About Robert R Mccormick Foundation
The Robert R. McCormick Foundation invests in organizations working to build thriving communities where all individuals have the resources and opportunities to succeed, without regard to income, race, ethnicity, gender, or ZIP code.
Focus Areas
Early Childhood EducationJournalismVeteransThriving CommunitiesEnglewoodLittle VillageUnited Way NeighborhoodsCommunity CapitalPublic Safety
Who They Fund
children and pre-K/K studentsyouth at highest risk (including violence-impacted youth)new arrival immigrant youth and familiesresidents of Little Village and Englewood neighborhoods
About Robert R Mccormick Foundation
Robert R Mccormick Foundation stands out for a long-running pattern of large, partnership-based grants tied to Chicago community systems. One of the clearest signals is its support for the Cantigny Foundation, which received three of the largest recent awards, including $33,451,760 in 2025 for general operating support. That scale is paired with investments in neighborhood infrastructure, civic life, and service systems rather than one-off small grants. The foundation backs work for children from birth through kindergarten, youth civic participation, journalism, veterans, and community development. Its recent giving also shows sustained attention to specific Chicago neighborhoods and local institutions, including Englewood, Little Village, and South and West Side information ecosystems. Recent grants to United Way-mccormick Partnership for Strong Neighborhoods Inc and Project Hood Communities point to that neighborhood-centered approach. Elsewhere, grants to National Louis University, Enlace Chicago, and Metropolitan Family Services show a mix of early childhood, youth safety, and family support priorities. The foundation’s public charity structure and regular funder classification align with long-term, locally rooted grantmaking rather than a narrow program or issue-only model.
What Robert R Mccormick Foundation Funds
Early childhood education is a core area of the foundation’s work. In 2025, it gave $5,398,000 to National Louis University for Accelerate U, the McCormick Institute for Early Childhood, the Undergraduate College at National Louis University, and matching gifts. It also awarded $4,058,000 to Carole Robertson Center for Learning for a kindergarten professional learning system. Civic learning is another defined line of giving. Big Shoulders Fund received $2,024,208 in 2025 for a civic education pilot, college access and success, productive play in pre-K and K expansion, matching gifts, and sponsorship. Northwestern University received $2,633,400 in 2023 for the Medill Local News Accelerator and the Northwestern Neighborhood Network Initiative. The foundation also funds neighborhood safety and family support. Enlace Chicago received $4,715,000 in 2025 for expanded programming for new arrival youth and families in Little Village, general operating support, and violence prevention and intervention work. Metropolitan Family Services received $3,572,000 in 2025 for the Metropolitan Peace Initiatives, Communities Partnering 4 Peace, and youth intervention with highest risk.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$106.1M
Total Assets
$1.8B
Total Revenue
$105.3M
Total Expenses
$114.6M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $24K and $180K, with a median of $45K.
25th Percentile
$24K
Median
$45K
75th Percentile
$180K
Geographic Reach
Local21 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
TIMOTHY KNIGHT
PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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