The Pepper Family Foundation concentrates large, unrestricted operating gifts to major Chicago-area cultural, educational, and health institutions. Their giving favors established, high-profile nonprofits — especially museums and science attractions — with occasional support for higher education and regional health care. Grants are sizable and targeted to sustain core operations rather than project-specific initiatives.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of established local institutions; mostly unrestricted operating support with some repeat funding to flagship grantees.
The Pepper Family Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by a seven-figure operating grant to The Art Institute of Chicago, a signal that the foundation supports major institutions with core funding rather than narrow project awards. Across the recent grants list, its support repeatedly goes to Chicago-area cultural anchors, with additional gifts to education and health organizations in the region. The foundation’s pattern is not limited to one institution type: museums, an aquarium, a zoo, a planetarium, colleges, universities, and hospital-related organizations all appear among recipients. Operating support is the common thread. Recent awards to John G Shedd Aquarium, Lincoln Park Zoo, and Adler Planetarium show a strong emphasis on sustaining public-facing cultural and science institutions, while Northwestern University and Harper College indicate that higher education is also part of the mix. The foundation also extends support to regional health and community organizations, including Northshore Hospitals Foundation and Community Health Network. Most grants are made to established nonprofits, often in Chicago or nearby suburbs, and the recurring operating-funds language suggests an emphasis on organizational stability.
Cultural institutions are a central part of the Pepper Family Foundation’s giving. It awarded $1,010,000 to The Art Institute of Chicago for operating funds and also gave $500,000 to John G Shedd Aquarium for operating funds in both 2024 and 2025. Lincoln Park Zoo received $185,000 for operating support, and Adler Planetarium received $146,250. Education is another clear theme. The foundation gave $350,000 to Harper College for operating funds and $305,000 to Northwestern University for operating funds. In the suburban Chicago area, Barrington 220 Educational Foundation received $50,000 for operating funds, and Monmouth College received $54,936. Health-related support appears through operating gifts to Northshore Hospitals Foundation for $300,000 and Community Health Network for $50,000. Community and service organizations also receive support, including Madonna Mission and Bishop Anderson House, both funded for operating purposes.
The foundation’s recent grants cluster around mid-sized operating awards, with a typical range of $10,000 at the 25th percentile, a median of $29,000, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. The list also includes several much larger operating grants, showing a spread from regular support to major institutional commitments. Giving appears recurring rather than one-off for some recipients. John G Shedd Aquarium received $500,000 in both 2024 and 2025, The Art Institute of Chicago appears in both years, and several organizations received multiple operating grants across 2023-2025. The foundation is a private family foundation and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$3.7M
$35M
$2.4M
$4.4M
Most grants fall between $10K and $50K, with a median of $29K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$29K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Notable grantees: The Art Institute of Chicago, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Harper College, Northwestern University, NorthShore Hospitals Foundation
Giving is overwhelmingly concentrated in Illinois, with 93% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Chicago is the most common recipient city, joined by Evanston, Palatine, Elgin, Barrington, and LaGrange Park. The grants list also reaches nearby suburban communities such as Fox River Grove and Hawthorn Woods. Outside Illinois, the foundation made a smaller number of grants to Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts in Little Rock, plus awards to Community Health Network in Indianapolis and Junior Achievement of Central Ohio in Columbus. The overall footprint is local, with most grants staying within the Chicago region.
Its recent grants go to nonprofit cultural institutions, colleges and universities, health organizations, and community groups. Examples in the data include museums, an aquarium, a zoo, a planetarium, Harper College, Northwestern University, and Northshore Hospitals Foundation, with operating support as the common grant purpose.
The typical grant size in the data is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $29,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger operating grants such as $1,010,000 to The Art Institute of Chicago and $500,000 to John G Shedd Aquarium.
Yes. John G Shedd Aquarium received $500,000 in 2024 and again in 2025. The Art Institute of Chicago appears in both years as well, and several other recipients, including Bishop Anderson House and Madonna Mission, also received more than one operating grant across the recent years shown.
Its giving is concentrated in Illinois, which accounts for 93% of grants in the data. Chicago is the most frequent recipient city, and additional Illinois recipients include Evanston, Palatine, Elgin, Barrington, LaGrange Park, Fox River Grove, Hawthorn Woods, and Monmouth.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $1,010,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| JOHN G SHEDD AQUARIUM | CHICAGO, IL | $510,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| NORTHSHORE HOSPITALS FOUNDATION | EVANSTON, IL | $300,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| LINCOLN PARK ZOO | CHICAGO, IL | $230,982 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS | EVANSTON, IL | $200,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| ADLER PLANETARIUM | CHICAGO, IL | $146,250 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $105,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| PLYMOUTH PLACE | LAGRANGE PARK, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| ARKANSAS MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $100,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| CHICAGO SOUTH SIDE BIRTH CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC DEPT | EVANSTON, IL | $89,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| BROOKFIELD ZOO | BROOKFIELD, IL | $85,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| ST MICHAEL EPISCOPAL CHURCH | BARRINGTON, IL | $63,042 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| BARRINGTON WHITE HOUSE | BARRINGTON, IL | $55,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| ELGIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | ELGIN, IL | $55,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF CENTRAL OHIO | COLUMBUS, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| FRIENDS OF THE FIELDSBARRINGTON CUST 220 | BARRINGTON, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| MADONNA MISSION | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| BARRINGTON YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES | BARRINGTON, IL | $42,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF THE NW SUBURBS | CARPENTERSVILLE, IL | $40,200 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| CHICAGO BASEBALL AND EDUCATIONAL ACADEMY | CHICAGO, IL | $30,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| OPENLANDS | CHICAGO, IL | $30,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| MERCYONE GENESIS FOUNDATION | DAVENPORT, IA | $26,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| ARDEN SHORE CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES | WAUKEGAN, IL | $26,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| QUAD CITY MUSIC GUILD | MOLINE, IL | $25,526 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| WARP CORPS | WOODSTOCK, IL | $25,500 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY | COLUMBUS, OH | $25,207 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| SALUTE INC | PALATINE, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| THE CULTURAL TRUST | BETTENDORF, IA | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| MARYVILLE ACADEMY CENTER FOR CHILDREN | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| THE HAP FOUNDATION | OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| BIG SHOULDERS FUND | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| CHICAGO FIELD MUSEUM | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH | GALENA, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| CHICAGO CHILDREN'S THEATRE | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| LAKE ZURICH CUSD 95 MARCHING BAND | LAKE ZURICH, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| ST PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH | WAUKEGAN, IL | $3,800 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| GALENA TERRITORY FOUNDATION | GALENA, IL | $2,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| HARPER COLLEGE | PALATINE, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| HAZELDEN BETTY FORD FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| AUGUSTANA COLLEGE | ROCK ISLAND, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| CURTIS GRANDERSON FOUNDATION | WALNUT CREEK, CA | $500 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| LEAD(H)ER | DAVENPORT, IA | $500 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| ANTI CRUELTY SOCIETY | CHICAGO, IL | $500 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| BARRINGTON AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | BARRINGTON, IL | $500 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY | WASHINGTON, DC | $500 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| SEA SHEPHERD CONSERVATION SOCIETY | WOODBRIDGE, VA | $259 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
| THE GENTLE BARN FOUNDATION | DITTMER, MO | $252 | 2026 | OPERATING FUNDS |
OPERATING FUNDS
PLYMOUTH PLACE
$100,000OPERATING FUNDS
CHICAGO SOUTH SIDE BIRTH CENTER
$100,000OPERATING FUNDS
ST MICHAEL EPISCOPAL CHURCH
$63,042OPERATING FUNDS
BARRINGTON WHITE HOUSE
$55,000OPERATING FUNDS
ELGIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$55,000OPERATING FUNDS
FRIENDS OF THE FIELDSBARRINGTON CUST 220
$50,000OPERATING FUNDS
MADONNA MISSION
$50,000OPERATING FUNDS
BARRINGTON YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES
$42,000OPERATING FUNDS
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF THE NW SUBURBS
$40,200OPERATING FUNDS
CHICAGO BASEBALL AND EDUCATIONAL ACADEMY
$30,000OPERATING FUNDS
QUAD CITY MUSIC GUILD
$25,526OPERATING FUNDS
WARP CORPS
$25,500OPERATING FUNDS
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
$25,207OPERATING FUNDS
SALUTE INC
$25,000OPERATING FUNDS
THE CULTURAL TRUST
$25,000OPERATING FUNDS
MARYVILLE ACADEMY CENTER FOR CHILDREN
$25,000OPERATING FUNDS
CHICAGO FIELD MUSEUM
$10,000OPERATING FUNDS
GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
$10,000OPERATING FUNDS
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
$10,000OPERATING FUNDS
CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM
$10,000OPERATING FUNDS
LAKE ZURICH CUSD 95 MARCHING BAND
$5,000OPERATING FUNDS
ST PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
$3,800OPERATING FUNDS
GALENA TERRITORY FOUNDATION
$2,000OPERATING FUNDS
HAZELDEN BETTY FORD FOUNDATION
$1,000OPERATING FUNDS
CURTIS GRANDERSON FOUNDATION
$500OPERATING FUNDS
LEAD(H)ER
$500OPERATING FUNDS
BARRINGTON AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$500OPERATING FUNDS
THE GENTLE BARN FOUNDATION
$252OPERATING FUNDS