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Illinois · Private foundation

Polk Bros Foundation Inc

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$19M
Granted FY2025(still arriving)
568
Grants FY2025
513
Organizations funded FY2024
14%
First-time grantees FY2024
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2025
$25,000
Largest grant, FY2025
$250,000
Organizations funded a year
6 to 557
FY2020 to FY2024
States reached, FY2025
21
Total assets, FY2025
$334M
Applications
Takes unsolicited applications
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2024, 14% of the organizations Polk Bros Foundation Inc funded were first-time grantees, receiving 4% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 96% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $887k went to new ones.

50%100%’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’21’22’23’24
Arts & CultureEducationHuman ServicesHealthCommunity ImprovementHousing & ShelterOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2025still arriving448$19M7%
FY2024513$24M14%
FY2023540$26M14%
FY2022549$32M19%
FY2021557$32M100%
FY20206$24Mn/a
98% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2025.

Arts & Culture$22MEducation$17MHealth$15MHousing & Shelter$13MCommunity Improvement$12MCrime & Legal$9.8MHuman Services$9.1MYouth Development$8.1MOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

WA
MT
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
IA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
CO
MO
VA
MD
AZ
NC
DC
OK
LA
AL
GA
TX
FL

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2020 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Chicago Community Foundation$1,796,5005n/a
Navy Pier Inc$1,750,00051%
ChiArts Foundation$1,588,450541%
Big Shoulders Fund$1,457,50051%
Window to the World Communications Inc$1,323,59551%
Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago$1,305,50050%
Metropolitan Family Services$1,276,62550%
Greater Chicago Food Depository$1,267,75050%
All Chicago Making Homelessness History$1,120,50051%
Rush University Medical Center$1,034,50050%
Show all 672 grantees
All grantees of Polk Bros Foundation Inc by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Chicago Community Foundation$1,796,5005n/a
Navy Pier Inc$1,750,00051%
ChiArts Foundation$1,588,450541%
Big Shoulders Fund$1,457,50051%
Window to the World Communications Inc$1,323,59551%
Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago$1,305,50050%
Metropolitan Family Services$1,276,62550%
Greater Chicago Food Depository$1,267,75050%
All Chicago Making Homelessness History$1,120,50051%
Rush University Medical Center$1,034,50050%
The Barack Obama Foundation$1,005,00040%
Crossroads Fund Inc$998,70055%
Forefront$976,50052%
Erie Family Health Center Inc$940,00050%
Center for Housing and Health$940,00053%
Shriver Center on Poverty Law$926,50054%
Youth Guidance$918,12551%
Ingenuity Incorporated Chicago$881,979512%
Chicago Public Media Inc$852,12051%
Latinos Progresando$827,40057%
Chicago Public Education Fund$804,50055%
Leading Educators Inc$757,00052%
Michael Reese Health Trust$736,00032%
Mercy Housing Lakefront$675,00051%
Chicago Youth Centers$645,00042%
The Chicago Community Loan Fund$640,00041%
The Roger Baldwin Foundation of ACLU Inc$628,12552%
Local Initiatives Support Corporation$625,00050%
Chicago Jobs Council$615,250518%
Civic Consulting Alliance$614,00055%
Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago Inc$600,00053%
Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago$592,00054%
Impact for Equity$591,85054%
Ravinia Festival Association$560,00050%
Children's Home & Aid Society of Ill$542,00050%
Tapestry 360 Health$525,00031%
North Lawndale Employment Network$511,12554%
Sinai Health System$505,00040%
Kenneth C Griffin Museum of Science and Industry$502,85550%
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc$502,00041%
Gads Hill Center$500,00052%
Cabrini Green Legal Aid$500,00054%
The Thresholds$500,00050%
Refugeeone$478,00052%
Christopher House$476,00051%
After School Matters Inc$475,00050%
Skills for Chicago$463,75052%
Jane Addams Resource Corporation$450,25053%
Law Center for Better Housing$450,00047%
Contextos Nfp$434,100511%
Renaissance Social Services Inc$434,00052%
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights$427,00050%
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago$426,12554%
Music and Dance Theater Chicago Inc$422,05052%
Museum of Contemporary Art$415,45050%
Heartland Alliance Health$415,25031%
Legal Aid Chicago$409,75050%
Housing Opportunities for Women Inc$408,00051%
Newroot Learning Institute F/K/A Umoja Student Development Corp$406,25053%
AIDS Foundation of Chicago$406,00040%
Communities in Schools of Chicago$401,87542%
Chicago Theatre Group Inc$401,25041%
The Posse Foundation Inc$400,00050%
Teach for America Inc$400,00050%
Deborah's Place$400,00052%
Ladder Up (F/K/A City-Wide Tax Assistance Program)$400,00054%
The Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence$390,00056%
Planned Parenthood of Illinois$387,75050%
Primo Center for Women & Children$384,00051%
The Night Ministry$384,00051%
Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation$384,00053%
Coordinated Advice & Referral Program for Legal Services$384,00052%
SkyArt NFP$383,000514%
Esperanza Health Centers$380,00050%
Alternatives Inc$375,50054%
The Cara Program$375,00051%
Steppenwolf Theatre Company$373,66551%
Misericordia Home$371,50030%
The Chicago Scholars Foundation$370,00042%
Legal Council for Health Justice$370,00043%
Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness$365,50052%
Chicago Shakespeare Theater$362,15041%
Kids First Chicago for Education$361,00053%
City Year Inc$360,07550%
Lyric Opera of Chicago$360,00050%
Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation$360,00042%
Women Employed$360,00054%
Ascend Justice$360,00054%
Ucan$360,00050%
Build Inc$355,80051%
Facing Forward to End Homelessness$355,00041%
The Joffrey Ballet$354,17551%
Chicago Zoological Society$349,00050%
Inner-City Muslim Action Network$340,50021%
New Leaders Inc$336,00050%
Corporation for Supportive Housing$336,00050%
Civic News Company$333,12551%
Center on Halsted$329,20051%
Howard Brown Health Center$327,50050%
National Museum of Mexican Art Fka Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum$327,25051%
The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago$325,00040%
Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education$325,00043%
Elevate Energy$325,00050%
Metropolis Strategies NFP$315,50046%
Communities United$313,12554%
The Boulevard of Chicago Inc$312,25052%
Ignite$312,00052%
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago$310,00050%
Acclivus Inc$310,00041%
Working in the Schools Inc$307,50047%
Chicago Children's Advocacy Center$304,00041%
Loyola University of Chicago$301,50050%
The Resurrection Project$300,00040%
Hire360$300,00051%
The Chicago Bar Foundation$300,00014%
Health and Medicine Policy Research Group$300,00045%
One Million Degrees$300,00051%
Chicago Women in Trades$300,000410%
Family Focus Legacy$300,00056%
Allies for Community Business Inc$300,00051%
Chicago Rehab Network$300,000410%
Community Behavioral Healthcare Association$300,000123%
Logan Square Neighborhood Association$298,12551%
Mujeres Latinas En Accion$296,50051%
Chicago Architecture Biennial Inc$296,000512%
Albany Park Theater Project$292,45055%
Mikva Challenge Grant Foundation$291,25051%
Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago$290,00041%
Healthy Schools Campaign$290,00054%
Center for Changing Lives$289,00057%
Brighton Park Neighborhood Council$288,12551%
Juvenile Protective Association$288,00052%
Chicago Horticultural Society$288,00050%
Infant Welfare Society of Chicago$288,00051%
Chicago Public Library Foundation$287,37542%
Institute for Nonviolence Chicago$286,00051%
Organizing Neighborhoods For Equality Northside$283,00054%
Sarah's Circle$280,00041%
Reading in Motion$276,25056%
Chicago Urban League$275,12551%
La Casa Norte$272,75051%
The Partnership for College Completion$271,87554%
Court Theatre Fund$270,8505n/a
Public Interest Law Initiative$268,50055%
Urban Gateways$266,00045%
Southwest Organizing Project$265,00051%
Hyde Park Art Center$264,65552%
Merit School of Music$264,50051%
Chicago House & Social Service Agency$264,00050%
Equip for Equality$264,00051%
Chinese American Service League Inc$263,50041%
Metropolitan Planning Council$260,50052%
Chicago Symphony Orchestra$260,00040%
St Leonard's Ministries$257,75052%
Lift Inc$256,01051%
Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA$255,00051%
Shedd Aquarium Society$255,00050%
Facing History & Ourselves Inc$254,37550%
Jewish Council on Urban Affairs$253,00054%
Revolution Workshop$250,00056%
Illinois Partners for Human Service$250,000511%
Claretian Associates Inc$250,0001n/a
Equal Hope$250,00053%
Working Credit NFP$250,00056%
International Neighborhood Collaborative$250,00058%
Kindred Civic Arts Forum$250,000161%
Enlace Chicago$248,12541%
Marwen Foundation Inc$245,00043%
Uniting Voices$241,66541%
Changing Worlds$240,75057%
Family Rescue Inc$240,00051%
Latin United Community Housing Assn$240,00054%
Resilience$240,00052%
University of Chicago Medical Center$240,00050%
Adler University$240,00050%
Life-Span$240,00042%
Community Investment Corporation$240,00050%
Christian Community Health Center$238,00030%
Growing Home Inc$235,08752%
Illinois Humanities Council Inc$235,00032%
The Lyte Collective$231,68959%
Roosevelt University$230,00010%
Chicago Cares Inc$229,85052%
Greater West Town Community Development Project$228,00041%
Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana$226,75040%
Environmental Law and Policy Center of the Midwest$226,25051%
Uptown People's Law Center$225,51556%
The People's Music School$225,00052%
Garfield Park Community Council$225,000523%
Lester and Rosalie Anixter Center$225,00050%
Old Town School of Folk Music$220,50040%
Alexian Brothers Bonaventure House$220,00042%
Metropolitan Tenants Organization$220,00056%
Chicago Commons Association$220,00040%
Firehouse Community Arts Center of Chicago$220,00042%
Poder$216,00053%
Inner-City Computer Stars Foundation$216,00051%
Spanish Coalition for Housing$216,00052%
Playworks Education Energized$215,15050%
Franciscan Outreach$212,00051%
Greater Chicago Legal Clinic$209,00043%
Community Organizing and Family Issues$205,00051%
Woodstock Institute$203,00044%
Lawndale Christian Legal Center$200,00041%
Thrive Chicago Nfp$200,00023%
Women's Business Development Center$200,00050%
Center for Neighborhood Technology$200,00051%
Chicago Youth Programs Inc$200,00053%
Chicago United for Equity$200,000313%
Suzuki Orff School for Young Musicians$200,00055%
Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois Inc$197,50050%
Grassroots Collaborative$197,12058%
La Rabida Children's Hospital$194,50050%
Embarc Inc$192,00051%
Metrosquash Nfp$192,00052%
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago$192,00050%
New Life Centers of Chicagoland$191,00050%
The National Public Housing Museum$190,58052%
Between Friends$190,00043%
The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired$187,50040%
Housing Action Illinois$182,00051%
Timeline Theatre Company$180,70051%
Advance Illinois Nfp$180,00042%
Puerto Rican Arts Alliance$180,00053%
Year Up Inc$180,00030%
Chicago Freedom School$175,61054%
Project Syncere$175,00052%
America SCORES Chicago$175,00053%
Beyond Legal Aid$175,00052%
About Face Theatre Collective Inc$174,40058%
Brave Space Alliance$173,00044%
Illinois Arts Alliance$172,365519%
Gus Giordano's Jazz Dance Chicago Inc D/B/A Giordano Dance Chicago$170,00054%
Kenwood Oakland Community Organization$170,00052%
Chicago Women's Health Center$169,00053%
Kan-Win$168,00052%
Inspiration Corporation$168,00051%
Tutoring Chicago$168,00053%
Chicago Children's Museum$168,00051%
Lawndale Christian Health Center$168,00050%
Association House of Chicago$168,00050%
Black Ensemble Theater Corporation$165,25044%
Illinois College of Optometry$165,00040%
Lawndale Christian Development Corp$165,00041%
Safer Foundation$163,00050%
Apna Ghar Inc$163,00051%
Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation$163,00052%
Global Girls Inc$162,500521%
Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership$160,25020%
College Possible Inc$160,00040%
Music of the Baroque$160,00052%
Young Chicago Authors$160,00054%
Raven Theatre Company$159,00056%
Forward Momentum Chicago$158,00053%
Accelerate Institute$157,00043%
Economic Security Project Inc$155,80030%
Openlands$153,90050%
Chicago History Museum$153,3005n/a
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois$152,00040%
Public Narrative$152,000414%
Chicago Children's Theatre$150,00042%
Peer Health Exchange Inc$150,00051%
Marquette University$150,00050%
Chicago Survivors Inc$150,00033%
Snow City Arts Foundation$150,00046%
Target Area Development Corporation$150,00031%
Jane Addams Senior Caucus$148,000516%
Center for Advancing Domestic Peace$148,00056%
Surge Institute$148,00041%
Covenant House Illinois Inc$148,00051%
Chicago Jazz Philharmonic$147,33056%
Teach Plus Inc$146,12550%
Arise Chicago$145,10053%
New Moms Inc$145,00041%
North Side Housing and Supportive Services$144,00051%
Scalelit Fka Chicago Citywide Literacy Coalition$144,00052%
Chicago Sinfonietta Inc$144,00052%
Center for Companies That Care$144,00058%
Lifeline Productions Inc$140,50046%
Respiratory Health Association$140,00041%
The Goldin Institute$140,0001n/a
Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation Nfp$140,00032%
Project Unloaded Inc$140,00033%
Jazz Institute of Chicago$140,00045%
Girls on the Run - Chicago Inc$140,00043%
Girls in the Game Nfp$140,00043%
Fathers Families Healthy Communities$140,000531%
Writers Theatre Inc$136,25041%
Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago$135,00041%
The Chicago Academy of Sciences$135,00021%
Intonation Music Workshop$135,00054%
Urban Initiatives Inc$135,00041%
The Experimental Station$130,80051%
One on One$130,00059%
Georgetown University$130,00050%
Chicago Family Health Center Inc$130,00030%
The Bridgespan Group Inc$126,00010%
Red Clay Dance Company Inc$125,50056%
Workers Center For Racial Just NFP$125,20052%
Literacy Works$125,00056%
Centro Romero$125,00051%
Kuumba Lynx$125,00053%
Enrich Chicago$125,00056%
Junior Achievement of Chicago$125,00031%
The Musical Arts Institute$125,00055%
Teachers Supporting Teachers$124,37557%
The Phoenix Pact Fund$123,75044%
International Childrens Media Center$122,600533%
Restore Justice Foundation$121,87554%
Playmakers Laboratory Theatre$120,000411%
Illinois Legal Aid Online$120,00043%
Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University Inc$120,00041%
Young Mens Educational Network$120,00042%
Chicago's Sunshine Enterprises Inc$120,00041%
Territory NFP$120,000519%
Free Spirit Media Nfp$119,00043%
True Star Foundation Inc$115,10053%
Legal Action Chicago LLC$115,000116%
Chicago Community Bond Fund$115,00044%
The Hana Center$115,00041%
Love Unity & Values Institute$112,00033%
Live Free Chicago$110,00054%
Congo Square Theatre Company$110,000511%
St Gertrude Parish$107,5003n/a
Supportive Housing Providers Association Inc$106,00055%
Chicago Opera Theater$105,00031%
Mariachi Heritage Foundation$105,0003n/a
Small Business Majority Foundation Inc$105,00031%
Reflection Foundation$105,00052%
South Chicago Dance Theatre$103,00046%
Center for Conflict Resolution$100,40042%
Raise the Floor Alliance$100,00042%
Lincoln Park Community Services$100,00041%
Latino Policy Forum$100,00032%
Boricuactivated$100,000433%
Field Museum of Natural History$100,00020%
Leadersup$100,00021%
Jobs to Move America$100,00040%
Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center NFP$100,00041%
Illinois Community Health Workers Association$100,000157%
Child Mind Institute Inc$100,00030%
The New School$100,00010%
Firebird Community Arts$100,00022%
Pegasus Theatre Chicago$100,000520%
Latino Union of Chicago$100,00046%
Chicago Video Project$100,0001n/a
Chicago Coalition to Save Our Mental Health Centers$100,00055%
Depaul University$95,00030%
Manufacturing Renaissance Fka Center for Labor and Commun$94,50033%
Taskforce Prevention and Community Services$90,00042%
Reading Between the Lines Nfp$82,500515%
Lookingglass Theatre Company$81,25031%
Chicago Abortion Fund$80,50022%
Northwest Side Housing Center$80,00021%
Austin Coming Together$80,00021%
Victory Gardens Theater$80,00023%
Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation$80,00020%
Academy for Urban School Leadership$80,00011%
United States Artists Inc$77,50030%
Northwestern University$77,24050%
Pride Roc$77,00047%
Peaceplayers International$75,00040%
Working Family Solidarity$75,00047%
Black Researchers Collective$75,00035%
Ujimaa Medics$75,0003n/a
West Side Justice Center Inc$75,00011%
Natya Dance Theatre$75,00052%
Disability Lead$73,00043%
Greater Chatham Initiative$72,00022%
New York University$70,00020%
Kohl Children's Museum of Greater Chicago Inc$70,00021%
Tuesdays Child$65,00024%
Injustice Watch NFP$63,12023%
The Gray Matter Experience Inc$63,00025%
Gilloury Institute$61,00024%
Jumpstart for Young Children Inc$60,00020%
The Simple Good$60,00035%
Chicago Jesuit Academy$60,0005n/a
Midtown-Metro Achievement Centers$60,00021%
Beacon Academy a Montessori High School$57,50040%
University of Chicago$56,40030%
Maryville Academy$55,50040%
Reader Institute for Community Journalism Inc$55,50042%
Jewish Council for Public Affairs Inc$55,00013%
Center for Countering Digital Hate Inc$55,00011%
Trace Media Inc$52,85040%
The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois$52,0002n/a
The Civic Federation$51,50051%
Equity and Transformation$50,40023%
Chicago Votes$50,33022%
Featherfist$50,00020%
Deeply Rooted Productions Inc$50,00022%
The Inner Voice Inc$50,00021%
Chicago Human Rhythm Project$50,00022%
Aspire of Illinois$50,00010%
MedGlobal Inc$50,00010%
The Capital Good Fund$50,00011%
Young Adult Institute Inc$50,00010%
American Friends of Natal Inc$50,00011%
Lawrence Hall$50,00010%
Invisible Institute$45,00012%
Math Circles of Chicago$45,00032%
Illinois Coalition to End Permanent Punishments$45,0002n/a
Catholic Church Extension Society of US of Amer$45,0002n/a
Full Spectrum Features NFP$45,00021%
Ladies of Virtue$45,00031%
Once Upon Our Time Capsule$40,00029%
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School$37,5003n/a
Ignatian Mission Center$35,00036%
Maccabi USA Inc$32,00050%
Illinois Association of Free & Charitable Clinics$30,00020%
Sunshine Gospel Ministries$30,00011%
Chicago Advocate Legal Nfp$30,00032%
Lawndale Pop-Up Spot$30,00027%
Chicago Lights$30,00011%
Operation Warm Inc$29,75030%
Paws Chicago$27,00040%
The Art Institute of Chicago$26,07550%
Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund Inc$25,50030%
Far South Community Development Corp$25,00011%
First Defense Legal Aid$25,0001n/a
United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York Inc$25,00010%
Luster Learning Institute NFP$25,00012%
Lumity$25,00011%
Public Health Institute$25,00030%
The Zakat Foundation of America$25,00010%
Alliancechicago$25,00010%
Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago Inc$25,00011%
Westside Health Authority$25,0001n/a
St Paul Church of God In Chris Community Development Ministrie$25,000143%
National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy$25,00050%
Danny Did Foundation$25,00012%
Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund$24,80050%
Josephinum Academy$24,0004n/a
Funders Together to End Homelessnes$23,00050%
Equality Illinois Institute$22,50031%
Leadership Greater Chicago$21,35031%
Moriah Congregation$21,0004n/a
Sarah's Inn$20,67520%
Heartland Human Care Services Inc$20,60020%
Misericordia Foundation$20,00030%
StriveTogether Inc$20,00010%
Israel Cancer Research Fund Inc$20,00030%
Nehemiah Trinity Rising$20,000111%
Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation$20,00010%
Ali Forney Center Inc$20,0001n/a
Fund for Justice$20,00013%
Grantmakers for Effective Organizations$20,00010%
Free Write Arts & Literacy Nfp$20,0001n/a
Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport$20,00011%
Illinois Unidos$20,0001n/a
Imagine Englewood If NFP$20,00012%
Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center$20,00011%
Thunderbird Field II Veterans Memorial Inc$19,80047%
Council on Foundations Inc$19,0001n/a
National Multiple Sclerosis Society$19,00040%
American University$16,25050%
Project of Easton Inc$16,25050%
Voice of the People in Uptown Inc$15,50025%
Repro TLC$15,00012%
Open Center for the Arts$15,00015%
Co-Op Ed Center Nfp$15,0001n/a
Interfaith America$15,00010%
Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues Inc Dba Funders for Lgbtq Issues$15,00030%
Lugenia Burns Hope Center$15,0001n/a
Council for Jewish Elderly$15,00010%
The International Academy of Hope$15,00010%
Grantmakers Concerned With Immigrants and Refugees$15,00030%
Centro de Trabajadores Unidos$15,00012%
Cradles to Crayons Inc$14,00030%
The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago$12,93050%
The Anti-Cruelty Society$12,50050%
Positive Coaching Alliance$12,50050%
K a M Isaiah Israel Congregation$11,5003n/a
University of Rochester$11,25040%
Beverly Arts Center of Chicago$11,25011%
Betty Shabazz International Charter School$11,00020%
Loyola Academy$11,0005n/a
Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (See) Inc$10,50030%
Grant Park Orchestral Association$10,50020%
Greenlight Family Services$10,50040%
NEO Philanthropy Inc$10,0001n/a
Jewish Community Centers of Chicago$10,00010%
St Marys University of Minnesota$10,00010%
Candid$10,00010%
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta Inc$10,00010%
Family Promise Chicago North Shore$10,00031%
Red Line Service Institute$10,00016%
Gift From the Heart Fundation Inc$10,00011%
Resilience Partners NFP$10,0001n/a
Folds of Honor Foundation$10,00010%
South Side Weekly Nfp$10,00011%
Syrian Community Network$10,00011%
HBSCC Charitable Fund$10,000118%
The Founders Fund Inc$8,75021%
Society for Contemporary Art C-O The Art Institute of Chicago$8,26051%
Northside Catholic Academy$7,5001n/a
L Chaim Center for Inspired Living Inc$7,5003n/a
Newport Fire Safety Foundation$7,0003n/a
Blood Cancer United Inc$6,90030%
Lincoln Park Zoological Society$6,84540%
Asset Based Community Development Institute$6,60015%
Shelter Inc$6,50050%
Illinois Community for Displaced Immigrants$6,50031%
The Chicago High School for the Arts$6,25020%
Family First Scholarship Fund$6,2501n/a
Soapbox Productions and Organizing$6,00030%
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Inc$5,50040%
Rivendell Theatre Ensemble$5,25041%
Race Conscious Dialogues$5,00018%
Nourishing Hope$5,00010%
Jesse White Tumbling Team Inc$5,00021%
Impact Grants Chicago$5,00011%
Collective Chicago$5,00012%
Gateways Music Festival Inc$5,00010%
Share our Spare$5,00020%
Chicago Learning Exchange$5,00011%
Northern Illinois University Foundation$5,00010%
Columbia College Chicago$5,00010%
Chicago Women in Philanthropy$5,00014%
National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum$5,00010%
Birthright Israel Foundation$5,00010%
American Friends of Yeshivat Lev Hatorah$5,0001n/a
University of Illinois Foundation$5,00030%
Hope Chicago Inc$5,00010%
Jewish Council for Youth Services$5,00010%
Jewish Child and Family Services$5,00010%
League of Chicago Theatres$5,00010%
Hispanics in Philanthropy$5,00010%
Benedictine Sisters of Chicago$4,5003n/a
Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education$4,00030%
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights$3,75010%
A Just Harvest$3,75010%
The Record Community News Group$3,75020%
Echoing Green Inc$3,75010%
Antioch College Corporation$3,75030%
Infant Welfare Society of Evanston Inc$3,75030%
Arbor Hospice Inc$3,50010%
Association of Black Foundation Executives Inc$3,50020%
Design Museum of Chicago$3,35021%
L O T U S$3,20022%
United African Organization$3,05020%
Commonweal Foundation$3,00030%
DePauw University$3,00050%
Friends of the Orphans D/B/A Nph-Usa$3,00030%
Circle of Friends$3,00031%
Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation Inc$3,00020%
Elyssas Mission NFP$3,00020%
Care for Real$3,00030%
St Labre Indian School$3,0002n/a
Rainbow Railroad USA Inc$2,90020%
Bang on a Can$2,75010%
Vietnamese Association of Illinois$2,75030%
Community Reform Jewish Congregation$2,5001n/a
Foundation Financial Officers Group Inc$2,50010%
Boys & Girls Club of Pbc$2,50010%
Bright Promises Foundation$2,50020%
Alzheimer's Disease & Related Disorders Association Inc$2,50010%
Management Leadership for Tomorrow$2,50010%
Canaryville Lions Youth Football$2,5001n/a
Naples Children Foundation Inc$2,50020%
Crossroads Anti-Racism Organizing & Training$2,5001n/a
Chicago Architecture Foundation$2,40020%
Wellesley College$2,00010%
Chicago Artists Coalition$2,00011%
Pelotonia$2,0001n/a
Chi-Village$2,0001n/a
Abandoned Pet Rescue Inc$2,00020%
Whitney Museum of American Art$2,00010%
National Wildlife Federation$2,00040%
Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice Inc$2,00010%
Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation$2,00020%
St Matthews House Inc$2,00020%
Blackroots Alliance$1,90010%
Arab American Family Services$1,80020%
The Legacy Project$1,80021%
Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago$1,75020%
Grassroots International Inc$1,74010%
Am Shalom$1,7001n/a
Sisters in Cinema NFP$1,55030%
Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Chicago$1,50020%
United States Catholic Conference$1,5003n/a
Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated$1,50030%
Affinity Community Services$1,50020%
Lend a Hand$1,5001n/a
Rebuild the Hood$1,50011%
Rochester Institute of Technology$1,50010%
The Chicago Recovery Alliance$1,5001n/a
Caritas Inc$1,50030%
University Liggett School$1,50020%
Mission Pre-Born Inc$1,50020%
Women's Ordination Conference$1,50030%
Bnai Brith International$1,5001n/a
Youth Services of Glenviewnorthbrook$1,50020%
Grantmakers in the Arts$1,50010%
Healing to Action$1,50030%
Lucy Parsons Labs$1,30020%
The Lincoln Academy of Illinois$1,25010%
Reading Power Inc$1,25010%
New Museum of Contemporary Art$1,25010%
University of Houston Foundation$1,25010%
Evanston Wilmette Golf Course Association$1,25010%
Avenues to Independence$1,25010%
Chicago Area Womens History Council$1,2501n/a
The Chicago Network Inc$1,25010%
Illinois Women's Forum$1,25011%
Chicago Torture Justice Center$1,25020%
Institute for Local Innovations Inc$1,25010%
Illinois Handball Association$1,2001n/a
Breakthrough T1d$1,03820%
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago$1,00010%
American Nicaraguan Foundation Inc$1,00010%
Southern Smoke Foundation$1,00010%
Asian Youth Services$1,00011%
Heartland Alliance International Inc$1,00010%
Illinois Junior Golf Association$1,00010%
Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence$1,00030%
Carthage College$1,00010%
Crystal Lake Food Pantry Inc$1,00010%
Wikimedia Foundation Inc$95030%
California State University Channel Islands Foundation$89520%
Chicago Sculpture Exhibit$80010%
Wesleyan University$80010%
Illinois Institute of Technology$80010%
The Richard H Driehaus Museum$8001n/a
Charitable Allies Inc$76810%
Team Impact Inc$75010%
Gospel Temple Missionary Baptist Church$7501n/a
The Latin School of Chicago$75010%
Bread For The World Inc$75030%
Project Hood Community Development Corporation$75010%
Northlight Theatre Inc$75030%
Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation$70020%
Wespac Foundation Inc$62510%
A Jewish Voice for Peace$51710%
L'Arche Chicago Inc$51010%
Chinese for Affirmative Action$50410%
Gettysburg College$50010%
The Center for Victims of Torture$50010%
Chicago West Community Music Center$50010%
Chicago Humanities Festival$50020%
Middle East Children's Alliance$50010%
Annie B Jones Civic Arts Center$50010%
Eta Creative Arts Foundation$50010%
Center for Economic Democracy Inc$5001n/a
Alliance for Global Justice Corp$50010%
Peoples Community Development PCDAC$50013%
New Economy Coalition Inc$5001n/a
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois Inc$50010%
Haitian Bridge Alliance$50010%
Kenilworth Union Church$5001n/a
Provincetown Community Compact Inc$50010%
Hephzibah Children's Association$50020%
Community Desk Chicago$50010%
Boston Public Library Fund Inc$50010%
Du Page Symphony Orchestra$41610%
Organized Communities Against Deportations$40010%
IL Muslim Civic Coalition$4001n/a
Gloucester Writers Center Inc$25010%
Girls Inc of Chicago$25010%
Beyond Hunger$25010%
Asian American Federation Inc$25010%
Women Unite Chicago$25010%
Breakthrough Urban Ministries Inc$25010%
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance Inc dba NQAPIA$25010%
Local Media Foundation$20010%
Penedo Charitable Organization$20011%
Chicago Furniture Bank$15010%
Jane's Due Process Inc$12510%
National Network of Abortion Funds Lilith Fund$12510%
One Tail at a Time Nfp$10310%
South Side Community Art Center$5310%

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 171 recipients with no EIN on record ($46M), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

Polk Bros Foundation Inc supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 7 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 200 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetNavy Pier Inc: $1,750,000 over 5y, 1.2% of budgetChiArts Foundation: $1,588,450 over 5y, 41% of budgetBig Shoulders Fund: $1,457,500 over 5y, 0.6% of budgetWindow to the World Communications Inc: $1,323,595 over 5y, 0.7% of budgetJewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago: $1,305,500 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetMetropolitan Family Services: $1,276,625 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetGreater Chicago Food Depository: $1,267,750 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetAll Chicago Making Homelessness History: $1,120,500 over 5y, 0.5% of budgetRush University Medical Center: $1,034,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetThe Barack Obama Foundation: $1,005,000 over 4y, 0.3% of budgetCrossroads Fund Inc: $998,700 over 5y, 4.8% of budgetForefront: $976,500 over 5y, 2.4% of budgetErie Family Health Center Inc: $940,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetCenter for Housing and Health: $940,000 over 5y, 3.0% of budgetShriver Center on Poverty Law: $926,500 over 5y, 3.6% of budgetYouth Guidance: $918,125 over 5y, 0.7% of budgetIngenuity Incorporated Chicago: $881,979 over 5y, 12% of budgetChicago Public Media Inc: $852,120 over 5y, 0.7% of budgetLatinos Progresando: $827,400 over 5y, 7.0% of budgetChicago Public Education Fund: $804,500 over 5y, 4.5% of budgetLeading Educators Inc: $757,000 over 5y, 2.4% of budgetMichael Reese Health Trust: $736,000 over 3y, 2.1% of budgetMercy Housing Lakefront: $675,000 over 5y, 1.1% of budgetChicago Youth Centers: $645,000 over 4y, 1.7% of budgetThe Chicago Community Loan Fund: $640,000 over 4y, 1.1% of budgetThe Roger Baldwin Foundation of ACLU Inc: $628,125 over 5y, 2.3% of budgetLocal Initiatives Support Corporation: $625,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetChicago Jobs Council: $615,250 over 5y, 18% of budgetCivic Consulting Alliance: $614,000 over 5y, 4.7% of budgetNeighborhood Housing Services of Chicago Inc: $600,000 over 5y, 2.9% of budgetPublic Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago: $592,000 over 5y, 4.4% of budgetImpact for Equity: $591,850 over 5y, 4.4% of budgetRavinia Festival Association: $560,000 over 5y, 0.4% of budgetChildren's Home & Aid Society of Ill: $542,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetTapestry 360 Health: $525,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetNorth Lawndale Employment Network: $511,125 over 5y, 4.0% of budgetSinai Health System: $505,000 over 4y, 0.3% of budgetKenneth C Griffin Museum of Science and Industry: $502,855 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetUnited Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc: $502,000 over 4y, 0.5% of budgetGads Hill Center: $500,000 over 5y, 2.0% of budgetCabrini Green Legal Aid: $500,000 over 5y, 3.7% of budgetThe Thresholds: $500,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetRefugeeone: $478,000 over 5y, 1.9% of budgetChristopher House: $476,000 over 5y, 0.6% of budgetAfter School Matters Inc: $475,000 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetSkills for Chicago: $463,750 over 5y, 2.0% of budgetJane Addams Resource Corporation: $450,250 over 5y, 3.0% of budgetLaw Center for Better Housing: $450,000 over 4y, 7.2% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 200.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Lloyd a Fry FoundationIL232.6× affinity153 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Lloyd a Fry Foundation · Field Foundation of Illinois · Circle of Service Foundation · Arie and Ida Crown Memorial · United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc · Robert R McCormick Foundation · Chicago Foundation for Women · John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation · The Joyce Foundation · Alphawood Foundation · The Albert Pick Jr Fund · Woods Fund of Chicago

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Compare Polk Bros Foundation Inc with peer funders

About Polk Bros Foundation Inc

How much does Polk Bros Foundation Inc give?
Polk Bros Foundation Inc reported 568 grants totaling $19,251,491 in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 6 and 557 organizations a year over FY2020 to FY2024.
What does Polk Bros Foundation Inc fund?
By grant dollars over FY2020 to FY2025, its largest causes are Arts & Culture (14%), Education (11%), Health (9%).
Who are Polk Bros Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2020 to FY2025: Chicago Community Foundation ($1.8M), Navy Pier Inc ($1.8M), ChiArts Foundation ($1.6M).
Does Polk Bros Foundation Inc fund new organizations?
In FY2024, 14% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does Polk Bros Foundation Inc accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it accepts unsolicited grant applications.
Which funders back the same organizations as Polk Bros Foundation Inc?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Lloyd a Fry Foundation, Field Foundation of Illinois, Circle of Service Foundation.
Where is Polk Bros Foundation Inc based?
Polk Bros Foundation Inc is based in IL.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 857 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

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More from the funding graph