Giving in Illinois 2016

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The analysis is based on the Foundation Center’s 2014 grants set. The set includes all grants of $10,000 or more reported by 1,000 of the largest U.S. foundations by total giving. For community foundations, the set includes only discretionary grants and donor-advised grants (when provided by the funder.)

Illinois is home to a vibrant and growing grantmaking community addressing issues ranging from the arts to medical research to the sciences at the local, national, and international level.

Highlights There are 5,219 IL grantmaking foundations. Giving in Illinois reached a record level of $3.3 billion in Illinois foundations’ assets total $38.3 billion. Cook County grantmakers account for 56% of Illinois foundation giving. Education, health, and human services are areas that received the most funding. Nearly 22% of IL foundation giving is for general support. The total giving by non-Illinois foundations to Illinois recipients is $312 million.

The Illinois Foundation Community Illinois is home to 5,219 grantmaking foundations spanning all types – independent, family, corporate, community, and operating foundations. The community includes many foundations that only give locally or within the state, as well as those that fund nationally and internationally.

Illinois Foundation Giving Reached a Record $3.3 Billion Illinois foundation giving reached a record $3.3 billion in 2014, more than doubling since (Adjusted for inflation, giving rose 97 percent.) By comparison, giving by U.S. foundations overall rose 83 percent during this period (or 46 percent after inflation).

Illinois Foundation Assets Reached a Record $38.3 Billion Illinois foundations experienced strong growth in assets in 2014, with an increase of 7 percent. Assets of Illinois foundations increased for the fifth consecutive year, totaling a record $38.3 billion in the latest year. Assets of Illinois foundations have grown slightly faster than the national average over the past decade (73 percent versus 65 percent).

Illinois Foundation Giving and Assets Grew Faster than U.S. Foundations Between 2004 and 2014

Summary Statistics for Illinois Grantmaking Foundations by Type

Independent Foundations Accounted for the Majority of Illinois Foundation Giving and Assets in 2014

Top 10 Illinois Foundations by Total Giving in 2014 The top 10 Illinois foundations by giving accounted for nearly half of 2014 grant dollars

Top 10 Illinois Foundations by Total Assets in 2014 The top 10 Illinois foundations by assets accounted for 35.4 percent of grant dollars

Top 10 Illinois Corporate Foundations by Giving in 2014 Illinois corporate foundations reported total giving of $258 million in 2014, with the Caterpillar Foundation at the top of the list.

Top 10 Illinois Community Foundations by Giving in 2014 Collectively, Illinois community foundations gave close to $194 million in 2014.

Top 10 Illinois Community Foundations by Assets in 2014 Collectively, Illinois community foundations held $2.7 billion in assets in 2014.

Foundations Based in Cook County Accounted for Over Half of Illinois Foundation Giving in 2014 Foundations in Cook County and surrounding areas control the majority of resources.

The Majority of Grants Awarded by Illinois Foundations Stay in Illinois More than half of the grants awarded by Illinois foundations went to recipients within the state in By share of dollars, just over half (50.2 percent) were awarded to organizations based in other parts of the country. More than half of the grants awarded by Illinois foundations went to recipients within the state in By share of dollars, just over half (50.2 percent) were awarded to organizations based in other parts of the country.

Illinois Grantmakers Account for Over Half of Foundation Support in Illinois Illinois-based foundations provided over 50 percent of grant dollars received by Illinois organizations. Illinois-based foundations provided over 50 percent of grant dollars received by Illinois organizations.

The Focus of Illinois Foundation Giving

Education, health, and human services represent top funding priorities in Illinois A substantial share of the number of foundation grants awarded to Illinois recipients supported human services (18.4 percent). Human services grants tend to be smaller on average than in most other areas of foundation activity. A substantial share of the number of foundation grants awarded to Illinois recipients supported human services (18.4 percent). Human services grants tend to be smaller on average than in most other areas of foundation activity.

Illinois higher education institutions and human services agencies benefit from largest shares of foundation support Roughly 23 percent of foundation grant dollars awarded in Illinois in 2014 funded higher education institutions, followed by human services agencies (20.8 percent). Roughly 23 percent of foundation grant dollars awarded in Illinois in 2014 funded higher education institutions, followed by human services agencies (20.8 percent).

Cook County garners the largest share of foundation support Overall, recipients in Cook County benefited from over 75 percent of grant dollars awarded to recipients in the state and 84.5 percent of the number of grants. Following Cook County was Champaign County (80 grants totaling $43.3 million), followed by Lake County (161 grants totaling $26.8 million). Overall, recipients in Cook County benefited from over 75 percent of grant dollars awarded to recipients in the state and 84.5 percent of the number of grants. Following Cook County was Champaign County (80 grants totaling $43.3 million), followed by Lake County (161 grants totaling $26.8 million).

Illinois State Spending Dwarfs Foundation Giving Foundations are also sometimes seen as having the resources to fill government budget gaps, especially in difficult economic times. Yet compared to government expenditures, foundation giving represents a small fraction of the total. For example, while Illinois foundations provided giving totaling $3.3 billion in 2014, the Illinois state budget General Revenue Fund for fiscal year 2014 totaled nearly $30 billion and the budget deficit for the state in 2013 was estimated at nearly $49 billion.

A Note About Individual Giving Foundations represent only one source of charitable support. Across the country, individuals provide 70 percent of private contributions, far surpassing foundations and corporations. 1 In Illinois, individuals gave $7.8 billion in 2013—well over twice the amount provided by private foundations that year. 2 However, if religious giving were excluded, foundations would account for a far larger share of total giving by Illinois donors. 1Giving USA Foundation, Giving USA 2015, ed. by M. McKitrick, Indianapolis, IN: Giving USA Foundation, If bequest giving were included, the overall share of giving accounted for by individuals would rise to about 80 percent. 2 IRS, 2016.

The Outlook for Foundation Giving Overall giving by the nation’s private and community foundations reached $63.9 billion in 2015, surpassing previous record levels even after adjusting for inflation. independent and family foundations: giving was up 6 % Community foundations: giving up 7 % Corporate foundation: giving up 5 %

Expected Growth Looking ahead, the report projects that U.S. foundations overall will continue to benefit from healthy growth in the economy and stock market. As a result, their giving will continue to increase well ahead of inflation

Full Report Find the full report and analysis at

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