Well Told Grants

Nonprofits / Illinois

Who funds Merit School of Music?

Chicago, Illinois · EIN 363028768

73 private foundations reported grants to Merit School of Music in Chicago, Illinois totaling $5.8 million across 86 grants in tax years 2023 to 2025. The largest funder was The Negaunee Foundation, with $1.6 million.

From the funders' IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Funders of Merit School of Music that accept applications

If your organization does similar work, these foundations are prospects: they already fund work like Merit School of Music's and say in their IRS filings that they accept applications.

More prospects in the funder finder, filtered to foundations that give in Illinois.

Foundations that fund Merit School of Music

All 73 funders, by amount
FoundationPurpose givenGrantsAmount
The Negaunee Foundation
Illinois · 2024
Unrestricted2$1.6 million
Ralla Klepak Performing Arts Foundation
Illinois · 2025 · accepts applications
Program Support1$1.1 million
Julian Family Foundation
Illinois · 2025
General purposes1$500,000
The Knowles Foundation
Illinois · 2024
Capital campaign4$292,500
Caerus Foundation Inc
Illinois · 2024
Merit Music in Communities3$275,000
Crankstart Foundation
California · 2024
To support chicago-area youths access to high quality music instruction1$250,000
Julius and Cynthia Huebner Foundation
Michigan · 2025
Support1$216,650
Zell Family Foundation
Illinois · 2024
General support1$200,000
Sirius Fund
Illinois · 2024 · accepts applications
To support charitable purpose4$168,025
The Canning Foundation
Illinois · 2025
To further program services1$150,000
Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust
Illinois · 2023 · accepts applications
Support general operating1$100,000
Kiphart Family Foundation
Florida · 2024
General purpose1$100,000
John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation
Illinois · 2024
In support of general operations1$80,000
The James Huntington Foundation
Illinois · 2024
General purpose1$80,000
Beatrice P Delany Char Tr
Illinois · 2023 · accepts applications
General1$70,000
An and Pearl G Barnett Family Foundation
Illinois · 2024
Charitable1$60,000
Verne G and Judith A Istock Foundation
Florida · 2023
Charitable assistance3$60,000
Abra Prentice Foundation Inc
Illinois · 2024
Earmarked for renewed support of its instrumental music and vocal program1$55,000
John H Hart Foundation
Illinois · 2025
Charitable contribution1$50,000
Lloyd A Fry Foundation
Illinois · 2024 · accepts applications
For merit music in communities2$45,000
Polk Bros Foundation Inc
Illinois · 2024 · accepts applications
Arts Access and Learning2$44,500
Sargent Family Foundation
Illinois · 2024
General operations1$40,000
The Brinson Foundation
Illinois · 2024 · accepts applications
General operating support and pdta1$33,000
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial
Illinois · 2024 · accepts applications
Program1$30,000
The Bluhm Family Foundation
Illinois · 2024
To further the exempt purpose of the organization1$25,000
Smart Family Foundation of Illinois
Illinois · 2024
Cultural, historical & other educational1$25,000
D and R Charitable Fund
Illinois · 2024
Civic & social1$20,000
Circle of Service Foundation
Illinois · 2024 · accepts applications
Education1$15,000
Sage Foundation
Michigan · 2025 · accepts applications
General, charitable, educational1$15,000
Robert & Isabelle Bass Fdn Inc
Illinois · 2025
Unrestricted general1$12,500
Nisource Charitable Foundation
Ohio · 2024 · accepts applications
Corporate donation1$12,500
The Clinton Family Fund
Illinois · 2025
General support1$12,000
Luther I Replogle Foundation
Maryland · 2025 · accepts applications
Scholarship program1$12,000
John R Halligan Charitable Fund
Illinois · 2025
Unrestricted for general use of charity1$11,000
James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family Foundation
Illinois · 2025
General operating support1$10,000
The Siragusa Family Foundation
Illinois · 2024
Scholarships1$10,000
Patrick G and Shirley W Ryan Foundation
Illinois · 2024
General charitable operations1$10,000
The Joseph B Glossberg Foundation
Illinois · 2025
Donation1$10,000
Zuckerman Family Foundation
Illinois · 2024
Public charity support1$10,000
Oppenheimer Family Foundation
California · 2024 · accepts applications
General charitable1$10,000
The Neisser Family Foundation
Illinois · 2025
Public charity support1$10,000
Fulk Family Foundation Inc
Nebraska · 2024
General purpose1$9,000
The Vitale Family Foundation Inc
Delaware · 2025
Charitable Event1$7,500
Howard L Gottlieb Foundation
Illinois · 2025
Donation1$5,009
Chang Family Foundation
Pennsylvania · 2024
General1$5,000
Colman Family Foundation
Delaware · 2024
Annual Gift1$5,000
Benjamin J Rosenthal Foundation
Illinois · 2024
General support1$5,000
Dewoskinroskin Foundation
Illinois · 2024 · accepts applications
Unrestricted1$5,000
The Irving Harris Foundation
Illinois · 2024
General operating support1$5,000
D'addario Foundation Inc
New York · 2024 · accepts applications
To support growth and appreciation of music1$3,150
Joy Foundation
Colorado · 2024
General support1$3,000
Jocarno Fund
Illinois · 2024 · accepts applications
Support general operations1$3,000
Sidney Kohl Family Foundation
Florida · 2024
Charitable1$3,000
Leslie Fund Inc
Delaware · 2024
General & Unrestricted1$2,500
The H & A Charitable Foundation
Illinois · 2025
Merit school of music transforms the lives of chicago-area youth through removing barriers to high quality music education1$2,000
Alfredo and Ada Capitanini Foundation
Illinois · 2024
Educational1$2,000
Robert M Levy and Diane VS Levy Family Foundation
Georgia · 2025
To further the exempt purpose of the organization1$2,000
First Eagle Investments Foundation
Delaware · 2024
General & Unrestricted1$2,000
Katherine L Olson Charitable Foundation
Illinois · 2024
Music Education1$1,500
Dolores Kohl Education Foundation
Illinois · 2023
Charitable1$1,000
The Lucille & Joseph Block Foundation
Illinois · 2025
General support1$1,000
Mayer and Morris Kaplan Foundation
Illinois · 2024 · accepts applications
general operating support1$1,000
The Meredith and Rosemary Willson Charit (Aka the Music Man Foundation)
California · 2024 · accepts applications
General operating support1$1,000
Arthur J Gallagher Foundation
Illinois · 2024
General exempt purpose1$750
David D & Mary F Grumhaus Fund
Illinois · 2024 · accepts applications
Charitable purposes1$600
Dora and John Aalbregtse Foundation
Illinois · 2024
Unrestricted use of the charity1$500
CDM Foundation Inc
Indiana · 2025
General support1$500
Amazonsmile Foundation
Washington · 2023
General support1$320
St Andrews Foundation
Illinois · 2024
Charitable donation1$300
Karger Fund
Illinois · 2025
Public charity support1$300
Chicago Educational Research Foundation
Illinois · 2025
Focuses on high-quality music instruction for kids and teens, offering group music classes, private lessons, and conservatory level instruction1$250
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
New York · 2025
Matching contribution (general operating support)1$150
American Express Foundation
New York · 2024 · accepts applications
General support1$20

Amounts are grants paid as each foundation reported them. Names are matched across filings, so a grant written under a different name for the same organization may be missing.

Using this list

A foundation that already gives to Merit School of Music 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 Merit School of Music?

The Negaunee Foundation, Ralla Klepak Performing Arts Foundation, Julian Family Foundation, The Knowles Foundation and Caerus Foundation Inc, and 68 more, according to their IRS Form 990-PF filings.

How much does Merit School of Music get from foundations?

$5.8 million in 86 reported grants from 73 private foundations in tax years 2023 to 2025. Government grants and gifts from individuals are not included.

Which of these funders accept applications?

Ralla Klepak Performing Arts Foundation, Sirius Fund, Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust, Beatrice P Delany Char Tr and Lloyd A Fry Foundation say in their filings that they accept applications.

Other funded organizations in Chicago