67 private foundations reported arts & culture grants in Illinois on their IRS Form 990-PF filings for tax years 2023–2025. Historical giving records — not an open application portal.
Themes are derived from the free-text purpose each foundation wrote on its own Part XV filing, so a grant is classified by what the funder said it was for. Grants paid directly to named individuals are excluded from recipient counts and tables.
Across tax years 2023–2025, 67 private foundations reported 144 grants for arts & culture totaling $6,204,377 to 127 organizations in Illinois. The most-funded Illinois communities were Chicago, Elgin, Rockford. Lakonishok Foundation reported the most arts & culture giving — $1,675,563 across 4 grants. The median grant was $10,000.
Foundation filings are a record of past giving. The UseGrants eligibility check matches you to federal and state opportunities accepting applications today.
| Foundation | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Lakonishok Foundation | 4 | $1,675,563 |
| The Irving Harris Foundation | 2 | $833,333 |
| Bayless Family Foundation | 11 | $666,814 |
| Dillon Foundation | 14 | $531,876 |
| The Hearthland Foundation | 1 | $300,000 |
| Seigle Foundation | 8 | $221,015 |
| Peoria Symphony Foundation Inc | 1 | $219,234 |
| Baskin Family Foundation | 5 | $175,000 |
| The Henry Luce Foundation Inc | 2 | $150,000 |
| Sterling Today Inc | 1 | $106,657 |
| Raymond F and Judith K Mccaskey 2003 Charitable Trust | 1 | $100,000 |
| Annunziato Family Foundation | 1 | $100,000 |
| Recipient | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Joffrey Ballet | 1 | $800,563 |
| Harris Theater for Music and Dance | 1 | $500,000 |
| Chicago Symphony Orchestra | 3 | $423,500 |
| University of Chicago - Arts Public Life | 1 | $333,333 |
| City Club of Chicago | 1 | $300,000 |
| Lyric Opera of Chicago | 4 | $275,000 |
| ART Institute | 1 | $250,000 |
| Peoria Symphony Orchestra | 1 | $219,234 |
| Woodlawn Arts Academy | 1 | $208,876 |
| Sterling Park District - Museum Association | 1 | $194,500 |
| Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago (icnc) | 1 | $131,814 |
| Definition Theatre Company | 1 | $120,000 |
| Timeline Theatre Company | 1 | $120,000 |
| Main Street of Sterling Inc | 1 | $106,657 |
| ART Institute of Chicago | 3 | $105,000 |
67 private foundations reported arts & culture grants in Illinois on their IRS Form 990-PF filings, totaling $6,204,377. The largest by reported dollars were Lakonishok Foundation, The Irving Harris Foundation, Bayless Family Foundation. These are historical filings, not open application portals — check each foundation's own guidelines before approaching them.
127 distinct organizations appear as recipients in Illinois, led by Joffrey Ballet, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Grants paid directly to named individuals are excluded from these figures.
The median reported arts & culture grant in Illinois was $10,000, and the largest single reported grant was $800,563. Amounts are as reported by the filing foundation for a historical tax year.
The UseGrants feed tracks federal and state opportunities that are open today, each with the eligibility explained in plain English.
Source: public IRS Form 990-PF Part XV filings (tax years 2023–2025). Theme classification is derived from the funder’s own purpose text and is a summary, not a legal categorization. UseGrants is an independent aggregator, not affiliated with any foundation listed.
