The Polsky Foundation makes a small number of very large gifts concentrated in Chicago-area institutions and high-profile causes. Their funding emphasizes medical research and hospital support (notably cancer/BRCA work), major university initiatives, and significant humanitarian assistance (e.g., Ukraine relief). Grants are transformational in size and directed to established nonprofits and academic medical centers rather than many small community groups.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of established institutional grantees—strategic, one-off or flagship gifts rather than broad, small-dollar or grassroots funding.
The Polsky Foundation’s largest recent gifts go to three Chicago institutions at once: BRCA Research and Cure Alliance, Northwestern Memorial Foundation, and the University of Chicago 2016. Those grants, all in 2025, point to a funder that backs medical research, hospital care, and university-based work with large, concentrated awards rather than broad small-gift activity. The pattern is also visible in its support for Our Home Ukraine, showing that the foundation pairs local institutional funding with targeted humanitarian relief. Across its recent grants, the foundation favors established nonprofits, academic medical centers, and major civic institutions. Awards reach hospitals, universities, museums, and community organizations, but the scale is uneven: a few gifts are in the millions, while a longer tail of $5,000 to $50,000 grants supports selected cultural, educational, and civic groups. The result is a grantmaking profile centered on high-commitment support for organizations with substantial operating or research needs. Its recent recipients include Voice Health Institute, White Stork, and the Art Institute of Chicago, which show the range from health to relief to culture.
Medical research and clinical care are the clearest themes in The Polsky Foundation’s recent giving. It gave $2,293,698 to BRCA Research and Cure Alliance for Charity and $2,006,992 to Northwestern Memorial Foundation for Charity, placing cancer-related research and hospital support at the top of its grant list. University-based funding is another recurring lane. The foundation awarded $1,704,101 to University of Chicago 2016 for Charity, and also gave $10,000 to Northwestern University in Evanston. These grants show a willingness to support major academic institutions alongside medical priorities. The foundation also funds humanitarian and civic causes. It granted $968,283 to Our Home Ukraine for Charity and $10,000 to Save Ukraine Inc in Kyiv. Beyond that, smaller gifts to organizations such as the Chicago Council of Global Affairs and Chicago Cares indicate selective support for civic and community-oriented work.
The Polsky Foundation’s recent awards are heavily skewed toward very large grants: its top three gifts are all above $1.7 million, while many later awards fall in the $5,000 to $50,000 range. That spread suggests a barbell pattern, with a few transformational commitments and a cluster of smaller institutional gifts. The grants list shows repeated support for several organizations within the same year, including multiple awards to Chicago-area institutions and a mix of charity and general-fund designations. The foundation is a private foundation, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. The records provided do not show an application process or solicitation pathway.
$7.8M
$63.5M
$3.3M
$8.2M
Top 3 recipient countries by grant volume for Polsky Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 117 | $21.1M | 96.7% |
| 2 | Ukraine | 3 |
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Notable grantees: BRCA Research and Cure Alliance, Northwestern Memorial Foundation, University of Chicago, Our Home Ukraine
Grantmaking is centered in Chicago. Chicago, IL appears across the largest gifts and many of the smaller ones, including recipients in healthcare, education, culture, and community services. The foundation also gives outside Illinois, with recipients in Boston, Rochester, Portland, Washington, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, Radnor, and Kyiv. Country distribution is overwhelmingly U.S.-based: 38 grants went to U.S. recipients, and one grant went to Ukraine. That mix indicates a primarily domestic portfolio with a limited but clear international humanitarian component.
The recent grants show support for medical research and hospital care, university-based funding, humanitarian relief, and selected civic and cultural institutions. Named recipients include BRCA Research and Cure Alliance, Northwestern Memorial Foundation, the University of Chicago 2016, Our Home Ukraine, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
The recent list is dominated by very large awards at the top, including $2,293,698, $2,006,992, $1,704,101, and $968,283. It also makes smaller grants in the $5,000 to $50,000 range, with several awards at $10,000 or $25,000.
No. Chicago recipients make up much of the recent giving, but the foundation also funded organizations in Boston, Rochester, Portland, Washington, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, Radnor, and Kyiv. The country distribution includes 38 U.S. grants and one grant in Ukraine.
It is listed as a private foundation, and it does not fund individuals. The data also shows that it does not make program-related investments.
The recent records show repeated support within the same year for established institutions and organizations, including multiple Chicago-area recipients and a mix of charity and general-fund grants. The available data does not show an open application process.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| $42K |
2.5% |
| 3 | Israel | 1 | $7K | 0.8% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRCA Research and Cure Alliance | Chicago, IL | $2,293,698 | 2025 | Charity |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation | Chicago, IL | $2,006,992 | 2025 | Charity |
| University of Chicago 2016 | Chicago, IL | $1,704,101 | 2025 | Charity |
| Our Home Ukraine | Chicago, IL | $968,283 | 2025 | Charity |
| Voice Health Institute | Boston, MA | $200,000 | 2025 | General Fund |
| White Stork | Winnetka, IL | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| The Museum of Contemporary Art | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | General Fund |
| Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| St Nicholas UK Catholic School | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | General Fund |
| Boys and Girls Club of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $31,568 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| Chicago Association of Veterans of WWII | Chicago, IL | $27,801 | 2025 | General Fund |
| Latin School of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| Illinois Holocaust Museum | Skokie, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | General Fund |
| VetVoice Foundation | Portland, OR | $20,000 | 2025 | General Fund |
| Chicago Media Project | Chicago, IL | $18,452 | 2025 | Charity |
| The Fund for Cooper Roberts | Radnor, PA | $12,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| American Foreign Policy Council | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| Mayo Clinic | Rochester, MN | $10,000 | 2025 | General Fund |
| Field Museum | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| Chicago Sinai Congregation | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| Chicago Cares | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| Las Olas Chabad | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| Save Ukraine Inc | Kyiv | $10,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| Chicago Council of Global Affairs | Chicago, IL | $8,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| Wolcott School | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| American Friends of Chabad Cabo | Phoenix, AZ | $5,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| The Clayco Foundation | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| High Jump | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| Jewish United Fund | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| Ukrainian Genocide Famine Foundation | Chicago, IL | $4,500 | 2025 | General Fund |
| Revived Soldiers Ukraine | Orlando, FL | $4,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| World Jewish Congress | New York, NY | $4,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| National PKU Alliance | Roanoke, VA | $2,500 | 2025 | Charity |
| Alliance Fancaise de Chicago | Chicago, IL | $2,500 | 2025 | Charity |
| Embarc | Chicago, IL | $2,500 | 2025 | Charity |
| Chicago Stallions | Chicago, IL | $2,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| The Buddy Program | Arlington Heights, IL | $1,500 | 2025 | General Fund |
| Magnitsky Justice Foundation | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 2025 | Charity |
| UChicago Polsky Center | Chicago, IL | $2,429,467 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| White Stork | Winnetka, IL | $414,160 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| World Resources Institute | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| Voice Health Institute | Boston, MA | $200,000 | 2024 | General Fund |
| UofC Young Innovators | Chicago, IL | $175,000 | 2024 | General Fund |
| Jewish United Fund | Chicago, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| Las Olas Chabad | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| Illinois Holocaust Museum | Skokie, IL | $55,000 | 2024 | General Fund |
| Pine Crest | Hazel Crest, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| Hope Chicago | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| St Nicholas UK Catholic School | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | General Fund |
BRCA Research and Cure Alliance
$2,293,698Charity
Northwestern Memorial Foundation
$2,006,992Charity
University of Chicago 2016
$1,704,101Charity
Our Home Ukraine
$968,283Charity
Voice Health Institute
$200,000General Fund
White Stork
$150,000GENERAL FUND
The Museum of Contemporary Art
General Fund
St Nicholas UK Catholic School
$50,000General Fund
Boys and Girls Club of Chicago
$31,568GENERAL FUND
Chicago Association of Veterans of WWII
$27,801General Fund
Illinois Holocaust Museum
$25,000General Fund
VetVoice Foundation
$20,000General Fund
The Fund for Cooper Roberts
$12,000Charity
Mayo Clinic
$10,000General Fund
Chicago Sinai Congregation
$10,000Charity
Las Olas Chabad
$10,000GENERAL FUND
Save Ukraine Inc
$10,000Charity
American Friends of Chabad Cabo
$5,000Charity
The Clayco Foundation
$5,000Charity
Ukrainian Genocide Famine Foundation
$4,500General Fund
National PKU Alliance
$2,500Charity
Alliance Fancaise de Chicago
$2,500Charity
Chicago Stallions
$2,000Charity
The Buddy Program
$1,500General Fund
Magnitsky Justice Foundation
$1,000Charity
UChicago Polsky Center
$2,429,467GENERAL FUND
Voice Health Institute
$200,000General Fund
UofC Young Innovators
$175,000General Fund
Las Olas Chabad
$100,000GENERAL FUND
Illinois Holocaust Museum
$55,000General Fund
Pine Crest
$50,000GENERAL FUND
St Nicholas UK Catholic School
$50,000General Fund