The Grainger Foundation appears to give in a highly relationship-driven way, with a strong concentration of large grants to a relatively small set of long-term partners. Its priorities lean toward higher education and STEM talent pipelines, Chicago-area civic and cultural institutions, and select health, environment, and human-service organizations. The foundation also shows a clear preference for endowed funds, scholarship support, facility upgrades, and program-specific investments that strengthen institutions over time.
Concentrated giving with many repeat grantees, often through large multi-year or designated gifts; supports a mix of endowments, capital projects, scholarships, and targeted program investments rather than broad, transactional grantmaking.
Notable grantees: University of Wisconsin Foundation, Chicago Community Foundation, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Geneva Foundation of Presbyterian Homes, Rush University Medical Center
$21.8M
$172.4M
$34.9M
$24.1M
Most grants fall between $10K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
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2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Foundation | Urbana, IL | $2,000,000 | 2024 | Entrepreneur Expansion Program |
| Rush University Medical Center | Chicago, IL | $2,000,000 | 2024 | College of Nursing-GEM Program |
| The Geneva Foundation of Presbyterian Homes | Skokie, IL | $1,061,000 | 2024 | Lower Level Concourse Renovation LFP |
| Miami University | Oxford, OH | $1,000,000 | 2024 | Advising/Internship/Scholarship |
| Lincoln Park Zoo | Chicago, IL | $1,000,000 | 2024 | UWIN/GrFdn Endowment for Urban Ecology |
| Kenilworth Union Church | Kenilworth, IL | $1,000,000 | 2024 | Investing In Our Future Capital Campaign |
| Chicago Symphony Orchestra | Chicago, IL | $996,359 | 2024 | Juli Plant Grainger Fund for Artistic Excellence |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA | $600,000 | 2024 | RLE - Leeb / Student Program |
| National Academy of Engineering Fund | Washington, DC | $500,000 | 2024 | Frontiers of Engineering Program |
| Northern Illinois Food Bank | Geneva, IL | $500,000 | 2024 | FY24/FY25 Food Purchase & Distribution |
| Kenilworth Union Church | Kenilworth, IL | $500,000 | 2024 | Investing In Our Future Capital Campaign |
| National Ability Center | Park City, UT | $500,000 | 2024 | Program Specialist Positions |
| Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital | Chicago, IL | $300,000 | 2024 | Grainger Research Initiative Pediatric Emerg Med |
| Chicagoaland Entrepreneurial Center 1871 | Chicago, IL | $250,000 | 2024 | AI Innovation Lab |
| Chicago Botanic Garden | Glencoe, IL | $250,000 | 2024 | Windy City Harvest Workforce Development Program |
| mHUB | Chicago, IL | $250,000 | 2024 | Grainger Product Development Fund |
| The Joffrey Ballet | Chicago, IL | $200,000 | 2024 | Artistic Innovation Fund /Scholarships |
| Erie Family Health Foundation | Chicago, IL | $200,000 | 2024 | Expand Client Services |
| Window To The World Communications Inc | Chicago, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | Celebration Sponsorship/May 2023 |
| The Salvation Army | Chicago, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | Program Support - 2023 |
| The Josselyn Center | Northfield, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | Program Support/Lake Cty |
| U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Fdn | Colorado Springs, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | Psychological Svcs/Mental Health Program LA28 |
| Alight | Minneapolis, MN | $100,000 | 2024 | Program Funding/Ukraine Crisis/Other |
| Arden Shore Child and Family Services | Waukegan, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | Services/Program Funding |
| USO Illinois | Chicago, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | USO2GO Program |
| Beacon Place | Waukegan, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | Program Funding 8-12 Gr |
| Youth & Family Counseling | Libertyville, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | Reopen/expand Lake Zurich Site |
| Highwood Public Library | Highwood, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | Child/Teen Svcs & Adult Literacy Program |
| Mercy Corps | Portland, OR | $100,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted Program Support |
| Doctors Without Borders | New York, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | General Support - 2023 |
| IEEE Foundation | Piscataway, NJ | $75,000 | 2024 | IEEE-PES Student Program |
| Kenilworth Union Church | Kenilworth, IL | $60,000 | 2024 | Stewardship Campaign 2023 |
| Oasis Productions | Grayslake, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | Program Funding |
| Friends of Fisher House Illinois | Addison, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | Hines and Lovell Fisher Houses |
| State University of Iowa Foundation | Iowa City, IA | $50,000 | 2024 | Donald Asby Memorial Scholarship |
| DePaul University | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | James & Patricia Ryan Endowed Scholarship |
| Songs By Heart Foundation | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | Program Funding 2023 |
| Homes for Our Troops | Taunton, MA | $50,000 | 2024 | Specially adapted homes - Midwest |
| College Bound Opportunities | Riverwoods, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | Support 2 Scholars/6-Yr Program |
| The Night Ministry | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support-Fiscal Year End 6/30/24 |
| Shirley Ryan AbilityLab | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | Spark! 2023 Host Committee Sponsor |
| Aspire of Illinois | Hillside, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | ADA Bathroom/Phase 1 |
| Lake County Haven | Libertyville, IL | $45,000 | 2024 | Shelter / Housing / Scholarship |
| United Way of Lake County Inc. | Gurnee, IL | $40,000 | 2024 | Kindergarten Countdown Camp |
| North Chicago Public Education Fdn | North Chicago, IL | $39,000 | 2024 | 3 Full Scholarships/NCCHS Grads 2023 |
| Alliance for Human Services | Chicago, IL | $35,000 | 2024 | Strategic Planning/NP Provider Issues |
| Heart of the City | Waukegan, IL | $35,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support |
| Rebuilding Together N. Suburban Chicago | Glenview, IL | $35,000 | 2024 | Program Funding/Lake County |
| Growing Healthy People | Waukegan, IL | $35,000 | 2024 | Food Production/Training/Develop Programming |
| Elyssa's Mission | Northbrook, IL | $30,000 | 2024 | Program Support/Lake County |
The Geneva Foundation of Presbyterian Homes
$1,061,000Lower Level Concourse Renovation LFP
Miami University
$1,000,000Advising/Internship/Scholarship
Lincoln Park Zoo
$1,000,000UWIN/GrFdn Endowment for Urban Ecology
Kenilworth Union Church
Investing In Our Future Capital Campaign
Kenilworth Union Church
$500,000Investing In Our Future Capital Campaign
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital
$300,000Grainger Research Initiative Pediatric Emerg Med
Chicagoaland Entrepreneurial Center 1871
$250,000AI Innovation Lab
Chicago Botanic Garden
$250,000Windy City Harvest Workforce Development Program
Window To The World Communications Inc
$100,000Celebration Sponsorship/May 2023
The Salvation Army
$100,000Program Support - 2023
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Fdn
$100,000Psychological Svcs/Mental Health Program LA28
Arden Shore Child and Family Services
$100,000Services/Program Funding
USO Illinois
$100,000USO2GO Program
Highwood Public Library
$100,000Child/Teen Svcs & Adult Literacy Program
Mercy Corps
$100,000Unrestricted Program Support
Doctors Without Borders
$100,000General Support - 2023
Kenilworth Union Church
$60,000Stewardship Campaign 2023
Oasis Productions
$50,000Program Funding
Friends of Fisher House Illinois
$50,000Hines and Lovell Fisher Houses
Songs By Heart Foundation
$50,000Program Funding 2023
Homes for Our Troops
$50,000Specially adapted homes - Midwest
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
$50,000Spark! 2023 Host Committee Sponsor
North Chicago Public Education Fdn
$39,0003 Full Scholarships/NCCHS Grads 2023
Alliance for Human Services
$35,000Strategic Planning/NP Provider Issues
Heart of the City
$35,000General Operating Support
Rebuilding Together N. Suburban Chicago
$35,000Program Funding/Lake County
Growing Healthy People
$35,000Food Production/Training/Develop Programming
Elyssa's Mission
$30,000Program Support/Lake County