The Perry Family Charitable Foundation is a concentrated education funder focused on Chicago-area and Illinois institutions, with an emphasis on college-preparatory and Catholic/Jesuit secondary schools as well as local higher-education institutions. Their grants largely support program services and capacity at established schools and universities, often funding Christ-centered college-prep models and major public and private universities in the region.
Concentrated, large grants to a small number of education institutions; mix of repeat multi-year support (e.g., multiple grants to the University of Illinois) and big one-time program support awards. Geographic focus is local/regional (Chicago/Illinois).
The Perry Family Charitable Foundation’s giving is anchored by a repeated commitment to Cristo Rey-style college-preparatory education in the Chicago region. Its largest recent grant, $1,425,000 to Cristo Rey St Martin College Prep in Waukegan, shows the scale of its support for secondary schools tied to work-study and college-access models. The foundation also made major grants to Loyola University Chicago and the University of Illinois Foundation, reflecting a steady interest in higher education institutions alongside K-12 pipeline programs. Several of its largest grants go to Chicago-area schools and organizations that serve students through college preparation, Catholic education, and related support services. That pattern appears across multiple years, with the Cristo Rey Network receiving recurring support and Christ the King Jesuit College Prep School appearing in more than one grant year. The foundation’s portfolio also reaches beyond education into selected service organizations, including Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Clearbrook, and The People’s Music School, but the central thread remains direct program support for institutions serving students and families in Illinois.
In college-preparatory education, the Perry Family Charitable Foundation backed Cristo Rey Jesuit High School with $415,000 in 2023 for program services and also gave $400,000 that same year to Christ the King Jesuit College Prep School for program services. The Cristo Rey Network received $210,000 in 2025, following $200,000 grants in both 2024 and 2023, which points to multi-year institutional support. Higher education is another clear focus: Loyola University Chicago received $1,340,000 in 2025 and earlier support of $40,000 in 2024 and $25,000 in 2023, while the University of Illinois Foundation received $802,500 in 2025. The foundation also supported service organizations such as Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Clearbrook, and Illinois Prison Project, all with grants labeled to further program services.
Typical grant size is modest to mid-sized: the 25th percentile is $1,000, the median is $4,100, and the 75th percentile is $25,000. The recent record shows both large, multi-hundred-thousand-dollar program grants and a longer tail of smaller awards. Recurring support is visible: Loyola University Chicago, the Cristo Rey Network, Catholic Extension, Clearbrook, Illinois Prison Project, The People’s Music School, and Christ the King Jesuit College Prep School each appear in more than one year. Perry Family Charitable Foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The grant descriptions consistently say “to further program services,” and the pattern suggests restricted support for operating program delivery rather than open application-based grants.
$3.1M
$11.6M
$10.3M
$3.1M
Most grants fall between $1K and $25K, with a median of $4K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$4K
75th Percentile
$25K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Perry Family Charitable Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 143 | $10.6M | 99.3% |
| 2 | Switzerland |
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Notable grantees: University of Illinois Foundation, Loyola University Chicago, Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Christ the King Jesuit College Prep School
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in Illinois, which accounts for 72% of grants and is also the top state by grant count. Chicago is the main city in the portfolio, with repeated grants to Loyola University Chicago, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Christ the King Jesuit College Prep School, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Catholic Extension, The People’s Music School, and Illinois Prison Project. Other Illinois recipients include Waukegan, Champaign, Arlington Heights, and Glenview. Outside Illinois, the recent grants list includes New York, NY and Washington, DC, but the recipient base is overwhelmingly U.S.-based.
Across its recent giving, the 25th percentile grant is $1,000, the median is $4,100, and the 75th percentile is $25,000. The record also includes larger program grants in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, so the typical award is much smaller than the largest checks.
The foundation’s recent grants center on college-preparatory Catholic education, Jesuit schools, and Illinois higher education, especially institutions tied to Chicago and the broader state. It also supports selected service organizations such as Catholic charities, a music school, and a prison-focused nonprofit, all with program-service funding.
Yes. Several organizations appear more than once, including Loyola University Chicago, the Cristo Rey Network, Catholic Extension, Clearbrook, Illinois Prison Project, The People’s Music School, and Christ the King Jesuit College Prep School. That pattern indicates recurring support rather than only one-time awards.
Illinois is the top state by grant count, and 72% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Chicago appears frequently, alongside Waukegan, Champaign, Arlington Heights, and Glenview. The recipient list is otherwise U.S.-only in the data provided.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| 1 |
| $250 |
0.7% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FOUNDATION | CHAMPAIGN, IL | $1,251,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $715,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CRISTO REY NETWORK | CHICAGO, IL | $150,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CRISTO REY ST MARTIN COLLEGE PREP | WAUKEGAN, IL | $125,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CATHOLIC EXTENSION | CHICAGO, IL | $125,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CHICAGO JESUIT ACADEMY | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| PHI KAPPA PSI FOUNDATION | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $100,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CLEARBROOK | ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL | $85,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CHRIST THE KING JESUIT COLLEGE PREP HIGH SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $80,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| COME TO BELIEVE NETWORK | NEW YORK, NY | $55,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| THE ONE PLAN SAINTS JFX | WILMETTE, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| ANN & ROBERT H LURIE CHILDRENS HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $27,500 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| ILLINOIS PRISON PROJECT | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| BIG SHOULDERS FUND | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| OUR LADY OF TEPEYAC PARISH | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| EVAN SCHOLARS FOUNDATION | GLENVIEW, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| LOYOLA ACADEMY | WILMETTE, IL | $15,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $15,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY | OMAHA, NE | $10,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| THE PEOPLE'S MUSIC SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| WALLS TURNED SIDEWAYS | CHICAGO, IL | $5,250 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| 1916 FOUNDATION | HIGHLAND PARK, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| SAINTS FAITH HOPE & CHARITY | WINNETKA, IL | $3,500 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $2,500 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| HENRY SCHUELER 41 & 9 FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| MARYVILLE FOUNDATION | DES PLAINES, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP - GLENVIEW | GLENVIEW, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| REGINA DOMINICAN HIGH SCHOOL | WILMETTE, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| LINK UNLIMITED | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| MADONNA MISSION | CHICAGO, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| LEELANAU HISTORICAL SOCIETY | LELAND, MI | $500 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| MORGANTE WILSON FOUNDATION | EVANSTON, IL | $500 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| MISERICORDIA FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $259 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| GIFT OF ADOPTION FUND | NORTHBROOK, IL | $250 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| SADDLE BROOK EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | SADDLE BROOK, NJ | $250 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| MSC FOUNDATION | GENEVE | $250 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| WINNETKA HISTORICAL | WINNETKA, IL | $250 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| ST PATRICKS SAN JOSE | SAN JOSE, CA | $250 | 2026 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $1,340,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FOUNDATION | CHAMPAIGN, IL | $802,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CRISTO REY NETWORK | CHICAGO, IL | $210,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CLEARBROOK | ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL | $180,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $150,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CATHOLIC EXTENSION | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CHRIST THE KING JESUIT COLLEGE PREP SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $70,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| ILLINOIS PRISON PROJECT | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| THE PEOPLE'S MUSIC SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| EVAN SCHOLARS FOUNDATION | GLENVIEW, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
| ANN & ROBERT H LURIE CHILDRENS HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES |
CRISTO REY ST MARTIN COLLEGE PREP
$125,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
CATHOLIC EXTENSION
$125,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
CHICAGO JESUIT ACADEMY
TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
PHI KAPPA PSI FOUNDATION
$100,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
CHRIST THE KING JESUIT COLLEGE PREP HIGH SCHOOL
$80,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
COME TO BELIEVE NETWORK
$55,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
THE ONE PLAN SAINTS JFX
$50,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
OUR LADY OF TEPEYAC PARISH
$25,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
EVAN SCHOLARS FOUNDATION
$25,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
LOYOLA ACADEMY
$15,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL
$15,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
THE PEOPLE'S MUSIC SCHOOL
$10,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
WALLS TURNED SIDEWAYS
$5,250TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
1916 FOUNDATION
$5,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
SAINTS FAITH HOPE & CHARITY
$3,500TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
HENRY SCHUELER 41 & 9 FOUNDATION
$1,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
MARYVILLE FOUNDATION
$1,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP - GLENVIEW
$1,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
REGINA DOMINICAN HIGH SCHOOL
$1,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
MADONNA MISSION
$1,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
LEELANAU HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$500TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
MORGANTE WILSON FOUNDATION
$500TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
SADDLE BROOK EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
$250TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
MSC FOUNDATION
$250TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
WINNETKA HISTORICAL
$250TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
ST PATRICKS SAN JOSE
$250TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
CATHOLIC EXTENSION
$100,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
CHRIST THE KING JESUIT COLLEGE PREP SCHOOL
$70,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
EVAN SCHOLARS FOUNDATION
$25,000TO FURTHER PROGRAM SERVICES