About University of Chicago
To advance learning, create knowledge, and serve the public good through research, teaching, and community engagement.
Focus Areas
Higher educationScientific researchMedical research and clinical translationPublic policy and social sciencesArts and humanities
Who They Fund
students (undergraduate and graduate)scholars and researchersfaculty and academic staffbroader academic community
Funding Style
support for scholarship and researchinvestment in academic excellencestudent support and development
About University of Chicago
The largest recent grants from University of Chicago show a heavy emphasis on research infrastructure and academic medicine: $6.8 million to the American College of Radiology and $6.6 million to the University of Pittsburgh in 2023, followed by similarly large awards to those same institutions in 2024. The pattern points to a funder that works through subawards and channels major dollars to universities, medical centers, and research organizations rather than individuals. Across its recent grant list, the foundation backs higher education, scientific research, medical research and clinical translation, public policy and social sciences, and arts and humanities. It supports faculty, scholars, students, and the broader academic community, with grants often tied to scholarship, research, and academic capacity. Chicago institutions appear frequently, including the University of Illinois-Chicago, Rush University Medical Center, Northwestern University, and Heartland Health Centers, while other recipients range from Johns Hopkins University and Yale University to the J Craig Venter Institute and MDRC. That mix suggests a funder focused on advancing learning, creating knowledge, and serving the public good through research, teaching, and community engagement. The grants are sized for institutional work, not small project support, and many awards recur across consecutive years.
What University of Chicago Funds
In higher education and academic research, University of Chicago gave $4.3 million in 2024 to the University of Illinois-Chicago and $3.9 million in 2023 to the same institution, both as subawards. It also supported Northwestern University with $3.4 million in 2023 and $2.6 million in 2024, reinforcing a university-centered funding pattern. Medical research and clinical translation appear prominently. The foundation awarded $3.4 million in 2024 to Rush University Medical Center and $1.6 million in 2024 to Heartland Health Centers, both in Chicago. Outside Illinois, it supported Johns Hopkins University with $2.3 million in 2023 and $1.2 million in 2024, and the J Craig Venter Institute with $2.7 million in 2024 and $1.2 million in 2023. In policy and social science work, MDRC received $2.1 million in 2024, and New York University received $2.0 million in 2023 and $1.2 million in 2024.
How University of Chicago Gives
Typical grant size is substantial: the p25 is $41,118, the median is $141,692, and the p75 is $356,018. The recent list also includes many multi-million-dollar subawards, indicating that a small set of institutional grants sits alongside a broader base of smaller awards. Recurrence is visible in the data, with several recipients appearing in both 2023 and 2024, including the University of Pittsburgh, American College of Radiology, University of Illinois-Chicago, Northwestern University, Rush University Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University, and New York University. University of Chicago is a regular funder rather than a DAF, and it does not fund individuals.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$75.4M
Total Assets
$14.7B
Total Revenue
$4.7B
Total Expenses
$4.8B
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $41K and $356K, with a median of $142K.
25th Percentile
$41K
Median
$142K
75th Percentile
$356K
Geographic Reach
National40 states funded
About 19% of grants go to recipients in IL.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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