
Yes. Illinois is the top state by grant count, and 48% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. The named recipients in the recent record are heavily concentrated in Chicago.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
The record shows repeated support to several organizations across multiple years. Northwestern Memorial Foundation, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chi Arts, Lincoln Park Zoo, Merit School of Music, Greater Chicago Food Depository, and Mayo Clinic all appear more than once.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE JESSICA FUND | CHICAGO, IL | $200,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| LINCOLN PARK ZOO | CHICAGO, IL | $180,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $150,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY | CHICAGO, IL | $135,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| STEPPENWOLF THEATRE | CHICAGO, IL | $125,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CHI ARTS | CHICAGO, IL | $125,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| GOODMAN THEATRE | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | CHICAGO, IL | $95,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| FOUNDATION FOR HEARING & SPEECH | CHICAGO, IL | $60,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| MERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| SANTA FE CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL | SANTA FE, NM | $45,100 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| THE JOFFREY BALLET | CHICAGO, IL | $26,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| WTTW 11 WFMT | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| FRANCIS W PARKER SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| INVEST FOR KIDS | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THE BREARLEY SCHOOL | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $12,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| SANTA FE OPERA | SANTA FE, NM | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THINK NEW MEXICO | SANTA FE, NM | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CAMPERSHIPS FOR NEBAGAMON | EAST TROY, WI | $2,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET | SANTA FE, NM | $2,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY TRUST | ALBUQUERQUE, NM | $2,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | NAPERVILLE, IL | $1,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| INDEPENDENCE PASS FOUNDATION | ASPEN, CO | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| GALLUP YOUTH SPORTS FUND | GALLUP, NM | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| AMBITION FUND OF THE ARTS CLUB OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| MUSICIANS ON CALL | NASHVILLE, TN | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| PAWS FOR PURPLE HEARTS | MERRYFIELD, VA | $750 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| JCC FOUNDATION | LAKE ZURICH, IL | $600 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| FOUNDATION FIGHTING BLINDNESS | BALTIMORE, MD | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| GOOD SAMARITAN FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS | KANSAS CITY, MO | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CANCER FOUNDATION NEW MEXICO | SANTA FE, NM | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $250 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CHICAGO SUN TIMES MEDIA | CHICAGO, IL | $250 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| DISABLED VETERANS NATIONAL FOUNDATI | LANHAM, MD | $250 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| ST JOSEPH'S INDIAN SCHOOL | CHAMBERLAIN, SD | $150 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $150,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| LINCOLN PARK ZOO | CHICAGO, IL | $150,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| STEPPENWOLF THEATRE | CHICAGO, IL | $125,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CHI ARTS | CHICAGO, IL | $115,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| THE JESSICA FUND | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | CHICAGO, IL | $90,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| FOUNDATION FOR HEARING & SPEECH | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| MERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
THE JESSICA FUND
$200,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
LINCOLN PARK ZOO
$180,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
$150,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
STEPPENWOLF THEATRE
$125,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
GOODMAN THEATRE
$100,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
FOUNDATION FOR HEARING & SPEECH
$60,000CHARITABLE
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART
$50,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
WTTW 11 WFMT
$25,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
FRANCIS W PARKER SCHOOL
$25,000CHARITABLE
THE BREARLEY SCHOOL
$25,000CHARITABLE
SANTA FE OPERA
$10,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN
$10,000CHARITABLE
CAMPERSHIPS FOR NEBAGAMON
$2,500CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET
$2,500CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY TRUST
$2,500CHARITABLE
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$1,500CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
INDEPENDENCE PASS FOUNDATION
$1,000CHARITABLE
GALLUP YOUTH SPORTS FUND
$1,000CHARITABLE
MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$1,000CHARITABLE
AMBITION FUND OF THE ARTS CLUB OF CHICAGO
$1,000CHARITABLE
PAWS FOR PURPLE HEARTS
$750CHARITABLE
JCC FOUNDATION
$600CHARITABLE
FOUNDATION FIGHTING BLINDNESS
$500CHARITABLE
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
$500CHARITABLE
CHICAGO SUN TIMES MEDIA
$250CHARITABLE
ST JOSEPH'S INDIAN SCHOOL
$150CHARITABLE
NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
$150,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
LINCOLN PARK ZOO
$150,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
STEPPENWOLF THEATRE
$125,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
THE JESSICA FUND
$100,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
FOUNDATION FOR HEARING & SPEECH
$50,000CHARITABLE