The 36 Foundation concentrates philanthropic support in the Chicago metro area, funding a mix of neighborhood human services, education, civic institutions and cultural organizations. Their largest investments go to community-centered service providers and place-based intermediaries (community trusts, public media, community houses), while also supporting K–12 and higher education and a few cultural/green institutions. Grants are often unrestricted program support, suggesting flexible general operating funding rather than project-specific gifts.
Concentrated, regionally focused giving with a small number of mid-size unrestricted grants; several repeat grants to the same Chicago-area organizations indicate relationship-driven, flexible operating support rather than many one-off national grants.
A $101,000 grant to Howard Area Community Center in Chicago stands out in 36 Foundation Inc’s recent giving and signals the foundation’s emphasis on community-based support in the Chicago metro area. Across its grants, the foundation backs neighborhood human services, education, civic infrastructure, and cultural institutions, with most awards landing in Illinois and a smaller share in Florida. The recent record shows a mix of large anchor gifts and many smaller unrestricted awards, which points to a flexible approach rather than a single-program strategy. Chicago-area intermediaries and community institutions appear repeatedly. Chicago Community Trust received $25,000 grants in both 2024 and 2025, while WTTW and Winnetka Community House also each appear in consecutive years at the $25,000 level. The foundation also supports school-related and higher-education organizations, along with select cultural and public-serving groups such as Chicago Botanic Gardens, Millennium Park, and Free Spirit Media. In Florida, it has also granted to Loblollypop Foundation, linking the funder’s activity to its headquarters region while keeping its main giving focus centered in Illinois.
Neighborhood human services are a clear part of the portfolio. In 2024, 36 Foundation Inc gave $101,000 to Howard Area Community Center in Chicago, and in 2024 it also provided $5,000 to Homan Square Community Center in Chicago. Education support runs from K–12 to college. The foundation gave $30,000 to Big Shoulders Fund in 2024 and $5,000 to Chicago High School for the Arts in 2025, while also awarding $15,000 to University of Chicago in 2023 and 2025 and $15,000 to Williams College in 2025. Civic and cultural organizations are another recurring theme. Chicago Council on Global Affairs received $15,000 in 2024, Chicago Botanic Gardens received $15,000 in 2024, and Art Institute of Chicago received $5,000 in 2024. Public-facing service groups such as Journey Care and Lurie Childrens Foundation also appear in the recent grants list.
Grant sizes cluster around modest gifts, with a p25 of $1,000, a median of $2,000, and a p75 of $10,000. The recent list also includes a handful of larger anchor grants at $25,000, $30,000, and $101,000, showing a pattern of smaller support supplemented by a few larger commitments. The same organizations often appear across multiple years, including Chicago Community Trust, WTTW, Winnetka Community House, Journey Care, Big Shoulders, Millennium Park, and Loblollypop Foundation. The funding profile is consistent with unrestricted and non-restricted general support, rather than project-specific grants. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$571K
$311K
$714
$114K
Most grants fall between $1K and $10K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$10K
About 10% of grants go to recipients in IL.
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Notable grantees: Howard Area Community Center, Chicago Community Trust, WTTW, Big Shoulders Fund, Chicago Botanic Gardens
Giving is concentrated in Illinois, which accounts for the largest share of grants, while 10% of grants go to recipients in Florida. Chicago is the clearest center of activity, with recipient locations including Howard Area Community Center, WTTW, Chicago Community Trust, University of Chicago, and Millennium Park. Other Illinois recipients include Winnetka, Glencoe, Kenilworth, and Golf. Outside Illinois, the recent record includes Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, but all listed grants in the country distribution are to U.S. recipients.
Its recent grants include neighborhood human services, education, civic and cultural institutions, and community intermediaries. Examples from the record include Howard Area Community Center, Big Shoulders Fund, Chicago Community Trust, WTTW, Chicago Botanic Gardens, and University of Chicago.
Typical awards are modest: the grant-size distribution shows a p25 of $1,000, a median of $2,000, and a p75 of $10,000. The recent list also includes larger gifts such as $25,000, $30,000, and a $101,000 grant.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Chicago Community Trust, WTTW, Winnetka Community House, Journey Care, Big Shoulders, Millennium Park, and Loblollypop Foundation. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts only.
Illinois is the top state by grant count, and Chicago is the main city in the recent grants list. Illinois recipients include organizations in Chicago, Winnetka, Glencoe, Kenilworth, and Golf, while 10% of grants go to recipients in Florida.
No international recipients appear in the grant record provided. The country distribution shows 85 grants, all to U.S. recipients.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnetka Community House | Winnetka, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Non restricted |
| WTTW | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Non-restricted |
| Chicago Community Trust | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Non restricted |
| University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $15,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Williams College | Williamstown, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | Non restricted |
| Millennium Park | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Evans Scholars | Golf, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Journey Care | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Loblollypop Foundation | Hobe Sound, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Free Spirit Media | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| WinnetkaNorthfield United Way | Winnetka, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Lurie Childrens Foundation | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Chicago High School for the Arts | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Shirley Ryan Ability Lab | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Trinity United Methodist | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | Non-restricted |
| Kenilworth Union Church | Kenilworth, IL | $4,500 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Fenix | Chicago, IL | $3,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Indian Hill Club Scholarship | Winnetka, IL | $2,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| FL Atlantic University | Boca Raton, FL | $2,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Boys and Girls Club | Hobe Sound, FL | $2,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| United Way | Stuart, FL | $2,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Chicago Botanical Garden | Glencoe, IL | $1,500 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Chicago Foundation for Education | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Chicago Community Trust | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Winnetka Comminity House | Winnetka, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Chicago Council on Global Affairs | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Howard Area Community Center | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Lawrence Hall | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Brain Research | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Lincoln Park Zoo | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship | Richfield, MN | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Williams College | Williamstown, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Homan Square Community Center | Chicago, ID | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Perspectives Charter School | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| WBEZ | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Field Museum | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Chicago Shakespeare Theatre | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Big Shoulders Fund | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Howard Area Community Center | Chicago, IL | $101,000 | 2024 | Unestricted |
| Big Shoulders Fund | Chicago, IL | $30,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Chicago Community Trust | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Winnetka Community House | Winnetka, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| WTTW | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Chicago Botanic Gardens | Glencoe, IL | $15,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Chicago Council on Global Affairs | Chicago, IL | $15,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Journey Care | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Homan Square Community Center | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Loblollypop Foundation | Hobe Sound, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | unrestricted |
Winnetka Community House
$25,000Non restricted
WTTW
$25,000Non-restricted
Chicago Community Trust
$25,000Non restricted
University of Chicago
$15,000Charitable
Williams College
$15,000Non restricted
Millennium Park
$10,000Charitable
Evans Scholars
Charitable
Journey Care
$10,000Charitable
Loblollypop Foundation
$10,000Charitable
Free Spirit Media
$5,000Charitable
WinnetkaNorthfield United Way
$5,000Charitable
Lurie Childrens Foundation
$5,000Charitable
Chicago High School for the Arts
$5,000Charitable
Shirley Ryan Ability Lab
$5,000Charitable
Trinity United Methodist
$5,000Non-restricted
Kenilworth Union Church
$4,500Charitable
Fenix
$3,000Charitable
Indian Hill Club Scholarship
$2,000Charitable
FL Atlantic University
$2,000Charitable
Boys and Girls Club
$2,000Charitable
United Way
$2,000Charitable
Chicago Botanical Garden
$1,500Charitable
Chicago Foundation for Education
$1,000Charitable
Chicago Community Trust
$1,000Charitable
Winnetka Comminity House
$1,000Charitable
Chicago Council on Global Affairs
$1,000Charitable
Howard Area Community Center
$1,000Charitable
Lawrence Hall
$1,000Charitable
Brain Research
$1,000Charitable
Lincoln Park Zoo
$1,000Charitable
Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship
$1,000Charitable
Williams College
$1,000Charitable
Homan Square Community Center
$1,000Charitable
Perspectives Charter School
$1,000Charitable
WBEZ
$1,000Charitable
Field Museum
$1,000Charitable
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
$1,000Charitable
Big Shoulders Fund
$1,000Charitable
Art Institute of Chicago
$1,000Charitable
Howard Area Community Center
$101,000Unestricted
Big Shoulders Fund
$30,000Unrestricted
Chicago Community Trust
$25,000Unrestricted
Winnetka Community House
$25,000Unrestricted
WTTW
$25,000Unrestricted
Chicago Botanic Gardens
$15,000Unrestricted
Chicago Council on Global Affairs
$15,000Unrestricted
Journey Care
$10,000Unrestricted
Homan Square Community Center
$5,000Unrestricted
Art Institute of Chicago
$5,000Unrestricted
Loblollypop Foundation
$5,000unrestricted