The Sunshine Charitable Foundation concentrates large, multi-million dollar gifts to a small set of national organizations, favoring repeat support. Its giving is focused on funding biomedical research and advocacy around food allergies, habitat and waterfowl conservation, and endowed academic research at a major university, usually via general support or endowed fund gifts.
Sunshine Charitable Foundation’s recent giving is marked by repeated multi-million-dollar support for FARE, including two 2023 general support grants of $2,666,667 and $2,500,000. That pattern points to a funder that backs a small group of national organizations with substantial, sustained commitments rather than a broad roster of one-time awards. Alongside food allergy advocacy and research, the foundation has made similarly large gifts to Ducks Unlimited and Northwestern University, using general support and endowed research-and-fellowship funding to reinforce established institutions. The grant list also shows support for clinical and academic research tied to eosinophilic disorders through Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, indicating an interest in medical research infrastructure as well as direct program support. Other recent awards extend into conservation, athletics, youth development, and local community organizations, but the largest grants are concentrated in a few recurring relationships. The foundation’s 2023 giving profile suggests flexible funding is a common tool, with several grants labeled general support and others designated for endowed research or fellowship funds.
Food allergy research and advocacy are central to the foundation’s recent grantmaking. In 2023, it gave $2,666,667 and $2,500,000 to FARE for general support, signaling sustained backing for national food allergy work. Medical research also appears through Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, which received two $250,000 grants for the Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders. In higher education, Northwestern University received $2,000,000 and $1,000,000 for the CFAAR Endowed Research and Fellowship Fund, connecting the foundation to research capacity and graduate support. Conservation is another visible thread: Ducks Unlimited received $2,020,000 and $1,205,000 in general support, complementing other wildlife and wetlands grants such as those to Delta Waterfowl Foundation, National Wildlife Federation, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and Des Plaines Wetlands Conservancy Inc.
Typical grants are modest relative to the foundation’s largest awards: the distribution shows a p25 of $1,200, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $10,000. At the same time, the 2023 list includes several seven-figure awards, so the foundation gives in a highly bimodal way: many smaller grants alongside a small number of very large institutional gifts. The recent grants also show repeat support within the same year to the same organizations, especially through duplicated awards to multiple recipients. Sunshine Charitable Foundation funds individuals and uses grants rather than program-related investments. The grant types most often shown are general support and endowed research or fellowship support.
$3.3M
$115.4M
$5.7M
$5.5M
Most grants fall between $1K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
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Highly concentrated: very few, very large grants; repeated multi‑grant relationships with the same national nonprofits and university endowments rather than many small awards.
Notable grantees: FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Northwestern University (CFAAR Endowed Research and Fellowship Fund)
The grant list is entirely U.S.-based, with 122 grants to U.S. recipients. California is the top state by grant count, while 59% of grants go to recipients in Illinois, the foundation’s headquarters state. Recipient locations cluster in a few places, including New York, NY; Brookfield, IL; Evanston, IL; Cincinnati, OH; and Colorado Springs, CO. That mix shows both national organizations and Illinois-centered giving, especially around the Chicago region.
The recent grants show a strong emphasis on national organizations working in food allergy advocacy, wildlife and wetlands conservation, and research institutions. FARE, Ducks Unlimited, and Northwestern University each received multi-million-dollar support, and the foundation also funded Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center for the Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders.
Both appear in the recent record, but general support is prominent. FARE and Ducks Unlimited each received multiple general support grants, and several other awards are labeled general support as well. The foundation also used a named endowed vehicle, the CFAAR Endowed Research and Fellowship Fund at Northwestern University.
The grant-size distribution is relatively small for most awards: p25 is $1,200, median is $5,000, and p75 is $10,000. Even so, the recent list includes several much larger institutional grants in the hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars.
The foundation gives most often to recipients in California by grant count, and 59% of grants go to recipients in Illinois. The recent recipient list is entirely U.S.-based, including organizations in New York, Illinois, Ohio, Colorado, and Washington, DC.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks Unlimited Inc | Brookfield, IL | $1,028,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Door County YMCA | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $510,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| National Wrestling Coaches Association Inc | Manheim, PA | $450,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| FARE | New York, NY | $333,333 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation | Lake Forest, IL | $250,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center | Cincinnati, OH | $150,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Delta Waterfowl Foundation | Bismarck, ND | $100,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $85,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Start Early (FKA Ounce of Prevention Fund) | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| National Alopecia Areata Foundation | San Rafael, CA | $40,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| USA Wrestling | Colorado Springs, CO | $29,757 | 2026 | General Support Grant - Living the Dream Fund |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Foundation | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Gorton Community Center | Lake Forest, IL | $11,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Trustees of Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | Lynch School of Education & Connell School of Nursing |
| Northern Illinois University Foundation | DeKalb, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant for College of Education |
| Boys & Girls Club of Door County Inc | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Ames Education Foundation | Ames, IA | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club Sail Training Foundation Inc | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| APFED | Atlanta, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Galena School District #120 | Galena, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Help Our Military Heroes Inc | Easton, CT | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Waterloo Community School District | Waterloo, IA | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Sturgeon Bay School District | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Erikson Institute | Chicago, IL | $6,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Harvard Varsity Club | Boston, MA | $6,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Feed and Clothe My People | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Ducks Unlimited - Capital Hill Chapter | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| The Josselyn Center NFP | Northfield, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Boys & Girls Club of Lake County | North Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| CURED NFP | Buffalo Grove, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation | Elizabeth, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Glenbrook High School District 225 | Glenview, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| National-Louis University | Wheeling, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant for National College of Education |
| United Way of Door County | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Spirit of 67 Foundation | Lake Forest, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Lake Forest High School Foundation | Lake Forest, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Henry-Senachwine CUSD 5 | Henry, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| HELP of Door County Inc | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Bold Foundation Inc | Denver, CO | $3,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Third Avenue Playhouse Inc | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $2,500 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospital | Chicago, IL | $2,500 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital | Chicago, IL | $2,500 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| North Chicago Community Partners | Lake Bluff, IL | $2,500 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Medical Univ of South Carolina Foundation | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Invisible Institute | Chicago, IL | $2,500 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| The Galena Territory Foundation | Galena, IL | $2,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Pheasants Forever Inc | Freeport, IL | $1,200 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Lake Forest Academy | Lake Forest, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Songs by Heart Foundation | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
| Community Partners For Affordable Housing | Libertyville, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | General Support Grant |
Ducks Unlimited Inc
$1,028,000General Support Grant
Door County YMCA
$510,000General Support Grant
FARE
$333,333General Support Grant
Northwestern Memorial Foundation
$250,000General Support Grant
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
$150,000General Support Grant
Delta Waterfowl Foundation
$100,000General Support Grant
USA Wrestling
$29,757General Support Grant - Living the Dream Fund
Gorton Community Center
$11,000General Support Grant
Trustees of Boston College
$10,000Lynch School of Education & Connell School of Nursing
General Support Grant for College of Education
Boys & Girls Club of Door County Inc
$10,000General Support Grant
Ames Education Foundation
$10,000General Support Grant
Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club Sail Training Foundation Inc
$10,000General Support Grant
APFED
$10,000General Support Grant
Galena School District #120
$10,000General Support Grant
Help Our Military Heroes Inc
$10,000General Support Grant
Waterloo Community School District
$10,000General Support Grant
Sturgeon Bay School District
$10,000General Support Grant
Harvard Varsity Club
$6,000General Support Grant
Feed and Clothe My People
$5,000General Support Grant
Ducks Unlimited - Capital Hill Chapter
$5,000General Support Grant
The Josselyn Center NFP
$5,000General Support Grant
CURED NFP
$5,000General Support Grant
Glenbrook High School District 225
$5,000General Support Grant
National-Louis University
$5,000General Support Grant for National College of Education
Spirit of 67 Foundation
$5,000General Support Grant
Lake Forest High School Foundation
$5,000General Support Grant
Henry-Senachwine CUSD 5
$5,000General Support Grant
HELP of Door County Inc
$5,000General Support Grant
Bold Foundation Inc
$3,000General Support Grant
Third Avenue Playhouse Inc
$2,500General Support Grant
St Jude Children's Research Hospital
$2,500General Support Grant
Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital
$2,500General Support Grant
North Chicago Community Partners
$2,500General Support Grant
The Galena Territory Foundation
$2,000General Support Grant
Pheasants Forever Inc
$1,200General Support Grant
Lake Forest Academy
$1,000General Support Grant
Songs by Heart Foundation
$1,000General Support Grant