The Kaufman Foundation concentrates substantial, targeted gifts to a small set of organizations, primarily supporting education-related causes and using intermediary vehicles. Their largest commitments go to a donor-advised/charitable fund and to scholarship and school-support organizations, indicating a preference for funding student access and K–12/college-entry pathways in Illinois and nationally. They repeatedly fund the same recipients rather than dispersing many small grants.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of repeat grantees; mix of direct education scholarships/school support and large pass-through contributions to a philanthropic fund rather than many small, diversified grants.
A three-year run of large general-purpose gifts to Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund is the clearest marker of how Mark and Mary Ann Kaufman Foundation C/o Harrison LLP gives: through a small set of recurring recipients, with sizable checks and broad-purpose support. The foundation’s recent record also shows repeated backing for the Evans Scholars Foundation and Aspire of Illinois, pointing to sustained interest in scholarship pathways and K–12 or school-support work. Rather than spreading grants widely, the foundation concentrates capital in a limited group of organizations and returns to the same recipients across multiple years. That pattern is visible in the highest-dollar awards, where general-purpose grants recur at $475,000 in 2024, $400,000 in 2025, and $300,000 in 2023 to Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund. In the education lane, Evans Scholars Foundation received $225,000 in 2025 after a $200,000 grant in 2024, while Aspire of Illinois received $100,000 in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025. The result is a portfolio that favors continuity, flexible support, and institutions tied to student access and advancement.
Education-related funding is central to the foundation’s recent grants. Evans Scholars Foundation received $225,000 in 2025 and $200,000 in 2024 for general purposes, a sign of multi-year support for its scholarship work. They also support K–12 and school-service organizations. Aspire of Illinois received $100,000 in 2023, $100,000 in 2024, and $100,000 in 2025, all for general purposes, showing a repeated commitment to that organization. Beyond education, the foundation has funded youth-serving and health-related nonprofits. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chicago received $50,000 in both 2024 and 2025, and Rush University Medical Center received $50,000 in 2023, each for general purposes. Make-a-wish Foundation of Illinois also appeared in 2023, 2024, and 2025 with $20,000 grants.
Typical grant size sits at $20,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows repeated grants to the same organizations over multiple years, which suggests a deliberate renewal pattern rather than one-time giving. Funding is routed as general-purpose support, including through intermediary vehicles such as Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$3.2M
$34.5M
$3.8M
$3.8M
Most grants fall between $20K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Notable grantees: Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund, Evans Scholars Foundation, Aspire of Illinois
Grant recipients are entirely U.S.-based in the recent sample. Illinois receives the largest share of grants by count, with recipients in Chicago, Glenview, Hillside, and other Illinois locations. California appears as the next notable state, including Monterey through Naval Postgraduate School Foundation. New York shows up through Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund in New York and American Farm School in New York, while Washington, DC is represented by Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
Recent grants point to education-centered and youth-serving organizations, along with some health and conservation groups. Examples include Evans Scholars Foundation for general purposes, Aspire of Illinois for general purposes, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chicago for general purposes, and Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership for general purposes.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years. Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Aspire of Illinois received $100,000 in each of those three years; and Make-a-wish Foundation of Illinois also appears across 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The grant-size distribution centers on moderate awards: $20,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes larger outliers, such as $475,000 and $400,000 grants to Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund.
Most grants go to recipients in Illinois, which accounts for 52% of grants given to the foundation’s home state. By count, California is the top giving state overall, and recent recipients are also located in New York and Washington, DC.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF IOWA FOUNDATION (CENTER FOR ADVANCEMENT) | IOWA CITY, IA | $2,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| GOLDMAN SACHS PHILANTHROPY FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $550,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| EVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION | GLENVIEW, IL | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| PGA TOUR FIRST TEE FOUNDATION | PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| ASPIRE OF ILLINOIS | HILLSIDE, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MONTANA INSTITUTE OF SPORT | BOZEMAN, MT | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL FOUNDATION | MONTEREY, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| THEODORE ROOSEVELT CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| GOLDMAN SACHS PHILANTHROPY FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $400,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| EVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION | GLENVIEW, IL | $225,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| ASPIRE OF ILLINOIS | HILLSIDE, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL FOUNDATION | MONTEREY, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| THEODORE ROOSEVELT CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| GOLDMAN SACHS PHILANTHROPY FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $475,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| EVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION | GLENVIEW, IL | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| ASPIRE OF ILLINOIS | HILLSIDE, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL FOUNDATION | MONTEREY, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| THEODORE ROOSEVELT CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| GOLDMAN SACHS PHILANTHROPY FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $300,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| ASPIRE OF ILLINOIS | HILLSIDE, IL | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL FOUNDATION | MONTEREY, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| THEODORE ROOSEVELT CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| AMERICAN FARM SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA FOUNDATION (CENTER FOR ADVANCEMENT)
$2,000,000GENERAL PURPOSES
GOLDMAN SACHS PHILANTHROPY FUND
$550,000GENERAL PURPOSES
EVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION
$200,000GENERAL PURPOSES
MONTANA INSTITUTE OF SPORT
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSES
GOLDMAN SACHS PHILANTHROPY FUND
$400,000GENERAL PURPOSES
EVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION
$225,000GENERAL PURPOSES
GOLDMAN SACHS PHILANTHROPY FUND
$475,000GENERAL PURPOSES
EVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION
$200,000GENERAL PURPOSES
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CHICAGO
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSES
GOLDMAN SACHS PHILANTHROPY FUND
$300,000GENERAL PURPOSES
AMERICAN FARM SCHOOL
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSES