Make It Better Foundation concentrates its giving into a very small number of large, unrestricted gifts to national nonprofits focused on immediate humanitarian needs and maternal/child health. The foundation shows a clear preference for funding direct-service organizations that deliver frontline care and emergency assistance, and it makes repeat, substantial gifts rather than many small grants.
Highly concentrated: three large grants totaling $325k, with repeat funding to Nurse-Family Partnership and preference for unrestricted donations to established national organizations.
Nurse-Family Partnership, American Red Cross
Make It Better Foundation’s recent giving centers on large unrestricted grants, with a $125,000 award to the American Red Cross and two $100,000 awards to Nurse Family Partnership. Those gifts sit alongside a broader pattern of support for direct-service organizations that work in immediate response, maternal and child health, and general operating capacity. The foundation’s recent grant list also includes repeated support for Catch a Fire, showing that it does not rely only on one-time awards. Its grantmaking combines national organizations with Chicago-area nonprofits, and the amounts in the recent file range from $25,000 awards to six-figure grants. Several recipients are community-serving institutions that provide education, human services, health, or emergency aid, which fits the foundation’s emphasis on practical support rather than restricted project funding. In the same period, it backed groups such as City Year, A Safe Haven, Metropolitan Family Services, and NAMI Chicago, indicating a mix of service delivery and organizational support. The foundation also makes awards that are explicitly unrestricted, suggesting flexibility is part of how it funds.
One clear theme is direct-service safety net work. The foundation gave $125,000 to the American Red Cross for unrestricted charitable donation, aligning with emergency response and disaster relief. Maternal and child health is another recurring priority: it awarded $100,000 to Nurse Family Partnership for unrestricted charitable donation, matching its stated focus on home visiting programs. Its support also extends into community-serving nonprofits in Chicago. The foundation gave $25,000 to A Safe Haven for unrestricted charitable donation, and another $25,000 to Metropolitan Family Services for unrestricted charitable donation. In education and youth development, it awarded $25,000 to KIPP Chicago Schools for unrestricted charitable donation and $25,000 to City Year in Boston for unrestricted charitable donation. These grants show a pattern of funding organizations that deliver services directly and can use flexible support across operations.
Recent grant sizes cluster at the upper end of its range: p25 is $2,000, median grant size is $10,000, and p75 is $25,000. The recent grants file also shows several awards above that level, including $60,000 and $100,000 gifts. The foundation’s pattern is repeat funding rather than one-off support; Catch a Fire appears in both 2024 and 2025 with $60,000 grants each year. The organization does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its active programs include unsolicited entry points such as the Philanthropy Awards, Monthly Cash Grants, Give Time, Things, Money Requests, and You Said It submissions, alongside content partnerships tied to selected grants.
$1.2M
$81K
$3M
$1.8M
Most grants fall between $2K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Make It Better Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 139 | $1.9M | 99.3% |
| 2 | United Kingdom |
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Most of the recent grant volume lands in the United States, with 139 grants there and one grant in the UK. Chicago is the strongest city-level hub in the recent grants list, with multiple awards to Chicago-based organizations such as Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Harris Theater, and NAMI Chicago. Boston and Cambridge also appear through City Year, Harvard College, and Good Jobs Institute. Grantmaking is regional rather than national in practice, and 63% of grants go to recipients in Illinois, even though the top state by grant count is Massachusetts.
The foundation backs direct-service nonprofits and organizations that can use flexible support. Recent grants include emergency response, maternal and child health, education, human services, and community support, with awards described as unrestricted charitable donations or general support.
Yes. Catch a Fire received $60,000 in 2024 and another $60,000 in 2025. The recent file also includes multiple repeated Chicago-area grantees such as A Safe Haven, Goodman Theater, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, and Joffrey Ballet.
The foundation’s typical grant-size distribution is p25 at $2,000, median at $10,000, and p75 at $25,000. The recent list also includes larger awards of $60,000, $100,000, and $125,000.
Yes. Active programs marked as accepting unsolicited requests include Philanthropy Awards, Matching Grant Program, Monthly Cash Grants, Give Time, Things, Money Requests, You Said It Grants, and You Said It — Share Your Passion With the World.
The grant record is concentrated in the United States, with 139 grants there and one in the UK. Illinois receives 63% of grants, and Massachusetts is the top state by grant count.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 1 |
| $1K |
0.7% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Current and upcoming funding from Make It Better Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations or groups able to submit requests via the Foundation’s request form. Specific eligibility determined by Foundation review.
Who can apply: Nonprofits should understand the power of media platforms and demonstrate creative alliances or partnerships that can amplify their mission and fundraising efforts.
Deadline: Applications are reviewed on a monthly basis; no fixed deadline is stated.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Red Cross | Washington, DC | $125,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Nurse Family Partnership wire not showing up in gl | Denver, CO | $100,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Nurse Family Partnership | Denver, CO | $100,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Catch a fire | Claymont, DE | $60,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Anera | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| City Year | Boston, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Goodman Theater | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Harris Theater | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Good Jobs Institute | Cambridge, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| After School Matters | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center | Skokie, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Cinema Chicago | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| KIPP Chicago Schools | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Metropolitan Family Services | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| writers theater | Glencoe, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Athletes Against Anxiety & Depression | Westchester, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| NAMI Chicago | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| The Greater Science Center Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Joffrey Ballet | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Ignatian spiritu | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Cradles to Crayon | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| A Safe Haven | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED DISORDERS ASSOCIATION INC | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| US Center for Safe Sport | Denver, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Chicago Shakespeare Theater | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Pres and Fellows of Harvard College | Cambridge, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| World Central Kitchen | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Palestine Children's Relief Fund | Los Angeles, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| The Samburu Project | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Cinema Chicago | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| George Mark House | San Leandro, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Go Campaign | Santa Monica, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Hope Solutions | Pleasant Hill, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Lyric Opera Chicago | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Side by Side | San Anselmo, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Interfaith America | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Twist Out Cancer | Villanova, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| NorthShore Foundation | Evanston, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Goodwill Foundation of Central and Southern Indiana | Indianapolis, IN | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Rehab Inst Chicago | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| The Family Institute of Northwestern University | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| McGaw YMCA | Evanston, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Catchafire Inc | Claymont, DE | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| American Red Cross | Washington, DC | $5,181 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Anera | Washington, DC | $5,163 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| American Red Cross (EOY 2023) | Washington, DC | $5,125 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Middle East Children | Berkeley, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
| Cleveland Angels (EOY 2023) | Cleveland, OH | $4,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted Charitable Donation |
Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Catch a fire
$60,000General Support
Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Goodman Theater
$25,000General Support
Harris Theater
$25,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Good Jobs Institute
$25,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
$25,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Cinema Chicago
$25,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Metropolitan Family Services
$25,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
writers theater
$25,000General Support
Athletes Against Anxiety & Depression
$25,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
The Greater Science Center Berkeley
$25,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Ignatian spiritu
$25,000General Support
Cradles to Crayon
$25,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
A Safe Haven
$25,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Unrestricted Charitable Donation
US Center for Safe Sport
$25,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
$25,000General Support
Pres and Fellows of Harvard College
$25,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
World Central Kitchen
$20,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
The Samburu Project
$15,000General Support
Cinema Chicago
$10,000General Support
George Mark House
$10,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Twist Out Cancer
$10,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
NorthShore Foundation
$10,000General Support
Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Rehab Inst Chicago
$10,000General Support
The Family Institute of Northwestern University
$10,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Catchafire Inc
$10,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
American Red Cross (EOY 2023)
$5,125Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Middle East Children
$5,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation
Cleveland Angels (EOY 2023)
$4,000Unrestricted Charitable Donation