The Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation appears focused on promoting intellectual diversity and free inquiry within higher education, as evidenced by a single major grant to Heterodox Academy. Their giving targets efforts to change campus culture and academic norms rather than broad community services. Grants appear strategic and issue-specific rather than broadly distributed across sectors or geographies.
A defining thread in the Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation’s grantmaking is support for campus free expression and intellectual pluralism. In 2025, the foundation gave $75,000 in general support to Heterodox Academy, alongside $50,000 to the Council of Independent Colleges for campus free expression and $40,000 to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. Those grants point to a strategy centered on changing academic norms, not broad social services. The foundation also backs institutions and programs that shape campus culture and civic formation. Recent awards include general support for the James Madison Program, general support for Future Caucus, and an internship program at the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago. Alongside its higher-education focus, the foundation has supported selected local and cultural organizations in Lake Forest and elsewhere, including Ragdale Foundation and the History Society of Lake Forest Lake Bluff. The pattern suggests a portfolio built around issue-specific grants, with recurring support for some grantees across multiple years.
In higher education, the Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation repeatedly funds organizations working on open inquiry and viewpoint diversity. It gave $50,000 to the Council of Independent Colleges for campus free expression and $40,000 to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education for general support, while also supporting the James Madison Program with general support. The foundation also funds student-facing experiences. It awarded $30,000 to the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago for its internship program in 2025, matching a $30,000 grant in 2024 and a $25,000 grant in 2023 for the same program. Beyond campus work, the foundation has supported community and cultural organizations such as Ragdale Foundation, Savannah Music Festival, and the History Society of Lake Forest Lake Bluff, indicating a narrower but varied set of interests.
Typical grants cluster in the $10,000 to $25,000 range, with a median of $20,000, a p25 of $10,000, and a p75 of $25,000. The recent record shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including Ragdale Foundation, Episcopal Church of Nashville, Savannah Music Festival, the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago, and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. The foundation appears to make direct grants rather than individuals grants or program-related investments. Several awards are labeled general support, pledge payment, internship program, or campus free expression, suggesting a mix of operating and programmatic support.
$768K
$1.3M
$1.2M
$836K
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Highly concentrated: a single, relatively large grant to one national education-focused organization, suggesting targeted, strategic support rather than many small or geographically dispersed gifts.
Notable grantees: Heterodox Academy
Grantmaking is national, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. Illinois appears most often in the recipient list, and 33% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Recent Illinois grantees include Lake Forest, Chicago, and other in-state organizations such as Ragdale Foundation, the History Society of Lake Forest Lake Bluff, Gorton Community Center, and the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago. Outside Illinois, recipients include New York, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Princeton, Nashville, Savannah, and Mount Pleasant.
Its recent grants emphasize campus free expression, viewpoint diversity, and intellectual pluralism in colleges and universities. Named examples include Heterodox Academy, the Council of Independent Colleges, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, and the James Madison Program.
The foundation’s typical grant size sits in a fairly tight band: p25 is $10,000, the median is $20,000, and p75 is $25,000. Recent awards also include larger grants such as $75,000 to Heterodox Academy and $50,000 to the Council of Independent Colleges.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Ragdale Foundation, Episcopal Church of Nashville, Savannah Music Festival, the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago, and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts.
Illinois is the top state by grant count, and 33% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Recent Illinois recipients include Lake Forest and Chicago organizations, along with other in-state grantees.
The recent record includes general support, pledge payments, campus free expression support, internship program support, and general operating-style awards. That mix shows the foundation using both unrestricted and program-specific grant formats.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gorton Community Center | Lake Forest, IL | $114,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Heterodox Academy | New York, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina | Mount Pleasant, SC | $60,000 | 2026 | Pledge Payment |
| Chicago Abortion Foundation | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Ragdale Foundation | Lake Forest, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | Pledge Payment |
| Council of Independent Colleges | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2026 | Campus Free Expression |
| Future Caucus | Washington, DC | $45,000 | 2026 | general support |
| History Society of Lake Forest Lake Bluff | Lake Forest, IL | $42,000 | 2026 | Pledge Payment |
| Foundation for Individual Rights in Education | Philadelphia, PA | $40,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| James Madison Program | Princeton, NJ | $40,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Episcopal Church of Nashville | Nashville, TN | $35,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Institute of Politics at University of Chicago | chicago, IL | $30,000 | 2026 | Internship Program |
| Savannah Music Festival | Savannah, GA | $25,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Allies for Community Business | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Lab |
| Elawa Farm Foundation | Lake Forest, IL | $17,000 | 2026 | Pledge Payment |
| Millennium Park Foundation | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Buffalo Bill Center of the West | Cody, WY | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| American Writer's Museum | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | Onward Project |
| Yellowstone Forever | Yellowstone Park, WY | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Yellowstone Coalition | Bozeman, MT | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Lake Forest Open Lands | Lake Forest, IL | $6,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Food Bank of the Rockies | Aurora, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| USCB Chamber Music | Beaufort, SC | $2,500 | 2026 | General Support |
| The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina | Mount Pleasant, SC | $2,500 | 2026 | General Support |
| Nurturing Minds Inc | Boston, MA | $2,500 | 2026 | Sega Girls School |
| St Marks of Southbridge | Southborough, MA | $2,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Christ & St Stephens Church | New York, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Christ & St Stephens Church | New York, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | Capital Fund |
| Garden Club of America | New York, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | General Support |
| Heterodox Academy | New York, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Council of Independent Colleges | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | Campus Free Expression |
| Ragdale Foundation | Lake Forest, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | Pledge Payment |
| Future Caucus | Washington, DC | $45,000 | 2025 | general support |
| History Society of Lake Forest Lake Bluff | Lake Forest, IL | $42,000 | 2025 | Pledge Payment |
| Foundation for Individual Rights in Education | Philadelphia, PA | $40,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| James Madison Program | Princeton, NJ | $40,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Episcopal Church of Nashville | Nashville, TN | $35,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Institute of Politics at University of Chicago | chicago, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | Internship Program |
| Savannah Music Festival | Savannah, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Chicago Abortion Foundation | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Gorton Community Center | Lake Forest, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Allies for Community Business | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Lab |
| Buffalo Bill Center of the West | Cody, WY | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| American Writer's Museum | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Onward Project |
| Yellowstone Coalition | Bozeman, MT | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Millennium Park Foundation | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina | Mount Pleasant, SC | $10,000 | 2025 | Pledge Payment |
| Lake Forest Open Lands | Lake Forest, IL | $6,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Colorado Coalition for the Homeless | Denver, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | general support |
| Yellowstone Forever | Yellowstone Park, WY | $5,000 | 2025 | General Support |
Gorton Community Center
$114,000General Support
Chicago Abortion Foundation
$50,000General Support
Council of Independent Colleges
Campus Free Expression
Future Caucus
$45,000general support
History Society of Lake Forest Lake Bluff
$42,000Pledge Payment
James Madison Program
$40,000General Support
Episcopal Church of Nashville
$35,000General Support
Millennium Park Foundation
$10,000General Support
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
$10,000General Support
Yellowstone Coalition
$10,000General Support
USCB Chamber Music
$2,500General Support
St Marks of Southbridge
$2,000General Support
Christ & St Stephens Church
$2,000General Support
Christ & St Stephens Church
$1,000Capital Fund
Council of Independent Colleges
$50,000Campus Free Expression
Future Caucus
$45,000general support
History Society of Lake Forest Lake Bluff
$42,000Pledge Payment
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
$40,000General Support
James Madison Program
$40,000General Support
Episcopal Church of Nashville
$35,000General Support
Institute of Politics at University of Chicago
$30,000Internship Program
Chicago Abortion Foundation
$25,000General Support
Gorton Community Center
$20,000General Support
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
$10,000General Support
Yellowstone Coalition
$10,000General Support
Millennium Park Foundation
$10,000General Support
Lake Forest Open Lands
$6,000General Support
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
$5,000general support