About Christopher Family Foundation
The Christopher Family Foundation supports nonprofit organizations whose work helps create and sustain thriving families and communities, mostly in the Chicago region.
Focus Areas
Food securityEntrepreneurshipEmploymentEducationCommunity violence interventionLegacy grants
Who They Fund
children and youth (K–12 students)low-income families and food-insecure householdsjob-seekers and workforce trainees (including youth)small business owners and local entrepreneursfoster children and foster familiesChicago/Illinois-based communities and organizations
About Christopher Family Foundation
The Christopher Family Foundation’s recent giving shows a strong tilt toward operating support for Chicago-area nonprofits, with several six-figure grants going to established partners. Among the largest recent awards are $290,000 to Chicago Community Foundation for general support and $280,000 to Forefront for general support, alongside repeated support for Walther Lutheran High School Association Inc., Children First Fund, and Northern Illinois Food Bank. That mix points to a funder that backs both intermediary organizations and direct-service nonprofits. The foundation supports organizations working on food security, employment, education, community violence intervention, and legacy commitments to longstanding partners. Its grantmaking also reaches community development groups and youth-serving institutions, including grant support for Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago Inc., Garfield Park Community Council, Cara Program, and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago Foundation. In practice, the portfolio blends general support, program support, scholarships, and named initiatives. A recurring feature is the use of grants to reinforce institutions already embedded in the Chicago region, especially on the West Side and in Austin. The foundation also funds work beyond a single issue area, pairing basic-needs support with workforce pathways, school-based support, and community-led initiatives.
What Christopher Family Foundation Funds
Food security is a major part of the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $150,000 to Northern Illinois Food Bank for general support and another $125,000 to the same organization for My Pantry Express, showing support for both core operations and a specific food-access effort. Feeding America also received $90,000 for general support. Employment-related grantmaking centers on pathways to family-sustaining wages. Cara Program received $100,000 for general support in 2025 and $90,000 in 2023, and Allies for Community Business Inc. received $90,000 in both 2025 and 2024 for general support. Those awards fit a pattern of backing workforce and local economic mobility organizations. Education and youth support appear through multiple channels. Walther Lutheran High School Association Inc. received $242,913 for Walther Christian Academy scholarships and later $219,636 for general support, while Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago Inc. received $105,000 for general support. Garfield Park Community Council also received $100,000 for the West Side Nature Play Initiative, linking youth-serving work with place-based community programming.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$4.5M
Total Assets
$74.3M
Total Revenue
$7.3M
Total Expenses
$5.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $50K, with a median of $30K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$30K
75th Percentile
$50K
Geographic Reach
Local12 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Christopher Family Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime