The Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, is an independent and separate nonprofit entity from the University of Illinois. Our mission is to encourage and administer private gifts and serve the UI System by working closely with alumni, faculty, corporations, foundations, and development staff to create fundraising programs and opportunities that benefit the University of Illinois.
The largest recent grants are two extraordinary support payments to the University of Illinois: $266,975,468 in 2024 and $236,461,793 in 2023. That pattern makes the University of Illinois Foundation read less like a conventional grantmaker and more like the university’s central private-giving vehicle, moving major institutional support through a single-institution structure. Its published mission is to encourage and administer private gifts and to serve the UI System by working with alumni, faculty, corporations, foundations, and development staff. Beyond those flagship transfers, the foundation also routes support to university-affiliated organizations and partner institutions on behalf of the University of Illinois. In the recent-grants list, the University of Illinois Alumni Association appears in both 2023 and 2024, while grants also reach the Orthopterists Society, Princeton University, Stanford, Washington State University Foundation, Southernmost Illinois Delta Empowerment Zone, Carle Development Foundation, and Cunningham Children's Home. The recipient mix shows how the foundation can support academic, research, alumni, and campus-related activity while keeping the University of Illinois at the center of its grantmaking.
A clear share of the foundation’s grantmaking supports alumni and institutional infrastructure around the university. It gave $1,804,712 in 2023 and $1,692,973 in 2024 to the University of Illinois Alumni Association, both described as support on behalf of the University of Illinois. Research and scholarly activity also appear in the recent grants. The foundation awarded $220,000 in 2024 and $182,000 in 2023 to the Orthopterists Society, again on behalf of the university. Its list further includes support tied to broader academic and community connections. Princeton University received $106,313 in 2024, Washington State University Foundation received $21,083 in 2024, and the Southernmost Illinois Delta Empowerment Zone received $100,000 in 2024. These entries show a grantmaking pattern that reaches beyond campus while still serving University of Illinois purposes.
Typical grant size is $57,500 at the 25th percentile, $144,156 at the median, and $1,720,908 at the 75th percentile, which reflects a wide spread between routine support and very large institutional transfers. The recent record shows repeated recipients across years, especially the University of Illinois and the University of Illinois Alumni Association, indicating ongoing support rather than one-off awards. The foundation is a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it does not make program-related investments. Its public mission emphasizes administering private gifts for the UI System.
$507.7M
$3.3B
$450.3M
$334.5M
Most grants fall between $57K and $1.7M, with a median of $144K.
25th Percentile
$57K
Median
$144K
75th Percentile
$1.7M
About 75% of grants go to recipients in CA.
James H Moore Jr
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Grant recipients are concentrated in the United States, with 12 of 12 recent grants going to US organizations. Illinois receives most of the foundation’s giving by count, and Urbana appears repeatedly among recipients such as the University of Illinois, the University of Illinois Alumni Association, Carle Development Foundation, and Cunningham Children's Home. Outside Illinois, recipient locations include Princeton, New Jersey; Stanford, California; and Pullman, Washington. The giving footprint is regional rather than national or international.
The recent grants go primarily to University of Illinois entities and affiliated groups, including the University of Illinois, the University of Illinois Alumni Association, and campus-related organizations such as the Orthopterists Society. The listed focus areas are higher education, scholarships and student support, research support, campus programs and infrastructure, and endowed funds.
The typical grant size is $57,500 at the 25th percentile, $144,156 at the median, and $1,720,908 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes very large institutional support payments, including $266,975,468 in 2024 and $236,461,793 in 2023 to the University of Illinois.
Its mission is centered on serving the UI System, and the recent grants are overwhelmingly tied to the university or made on behalf of it. The list also includes a few outside institutions and organizations, such as Princeton University, Stanford, Washington State University Foundation, and the Southernmost Illinois Delta Empowerment Zone.
By grant count, California is the top state, while 75% of grants go to recipients in Illinois. The recent recipient cities include Urbana and Champaign in Illinois, plus Princeton, Stanford, and Pullman outside the state.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois | Urbana, IL | $266,975,468 | 2024 | Support for the University of Illinois |
| University of Illinois Alumni Association | Urbana, IL | $1,692,973 | 2024 | Support on behalf of the University of Illinois |
| Orthopterist's Society | Champaign, IL | $220,000 | 2024 | Support on behalf of the University of Illinois |
| Princeton University | Princeton, NJ | $106,313 | 2024 | Support on behalf of the University of Illinois |
| Southernmost Illinois Delta Empowerment Zone | Mounds, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | Support on behalf of the University of Illinois |
| The Board of Trustees of The Leland Stanford Junior University | Stanford, CA | $66,666 | 2024 | Support on behalf of the University of Illinois |
| Washington State University Foundation | Pullman, WA | $21,083 | 2024 | Support on behalf of the University of Illinois |
| University of Illinois | Urbana, IL | $236,461,793 | 2023 | Support for the University of Illinois |
| University of Illinois Alumni Association | Urbana, IL | $1,804,712 | 2023 | Support on behalf of the University of Illinois |
| Orthopterists Society | Champaign, IL | $182,000 | 2023 | Support on behalf of the University of Illinois |
| Carle Development Foundation | Urbana, IL | $30,000 | 2023 | Support on behalf of the University of Illinois |
| Cunningham Children's Home | Urbana, IL | $5,220 | 2023 | Support on behalf of the University of Illinois |
University of Illinois
$266,975,468Support for the University of Illinois
University of Illinois Alumni Association
$1,692,973Support on behalf of the University of Illinois
Orthopterist's Society
$220,000Support on behalf of the University of Illinois
Princeton University
$106,313Support on behalf of the University of Illinois
Southernmost Illinois Delta Empowerment Zone
$100,000Support on behalf of the University of Illinois
The Board of Trustees of The Leland Stanford Junior University
$66,666Support on behalf of the University of Illinois
Washington State University Foundation
$21,083Support on behalf of the University of Illinois
University of Illinois
$236,461,793Support for the University of Illinois
University of Illinois Alumni Association
$1,804,712Support on behalf of the University of Illinois
Orthopterists Society
$182,000Support on behalf of the University of Illinois
Carle Development Foundation
$30,000Support on behalf of the University of Illinois
Cunningham Children's Home
$5,220Support on behalf of the University of Illinois