69 private foundations reported research & science 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, 69 private foundations reported 92 grants for research & science totaling $15,865,477 to 64 organizations in Illinois. The most-funded Illinois communities were Chicago, Evanston, Urbana. Gates Foundation reported the most research & science giving — $8,026,255 across 4 grants. The median grant was $15,000.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gates Foundation | 4 | $8,026,255 |
| Dutch Bros Foundation | 1 | $2,500,000 |
| Better Health Foundation Melinda Gowey | 3 | $560,000 |
| The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation | 1 | $500,000 |
| Peter G Peterson Foundation | 3 | $425,984 |
| Target ALS Foundation Inc | 1 | $369,940 |
| Andreas Foundation | 1 | $300,000 |
| Intuitive Foundation | 3 | $289,000 |
| The Kresge Foundation | 1 | $250,000 |
| The Brinson Foundation | 4 | $249,000 |
| The Patrick J Mcgovern Foundation Inc | 1 | $210,000 |
| Torrey Coast Foundation | 1 | $200,000 |
| Recipient | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois | 3 | $8,011,255 |
| Muscular Dystrophy Association | 1 | $2,500,000 |
| Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Assoc Inc | 1 | $500,000 |
| Northwestern University | 5 | $432,805 |
| The Jackson Laboratory | 1 | $369,940 |
| University of Chicago | 5 | $325,173 |
| MT Zion Foundation for Quality Education | 1 | $300,000 |
| Research Foundation of the Ascrs | 3 | $289,000 |
| Asset Funders Network | 1 | $250,000 |
| Martin Luther King JR Community Center | 1 | $225,000 |
| Amrita Institute of Advanced Research | 1 | $210,000 |
| Gateway Cancer Research | 1 | $200,000 |
| The Field Museum | 1 | $200,000 |
| Palomares Social Justice Center | 1 | $195,000 |
| Start Early | 1 | $187,300 |
69 private foundations reported research & science grants in Illinois on their IRS Form 990-PF filings, totaling $15,865,477. The largest by reported dollars were Gates Foundation, Dutch Bros Foundation, Better Health Foundation Melinda Gowey. These are historical filings, not open application portals — check each foundation's own guidelines before approaching them.
64 distinct organizations appear as recipients in Illinois, led by Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Assoc Inc. Grants paid directly to named individuals are excluded from these figures.
The median reported research & science grant in Illinois was $15,000, and the largest single reported grant was $6,994,977. 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.
