The Julia Harrison Bruce Foundation concentrates its giving on local, capital projects and community infrastructure in Southern Illinois—especially Herrin and neighboring towns. Grants are large and project-specific, funding municipal needs (animal control, fire bays), a regional college’s facility improvements (including athletics), veterans’ services, and a nearby wildlife refuge. The foundation favors tangible, place-based investments that strengthen public services and community assets.
The Julia Harrison Bruce Foundation’s largest recent grants are tied to physical improvements in Southern Illinois public institutions: $388,350 to the City of Herrin for an animal control facility and $333,500 to the City of Carterville for fire department bays. That pattern points to a funder that backs local infrastructure rather than broad, unrestricted philanthropy. Recent awards also show support for a regional college, veterans groups, and conservation organizations, with grants reaching municipal departments, schools, and community nonprofits across nearby towns. The foundation’s giving is concentrated in Southern Illinois and appears to favor tangible projects that improve public services and community assets. John A. Logan College received multiple awards for athletics-related facilities and equipment, including an indoor baseball facility, a baseball locker room, and computer equipment. Other grants supported Herrin House of Hope, Herrin Park District, and the Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge. Across the recent grants list, the foundation’s work is highly place-based, with recipients clustered in Herrin, Carterville, Marion, and neighboring communities.
Public safety and municipal services are a visible theme in the Julia Harrison Bruce Foundation’s recent grants. The City of Hurst received $41,969, while the Village of Pittsburg received $9,043 for body cams and in-car video cams, and the Crainville Police Department received $11,676 for laptops. The foundation also supported the Williamson County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #197 with $25,000 for law enforcement support. Community infrastructure shows up in several forms. The City of Carterville received $50,000 for a walk path at Cannon Park, the Village of Colp received $24,250 for parking lot asphalt, and Herrin Park District received $50,205 for signage. Educational and recreational facilities also appear in the grant list: John A. Logan College received $121,169 for a baseball locker room, and Johnston City High School received $10,000 for kitchen equipment. Conservation support reached Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge with $100,000 for general support.
The foundation’s typical grant size sits in the middle of a fairly wide band: p25 is $9,282, median is $29,906, and p75 is $55,929. Recent awards include both smaller equipment purchases and larger capital commitments, which suggests a mix of project sizes rather than a single fixed grant level. The recipient list also shows repeat funding to some institutions, including John A. Logan College and the City of Carterville, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation is not a program-related investment funder, and the presence of grants to individuals in its profile indicates that it can fund beyond organizations.
$849K
$19.7M
$1.2M
$1.3M
Most grants fall between $9K and $56K, with a median of $30K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$30K
75th Percentile
$56K
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A small number of large, one-off capital grants concentrated in a tight geographic area; repeated support for at least one regional institution (John A. Logan College). Funding is project-based rather than general operating support.
Notable grantees: John A. Logan College, City of Herrin, City of Carterville, Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois, Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge
The foundation’s giving is entirely in Illinois, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Awards are clustered in Southern Illinois towns and cities, especially Herrin, Carterville, Marion, Johnston City, and nearby communities. Recipients in Herrin include the city government, Herrin House of Hope, Herrin Park District, Herrin Elks Lodge #1146, and Herrin City Library. Carterville also appears repeatedly through city and college grants, while Marion receives support through Veterans Honor Flight of Southern IL, Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge, and other local groups.
Its recent grants focus on place-based projects in Southern Illinois: animal control facilities, fire department bays, police equipment, park improvements, college athletics facilities, and conservation support. The grant list also includes renovations, signage, asphalt work, and technology purchases for public services.
All of the recent grants shown go to recipients in Illinois, and the foundation’s recipient list is concentrated in Southern Illinois communities such as Herrin, Carterville, Marion, Johnston City, Hurst, Colp, Pittsburg, and Carbondale.
The foundation’s typical grant size falls in a moderate project-funding range: the 25th percentile is $9,282, the median is $29,906, and the 75th percentile is $55,929. Recent grants range from under $5,000 to several hundred thousand dollars.
Yes. Recent grants include $333,500 for fire department bays in Carterville, $9,043 for body cams and in-car video cams in Pittsburg, $11,676 for laptops for the Crainville Police Department, and $25,000 for law enforcement support through the Williamson County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #197.
Yes. John A. Logan College received multiple grants for baseball-related facilities and equipment, and Johnston City High School received $10,000 for kitchen equipment. The foundation also funded a walk path at Cannon Park and signage for Herrin Park District.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John A Logan College | Carterville, IL | $757,643 | 2026 | BASEBALL PLAYER DEVELOPMENT CENTER |
| John A Logan College | Carterville, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | HISTORICAL VILLAGE CHURCH |
| Veterans Honor Flight | HERRIN, IL | $40,854 | 2026 | BUILDING FOR WHEELCHAIRS |
| Miranda Ogden | HERRIN, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | Scholarship |
| CITY OF CARTERVILLE | Carterville, IL | $333,500 | 2025 | FIRE DEPARTMENT BAYS |
| John A Logan College | Carterville, IL | $121,169 | 2025 | BASEBALL LOCKER ROOM |
| Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge | Marion, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HERRIN PARK DISTRICT | HERRIN, IL | $50,205 | 2025 | SIGNAGE |
| CITY OF CARTERVILLE | Carterville, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | WALK PATH - CANNON PARK |
| VILLAGE OF ENERGY | Energy, IL | $42,000 | 2025 | POLICE CARS |
| HERRIN ELKS LODGE #1146 | HERRIN, IL | $27,926 | 2025 | ELECTRONIC SIGN |
| Williamson County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #197 | Marion, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT |
| Village of Colp | Colp, IL | $24,250 | 2025 | PARKING LOT ASPHALT |
| VILLAGE OF PITTSBURG | Pittsburg, IL | $9,043 | 2025 | BODY CAMS & IN-CAR VIDEO CAMS |
| Honor Wreaths for Veterans | Marion, IL | $7,225 | 2025 | WREATHS |
| John A Logan College | Carterville, IL | $4,988 | 2025 | COMPUTER EQUIPMENT |
| Herrin City Library | HERRIN, IL | $4,955 | 2025 | digital scanner |
| Friends of the Dough Boy | HERRIN, IL | $2,600 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ISABELLA BOYD | HERRIN, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Scholarship |
| City of HERRIN | Herrin, IL | $388,350 | 2024 | ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY |
| John A Logan College | Carterville, IL | $236,929 | 2024 | Baseball Indoor Facility/DOGTROT HEAT & AIR |
| HERRIN HOUSE OF HOPE | HERRIN, IL | $80,000 | 2024 | RENOVATION OF THE OLD CC CLUB |
| Spillertown Municipal Office & Community Center | Marion, IL | $55,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY CENTER FOR POLICE |
| Crainville Police Department | Carterville, IL | $11,676 | 2024 | laptops |
| Jewish Federation of Southern Illinois | Belleville, IL | $10,000 | 2024 | Gift |
| Johnston City HIGH SCHOOL | Johnston City, IL | $10,000 | 2024 | KITCHEN EQUIPMENT |
| Marion Community Unit School District #2 | Marion, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | Gift |
| Cameron Christ | HERRIN, IL | $1,000 | 2024 | Scholarship |
| VETERANS HONOR FLIGHT OF SOUTHERN IL | MARION, IL | $137,401 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| JOHN A LOGAN COLLEGE | CARTERVILLE, IL | $101,693 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| HERRIN CUSD #4 | HERRIN, IL | $56,239 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| JOHNSTON CITY CUSD #1 | JOHNSTON CITY, IL | $54,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| CITY OF HURST | HURST, IL | $41,969 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| HEYDE-PILLOW VFW POST | MARION, IL | $32,500 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| VILLAGE OF CRAINVILLE | CARTERVILLE, IL | $31,887 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| THE CARBONDALE WOMEN'S CENTER | CARBONDALE, IL | $15,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| CITY OF CARTERVILLE | CARTERVILLE, IL | $12,500 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| ASHTYN PIERCE | HERRIN, IL | $1,000 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIP |
Veterans Honor Flight
$40,854BUILDING FOR WHEELCHAIRS
Miranda Ogden
$1,000Scholarship
CITY OF CARTERVILLE
$333,500FIRE DEPARTMENT BAYS
BASEBALL LOCKER ROOM
Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HERRIN PARK DISTRICT
$50,205SIGNAGE
CITY OF CARTERVILLE
$50,000WALK PATH - CANNON PARK
VILLAGE OF ENERGY
$42,000POLICE CARS
HERRIN ELKS LODGE #1146
$27,926ELECTRONIC SIGN
Williamson County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #197
$25,000LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT
Village of Colp
$24,250PARKING LOT ASPHALT
VILLAGE OF PITTSBURG
$9,043BODY CAMS & IN-CAR VIDEO CAMS
Honor Wreaths for Veterans
$7,225WREATHS
Herrin City Library
$4,955digital scanner
Friends of the Dough Boy
$2,600GENERAL SUPPORT
ISABELLA BOYD
$1,000Scholarship
City of HERRIN
$388,350ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY
HERRIN HOUSE OF HOPE
$80,000RENOVATION OF THE OLD CC CLUB
Spillertown Municipal Office & Community Center
$55,000COMMUNITY CENTER FOR POLICE
Crainville Police Department
$11,676laptops
Jewish Federation of Southern Illinois
$10,000Gift
Johnston City HIGH SCHOOL
$10,000KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
Marion Community Unit School District #2
$5,000Gift
Cameron Christ
$1,000Scholarship
VETERANS HONOR FLIGHT OF SOUTHERN IL
$137,401CHARITABLE
HERRIN CUSD #4
$56,239CHARITABLE
JOHNSTON CITY CUSD #1
$54,000CHARITABLE
CITY OF HURST
$41,969CHARITABLE
HEYDE-PILLOW VFW POST
$32,500CHARITABLE
VILLAGE OF CRAINVILLE
$31,887CHARITABLE
THE CARBONDALE WOMEN'S CENTER
$15,000CHARITABLE
CITY OF CARTERVILLE
$12,500CHARITABLE
ASHTYN PIERCE
$1,000SCHOLARSHIP