Who funds Chicago Symphony Orchestra?
116 private foundations reported grants to Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Chicago, Illinois totaling $15.4 million across 124 grants in tax years 2023 to 2025. The largest funder was Zell Family Foundation, with $9.6 million.
From the funders' IRS Form 990-PF filings.
- Foundation funders116
- Grants reported124
- Total received$15.4 million
- Funders taking applications19
Foundations that fund Chicago Symphony Orchestra
| Foundation | Purpose given | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zell Family Foundation | General support | 2 | $9.6 million |
| Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund | General support | 1 | $1.1 million |
| Julian Family Foundation | General purposes | 1 | $935,000 |
| The Negaunee Foundation | Unrestricted use | 1 | $400,000 |
| Lakonishok Foundation | Arts | 1 | $375,000 |
| Sidney Kohl Family Foundation | Charitable | 1 | $300,000 |
| Beatrice B Tinsley Perpetual Charitable Trust | General support | 1 | $295,865 |
| Frankel Julius N Foundation | Program support | 1 | $175,000 |
| Sargent Family Foundation | General operations | 1 | $120,000 |
| Lloyd A Fry Foundation | For cso-connect cps partnerships | 5 | $107,500 |
| Beatrice P Delany Char Tr | General | 1 | $100,000 |
| Abbott Fund | Family Matinees | 1 | $100,000 |
| D and R Charitable Fund | Civic & social | 1 | $100,000 |
| Paul Galvin Memorial Foundation Trust | Public charity | 1 | $100,000 |
| John H Hart Foundation | Charitable contribution | 1 | $95,000 |
| Dora and John Aalbregtse Foundation | Unrestricted use of the charity | 1 | $68,000 |
| Walter and Karla Goldschmidt Foundation | Activities of the organization to which money was donated | 1 | $65,000 |
| The John D & Leslie Henner Burns Family Foundation | Music appreciation | 1 | $61,000 |
| Sally Mead Hands Foundation | Operating funds | 1 | $60,000 |
| Dean L & Rosemarie Buntrock Foundation | Operating Needs | 1 | $60,000 |
| Shea Family Foundation Inc | General operation | 1 | $52,550 |
| The Regenstein Foundation | Operational support | 1 | $50,000 |
| Patrick G and Shirley W Ryan Foundation | General charitable operations | 1 | $50,000 |
| Arie and Ida Crown Memorial | General operating | 2 | $50,000 |
| John R Halligan Charitable Fund | Unrestricted for general use of charity | 1 | $50,000 |
| Darling Family Foundation Inc | General operating activities | 1 | $35,000 |
| Red Bird Hollow Foundation | Charitable | 1 | $30,000 |
| The Irving Harris Foundation | General operating support | 1 | $30,000 |
| Zollie & Elaine Frank Fund DBA Mrs Zollie S Frank Fund | General fundraising | 1 | $30,000 |
| Crain-Maling Foundation | Exempt purpose of the organization | 1 | $29,500 |
| Leslie Fund Inc | Civic Fellow in the Civic orchestra of Chicago fund | 2 | $28,500 |
| Dan J Epstein Family Foundation | To further the charitable works of the organization. | 1 | $25,709 |
| The Bill and Orli Staley Foundation | Support | 1 | $25,000 |
| The Joseph B Glossberg Foundation | Donation | 1 | $25,000 |
| Mason Foundation Inc | Annual fund | 1 | $23,000 |
| Nancy A Lauter & Alfred L McDougal Charitable | General support | 1 | $22,000 |
| The Howard and Sarah D Solomon Foundation | General support | 1 | $20,000 |
| Robert & Isabelle Bass Fdn Inc | Unrestricted general | 1 | $20,000 |
| Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation | General charitable purposes | 1 | $20,000 |
| William M Hales Foundation | General support | 1 | $20,000 |
| Circle of Service Foundation | Community services | 1 | $20,000 |
| Charles and M R Shapiro Foundation Inc | Negaunee music institute program | 1 | $20,000 |
| JS Charitable Trust | Unrestricted | 1 | $20,000 |
| Kaufman Family Foundation | General support | 1 | $20,000 |
| Susan & Robert Wislow Charitable Foundation | General unrestricted charitable purpose | 1 | $17,000 |
| Roy and Irene Rettinger Foundation | General support | 1 | $15,000 |
| The Bruno and Sallie Pasquinelli Family Foundation | To support the community | 1 | $15,000 |
| The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation | General | 1 | $15,000 |
| The Anstiss and Ronald Krueck Foundation | General purposes | 1 | $15,000 |
| The Clinton Family Fund | General support | 1 | $15,000 |
| Butler Family Foundation | General charitable, religious, educational or scientific purpose of the donee organization | 1 | $15,000 |
| Osprey Foundation | Further exempt purpose | 1 | $13,000 |
| The Barker Welfare Foundation | For final payment on a pledge of 25,000.00 payable over 2 years for cso-connect programming in the chicago public schools on the south and south west side of chicago. | 1 | $12,500 |
| Janis Morris Foundation | General purpose | 1 | $10,000 |
| Harry F Chaddick and Elaine Chaddick Foundation Inc | Civic | 1 | $10,000 |
| Morgan Senior Foundation | Unrestricted grant for general purpose | 1 | $10,000 |
| Lewis-Sebring Family Foundation | In support of organization's mission | 1 | $10,000 |
| Bisco Charitable Foundation | General fund | 1 | $10,000 |
| Dr Petra and Owen Rissman Foundation | General operations | 1 | $10,000 |
| The Henry and Gilda Buchbinder Family Foundation | Charitable | 1 | $10,000 |
| Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | 1 | $10,000 |
| The Karla Scherer Foundation | General fund | 1 | $10,000 |
| Benck Family Foundation | General | 1 | $10,000 |
| Benjamin J Rosenthal Foundation | General support | 2 | $7,500 |
| The Heestand Foundation Inc | For cso gm annual fund (unrestricted) | 1 | $7,500 |
| Holson Family Foundation | General support | 1 | $7,500 |
| The Kensington Square Foundation | General support | 1 | $7,000 |
| The Judelson Family Foundation | Put on symphony events | 1 | $5,000 |
| Colman Family Foundation | Annual Gift | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Allyn Foundation Inc | Music programs | 1 | $5,000 |
| Van Nice Foundation | General support | 1 | $5,000 |
| The McDermott Foundation | General | 1 | $5,000 |
| Dewoskinroskin Foundation | Unrestricted | 1 | $5,000 |
| Thomas W Dower Foundation | To provide for charitable activities as determined by the recipient organization | 1 | $5,000 |
| Mayer and Morris Kaplan Foundation | general operating support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Kovler Family Foundation | Cultural & Civic-To aid in achieving the exempt purpose of the various donee organizations. | 1 | $5,000 |
| James & Minerva Weiss Foundation | General support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Earle & Virginia Combs Foundation | General exempt purpose | 1 | $5,000 |
| Snyder Family Foundation | General support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Barbara Bluhm-Kaul Foundation (F/K/A Mayfair Foundation) | Governing members fund | 1 | $5,000 |
| Hunter Family Foundation | General support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Robert W Goltermann and Marcia M Goltermann Charitable Trust | Charitable | 1 | $4,500 |
| The Lucille & Joseph Block Foundation | General support | 1 | $4,500 |
| The Ruttenbergkagan Foundation | Charitable purpose of recipient | 1 | $4,500 |
| Jocarno Fund | Support general operations | 1 | $4,500 |
| Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation | General support | 1 | $4,500 |
| The Aaron Copland Fund for Music Inc | Encourage knowledge and appreciation of contemporary american music | 1 | $4,000 |
| Hilary & Barry Weinstein Family Charitable Foundation | Arts | 1 | $3,500 |
| The Arrington Foundation | Charitable. | 1 | $3,242 |
| Donald W Collier Charitable Trust II | Unrestricted | 1 | $2,637 |
| RLH Foundation | Operating funds | 1 | $2,500 |
| Kuo Charitable Foundation Inc | Educational & cultural | 1 | $2,500 |
| The Stare Fund | General Purpose | 1 | $2,000 |
| Williams Family Charitable Foundation | General charitable purposes | 1 | $2,000 |
| Sueske W & C Charitable Tr 21580 | General operating purposes | 1 | $2,000 |
| Gavlin Family Foundation | General assistance | 1 | $1,500 |
| Schultz Family Private Foundation | General fund | 1 | $1,500 |
| Robert G Weiss Family Foundation | General purposes | 1 | $1,300 |
| Brown Monson Foundation | General | 1 | $1,000 |
| The Acorn Foundation | Cultural | 1 | $1,000 |
Using this list
A foundation that already gives to Chicago Symphony Orchestra gives in its field and region, so the list doubles as a prospect list for similar organizations in Chicago. Open a foundation to see its application rules, typical grant and every other grant it paid.
Questions people ask
Who funds Chicago Symphony Orchestra?
Zell Family Foundation, Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund, Julian Family Foundation, The Negaunee Foundation and Lakonishok Foundation, and 111 more, according to their IRS Form 990-PF filings.
How much does Chicago Symphony Orchestra get from foundations?
$15.4 million in 124 reported grants from 116 private foundations in tax years 2023 to 2025. Government grants and gifts from individuals are not included.
Which of these funders accept applications?
Frankel Julius N Foundation, Lloyd A Fry Foundation, Beatrice P Delany Char Tr, Walter and Karla Goldschmidt Foundation and Arie and Ida Crown Memorial say in their filings that they accept applications.