The Brinson Foundation
Accepts applications
The Brinson Foundation is a private foundation in Chicago, Illinois. In tax year 2024 it gave $8.5 million in 138 grants; the typical grant was $50,000 and the largest $600,000. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2024.
- Grants paid, 2024$8.5 million
- Number of grants138
- Typical grant$50,000
- Largest grant$600,000
- Assets$237 million
- New grantees26%
Giving in 2024 was down from $106 million the year before.
26% of its 2024 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a mix of repeat and new grantees.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $106 million | 128 | $228 million |
| 2024 | $8.5 million | 138 | $237 million |
How to apply
| Contact | Christy Uchida 737 N Michigan Avenue Suite 1850, Chicago, IL 60611 |
|---|---|
| Phone or email | (312) 799-4500, mail@brinsonfoundation.org |
| What to submit | www.brinsonfoundation.org |
| Restrictions | https://brinsonfoundation.org/grant-seekers/limitations-and-other-considerat ions/ |
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What The Brinson Foundation funds
Where it gives
Its grants went to recipients in 14 states, the most to Illinois.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 83 | $4.5 million |
| California | 16 | $1.2 million |
| Wyoming | 7 | $862,200 |
| Massachusetts | 5 | $493,000 |
| District of Columbia | 9 | $257,750 |
| Arizona | 4 | $253,700 |
| New York | 4 | $248,200 |
| New Jersey | 2 | $240,000 |
| Virginia | 3 | $120,000 |
| Connecticut | 1 | $115,000 |
Grants paid in 2024
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St John's Health Foundation | Hitching post workforce housing redevelopment | $600,000 |
| Chicago Community Foundation Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities | Scaling community violence intervention for a safer chicago | $200,000 |
| Eisenhower Health | Cardiovascular institute | $200,000 |
| University of Chicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics Edward H Lev | Brinson astrophysics fellowship program, brinson lecture, and pdta | $141,700 |
| Carnegie Institution for Science Carnegie Observatories Instrumentation Pro | Carnegie-caltech brinson postdoctoral fellowship in observational astronomy | $120,000 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Brinson prize fellowship in observational cosmology | $120,000 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Brinson prize fellowship in observational cosmology | $120,000 |
| Northwestern University | Nu-uchicago brinson postdoctoral fellowship in astrophysics | $120,000 |
| Princeton University Department of Astrophysical Sciences | Brinson prize fellowship in observational cosmology | $120,000 |
| Princeton University Department of Astrophysical Sciences | Brinson prize fellowship in observational cosmology | $120,000 |
| University of Chicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics Edward H Lev | Brinson prize fellowship in observational cosmology | $120,000 |
| University of Chicago Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics | Brinson prize fellowship in observational cosmology | $120,000 |
| Carnegie Institution for Science Carnegie Observatories Instrumentation Pro | Carnegie-caltech brinson prize fellowship in observational astronomy | $115,000 |
| Carnegie Institution for Science Carnegie Observatories Instrumentation Pro | Brinson prize fellowship in instrumentation | $115,000 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College | Brinson prize fellowship in interstellar matter research | $115,000 |
| University of California Los Angeles Galactic Center Group | Brinson prize fellowship in black hole astrophysics | $115,000 |
| Wesleyan University | Brinson prize fellowship in radio astronomy | $115,000 |
| Salk Institute for Biological Studies | Brain metabolism and dna repair in primate evolution and pdta | $103,000 |
| University of Chicago Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy | Genetic basis for the origin of limbs research and pdta | $103,000 |
| LSST Inc | Data science fellowship program and pdta | $102,700 |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago | Brinson medical research fellowship | $100,000 |
| California Institute of Technology | Exploring the warped space- time around black holes | $100,000 |
| Rush University Medical Center | Brinson medical research fellowship | $100,000 |
| Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory | Solar astrophysics and astroai research | $100,000 |
| University of Chicago Medicine | Brinson medical research fellowship | $100,000 |
| Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Shirley Ryan Abilitylab | Brinson stroke fellowship | $90,000 |
| Adler Planetarium | Cosmology and astrophysics research and pdta | $88,000 |
| Field Museum of Natural History | Learning center programs and pdta | $83,000 |
| Griffin Museum of Science and Industry | General support and pdta | $83,000 |
| La Rabida Children's Hospital | General operating support and pdta | $82,750 |
| Art Institute of Chicago | General operating support | $80,000 |
| Shedd Aquarium Society John G Shedd Aquarium | General operating support | $80,000 |
| Carnegie Institution for Science Earth and Planets Laboratory | Experimental and observational geophysics and pdta | $78,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York Columbia University | Lamont-doherty earth observatory - anticipating earthquakes initiative and pdta | $77,200 |
| California Institute of Technology | Quantum communication channels and quantum sensing for fundamental physics research | $75,000 |
| Science Philanthropy Alliance Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors | Associate membership | $75,000 |
| Lake Forest Academy | Class of '93 scholarship fund for high school students and pdta | $71,500 |
| The Partnership for College Completion | General operating support | $70,000 |
| Window to the World Communications | Local broadcast of nova and general support | $70,000 |
| Research Corporation for Science Advancement | Scialog: early science with the lsst | $66,000 |
Officers and trustees
- Gary P Brinson
- Suzann A Brinson
- Monique Demery
- Talina Sue Melone
- Ameri Christy Uchida
- Thomas R Demery
Questions people ask
Does The Brinson Foundation accept grant applications?
Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications.
How much does The Brinson Foundation give?
$8.5 million in tax year 2024, across 138 grants, with a typical grant of $50,000.
Who runs The Brinson Foundation?
Its 2024 filing lists Gary P Brinson (Director/Board Chair), Suzann A Brinson (Director), Monique Demery (Director) and Talina Sue Melone (Director/Secretary) among 6 officers and trustees.
What does The Brinson Foundation fund?
Based on its grants, mainly education, science and research and health.