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Ralla Klepak Performing Arts Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Ralla Klepak Performing Arts Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$4.9M
Granted FY2025still arriving
15
Grants FY2025still arriving
2
States reached
$1.1M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0183% 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$9.5MReligion$2.9MEducation$2.0MHuman Services$1.5MHealth$985kSocial Science$897kCivil Rights$525kYouth Development$227kOther$0
02FY2025 · 15 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • $10k–50k1 grant · $40k
  • $50k–250k6 grants · $739k
  • $250k+8 grants · $4.1M
$250,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$5.4M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Merit School of Music$1,050,000
Individual grant recipient$550,000
Individual grant recipient$536,000
The Ark$500,000
The Chicago Center for Music Educat$500,000
Individual grant recipient$450,000
Arie Crown Hebrew Day School$250,000
Agudath Israel of Chicago$250,000
Individual grant recipient$225,000
The People's Music School$150,000
Individual grant recipient$138,600
Harold and Rosemarie Marx Memorial$100,000
Playthinks$75,000
Joy Christian Fellowship Church$50,000
Mesameach$40,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY21–24, $1.4M) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%Center on Halsted: $150k → 14%Center on Halsted: $105k → 14%Center on Halsted: $105k → 14%Center on Halsted: $50k → 14%Metropolitan Family Services: $150k → 14%Metropolitan Family Services: $100k → 14%Chicago Chesed Fund: $340k → 14%Chicago Chesed Fund: $336k → 14%Chicago Chesed Fund: $29k → 14%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

89%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$22M · 41 repeat orgs$2.8M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +28% since the first grant, against +10% for those funded once.

41 repeat relationships: 11 still active in FY2025, 30 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

41
20

Total granted

$22M
$2.0M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+28%
+10%

Still filing today

41%
30%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 83% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $825k went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’20’21’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureHuman ServicesEducationCivil RightsOther
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.

Backed again, and grew

  • MS
    MERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC
    6× · 2020–2025 · $2.0M · revenue ×16
  • NT
    NORTHLIGHT THEATRE INC
    4× · 2020–2024 · $1.3M · revenue +128%
  • ST
    STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY
    2× · 2020–2021 · $750k · revenue +97%

Funded once

  • SH
    Sarah Hartman Institute
    one grant, 2024 · $500k
  • IC
    IDA Crown Academy
    one grant, 2023 · $165k
  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2021 · $150k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Chicago City Theatre Company dba Joel Hall Dancers & Center

To enrich the lives of our community through dance education and performance while developing Chicago's native talent pool in a welcoming environment that celebrates multiculturalism & ethnic diversity.

Arts & Culture
2
The Chicago High School for the Arts

The chicago high school for the arts (chiarts) develops the next generation of diverse, artistically promising scholar-artists through intensive pre-professional training in the arts, combined with a comprehensive college preparatory…

Education
3
Chamber Opera of Chicago
—
4
Chicago Opera Theater

Chicago opera theater expands the tradition of opera as a living art form by engaging lovers of music and storytelling through innovative experiences, predominantly of new and rarely performed works.

Arts & Culture
5
Classical Music Chicago

Presenting free high-quality classical music performances and music education experiences in the Chicago metropolitan area for people of all ages and degrees of musical awareness so they can experience how music enriches life.

Arts & Culture
6
Chicago Jazz Philharmonic

To present high quality arts programming and musical performances that will educate, enrich and improve the quality of life for the diverse Chicago cultural communities and beyond.

—
7
Lookingglass Theatre Company

Lookingglass theatre company is a national leader in the creation and presentation of innovative, cutting-edge theatrical work. lookingglass interweaves movement, circus arts and narrative in original and captivating ways. guided by an…

Arts & Culture
8
Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago

Porchlight, Chicagos home for music theatre, illuminates the past, present and future of this American art form through live performance, youth education and outreach programs that positively impact and connect us to the community.

Arts & Culture
9
Cyt Chicago Inc

CYT is dedicated to developing character in children and adults through training in the arts and by producing whole family entertainment, all of which reflect Judeo-Christian values.

Arts & Culture
10
The Ballet Chicago Company

Ballet Chicago is a professional track school of ballet that creates exceptional dancers. It makes classical ballet training accessible to all. Its founders Daniel Duell and Patricia Blair carry on George Balanchines legacy by providing…

—
11
Writers Theatre Inc

Writers Theatre (WT) is a literary organization that operates not-for-profit theatres in Glencoe, Illinois. The Writers Theatre mission is to create intimate connections through astonishing performances and innovative programs; activating…

Arts & Culture
12
Chicago Sinfonietta Inc

Chicago Sinfonietta is a professional orchestra dedicated to modeling and promoting diversity, inclusion, and both racial and cultural equity in the arts through the universal language of symphonic music. Our core values are built around…

Arts & Culture
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Chicago Children's Theatre; the most unlike its peers is Firehouse Community Arts Center of Chicago. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

29 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 29 of the 65 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

2
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
5
Early backer (in before they grew)
25/29
Grantees still filing
20/29
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Individual grant recipient: $2,136,600 · OtherIndividual grant recipientThe Ark: $1,275,000 · OtherThe ArkIndividual grant recipient: $1,210,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientJDBY: $900,000 · OtherJDBYAgudath Israel of Chicago: $863,000 · OtherAgudath Israel of ChicagoThe Chicago Center for Music Educat: $775,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $750,000 · OtherWesleyan University of Illinois: $685,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $550,000 · Other+35 more: $6,496,200 · Other+35 moreMERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC: $2,050,000 · Arts & CultureMERIT SCHOOL OF MUSICNORTHLIGHT THEATRE INC: $1,265,000 · Arts & CultureNORTHLIGHT THEATRE INCSTEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY: $750,000 · Arts & CultureSTEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANYRAVINIA FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION: $665,000 · Arts & CultureRAVINIA FESTIVAL ASSOCIATIONCHICAGO CHILDREN'S THEATRE: $585,000 · Arts & CultureCHICAGO CHILDREN'S THEATRETIMELESS GIFTS: $475,000 · Arts & CultureTIMELESS GIFTSKUUMBA LYNX: $300,000 · Arts & CultureYOUNG CHICAGO AUTHORS: $280,000 · Arts & Culture+6 more: $559,500 · Arts & Culture+6 moreCHICAGO CHESED FUND: $704,425 · Human ServicesCenter on Halsted: $410,000 · Human ServicesMetropolitan Family Services: $250,000 · Human ServicesCHANGING WORLDS: $325,000 · Civil RightsAMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE: $200,000 · Civil RightsMESIVTA SHAAREI ADIRIM: $200,000 · EducationGLENWOOD ACADEMY: $96,500 · Education
Other$15,640,800Arts & Culture$6,929,500Human Services$1,364,425Civil Rights$525,000Education$296,500

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetMERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC: $2,050,000 over 6y, 11% of budgetNORTHLIGHT THEATRE INC: $1,265,000 over 4y, 11% of budgetSTEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY: $750,000 over 2y, 3.5% of budgetCHICAGO CHESED FUND: $704,425 over 3y, 4.1% of budgetRAVINIA FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION: $665,000 over 2y, 0.6% of budgetCHICAGO CHILDREN'S THEATRE: $585,000 over 5y, 6.7% of budgetTIMELESS GIFTS: $475,000 over 4y, 73% of budgetCenter on Halsted: $410,000 over 4y, 2.1% of budgetTapestry 360 Health: $400,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetCHANGING WORLDS: $325,000 over 2y, 15% of budgetKUUMBA LYNX: $300,000 over 2y, 10% of budgetYOUNG CHICAGO AUTHORS: $280,000 over 2y, 14% of budgetSearch Inc: $280,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetMetropolitan Family Services: $250,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetAMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE: $200,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetLUBAVITCH GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL INC: $155,000 over 2y, 3.4% of budgetThe People's Music School: $150,000 over 1y, 3.6% of budgetVANDERCOOK COLLEGE OF MUSIC: $105,000 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetNational Indo American Museum: $101,000 over 2y, 41% of budgetCENTRO ROMERO: $100,000 over 1y, 3.5% of budgetVictory Gardens Theater: $100,000 over 1y, 2.9% of budgetGLENWOOD ACADEMY: $96,500 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetLawrence Hall: $76,600 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTIZMORET INC: $50,000 over 1y, 14% of budgetFIREHOUSE COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER OF CHICAGO: $41,500 over 2y, 1.2% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds MERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC ↗
  • Who funds NORTHLIGHT THEATRE INC ↗
  • Who funds STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY ↗
  • Who funds CHICAGO CHESED FUND ↗
  • Who funds RAVINIA FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION ↗
  • Who funds CHICAGO CHILDREN'S THEATRE ↗
  • Who funds TIMELESS GIFTS ↗
  • Who funds Center on Halsted ↗
  • Who funds Tapestry 360 Health ↗
  • Who funds CHANGING WORLDS ↗
  • Who funds KUUMBA LYNX ↗
  • Who funds YOUNG CHICAGO AUTHORS ↗
  • Who funds Search Inc ↗
  • Who funds Metropolitan Family Services ↗
  • Who funds AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE ↗
  • Who funds MESIVTA SHAAREI ADIRIM ↗
  • Who funds LUBAVITCH GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL INC ↗

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.

Polk Bros Foundation …John D and Catherine …The Chicago Community…Jewish Federation of …Ncrc Community Develo…Field Foundation of I…United Way of Metropo…Illinois Humanities C…Lloyd a Fry FoundationArie and Ida Crown Me…Prince FoundationLeague of Chicago The…
Polk Bros Foundation IncIL25.8× affinity10 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Polk Bros Foundation Inc · John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation · The Chicago Community Trust · Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago · Ncrc Community Development Fund Inc · Field Foundation of Illinois · United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc · Illinois Humanities Council Inc · Lloyd a Fry Foundation · Arie and Ida Crown Memorial · Prince Foundation · League of Chicago Theatres Foundation

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.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Ralla Klepak Performing Arts Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Ralla Klepak Performing Arts Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%5%19%42%75%funder's share of their income ↑0%13%25%38%50%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    8report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–50%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

    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 65 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

    Play a game based on Ralla Klepak Performing Arts’ filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home