Funding search · EIN 821503941 · Chicago, IL

Builders Initiative Foundation

Name: Builders Initiative Foundation grants, 2022–2024
Creator: PaperOrbit
License: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organization-public-disclosure-and-availability-requirements

A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.

1,052
grants reported: $266.3M
total given: 2022–2024
filing years: $150,000
median grant

Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 2022–2024. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.

What they fund

chicago development community climate focused aquaculture food research

Funder website ↗Full IRS filings ↗How this is built Report an error

Funding pattern

What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.

Where the money goes

Restorative aquaculture, blue carbon and fisheries in Maine and the Caribbean
Midwest clean energy, home electrification and coal-community transition
Chicago community organizations: food access, environmental justice, violence reduction
Regenerative agriculture, soil health and agroforestry in the Corn Belt
Food as medicine and healthy food procurement in health systems
Arts fellowships and artist-run spaces, mostly Midwest and rural

Typical grant

Median grant is $150,000 and the middle half runs $75,000 to $250,000, so a first ask in the $150,000 to $400,000 range fits the pattern. The seven-figure checks go to intermediaries and regranting vehicles (Chicago Community Foundation, ForeFront, Minneapolis Foundation, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Windward Fund) or to anchor Chicago organizations getting general operating support. With 1,052 grants to 521 recipients over three years, most grantees are funded more than once, and several appear twice in a single year with separate project and general operating awards.

Their words

Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.

“to provide general operating support”
“restorative aquaculture”
“food as medicine”
“blue carbon”
“to support research and education”

Positioning adjacent work

Tie marine or coastal work to Maine, Penobscot Bay, or the Caribbean; they fund kelp, scallop, conch and coral there.
Frame agricultural science as regenerative farming or soil data in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin.
Ask $250,000 to $400,000 for a defined research and education project; save $1M asks for regranting partners.
Pair research with workforce development or community education outcomes; pure lab science is rare in this record.

Worth knowing: Illinois takes 417 of 1,052 grants and Chicago organizations dominate, with California, DC and Maine forming a second tier tied to specific ocean and energy strategies. Repeat intermediaries such as ForeFront, Minneapolis Foundation, Windward Fund, Meridian Institute and Walton Family Foundation absorb a large share of dollars, which signals relationship-driven giving through trusted partners rather than open competition.

0 grants matching “rural education”

No grants to show here.

Top recipients

Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.

Walton Family Foundation4 grants · $17.9M
Chicago Community Foundation12 grants · $11.6M
Forefront11 grants · $11.3M
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors5 grants · $9.5M
Creo Family Office Syndicate4 grants · $6.6M
Best Friends Animal Society6 grants · $6.0M
The Minneapolis Foundation13 grants · $5.6M
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization7 grants · $4.8M
The Nature Conservancy13 grants · $4.0M
National Philanthropic Trust1 grant · $3.0M

Giving over time

$88.0M

2022

$81.7M

2023

$96.6M

2024

Grant history

The 100 largest of 1,052 grants.

$9.5M
Walton Family Foundation · Bentonville, AR · 2023
To support Grantee's Environment Program grantmaking to move the Midwest towards a more sustainable future with more climate smart and water smart agricultural practices
$6.0M
Walton Family Foundation · Bentonville, AR · 2022
to support Grantee's Environment Program grantmaking to move the Midwest towards a more sustainable future with more climate smart and water smart agricultural practices
$5.0M
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2023
To coordinate climate-first donors to have a bigger impact on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving water outcomes in American agriculture
$4.0M
Chicago Community Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2024
to support a program focused on reducing, mitigating and preventing street violence
$3.0M
Creo Family Office Syndicate · New York, NY · 2024
to support growth and sustainability planning
$3.0M
Forefront · Chicago, IL · 2024
to support a food resilience program in Chicago
$3.0M
Forefront · Chicago, IL · 2023
To support the regranting efforts of the Chicago Region Food System Fund
$3.0M
Forefront · Chicago, IL · 2022
to support the regranting efforts of the Chicago Region Food System Fund
$3.0M
National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2022
To support the ICONIQ Impact Ocean Co-Lab
$3.0M
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2022
To coordinate donors to have a bigger impact on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving water outcomes in American agriculture
$2.8M
Best Friends Animal Society · Kanab, UT · 2022
for Pet Resource Center construction
$2.5M
Chicago Community Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2022
To support Chicago CRED's North Lawndale Collaborative.
$2.5M
Planned Parenthood of Illinois · Chicago, IL · 2022
To support Planned Parenthood's state campaign
$2.2M
Chicago Community Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2022
to design, pilot, evaluate, and implement a general operating fund for Chicagoland arts organizations, and complement the fund with a community of practice
$2.0M
Rewiring America · Washington, DC · 2024
to support the decarbonization of low-income homes in Indiana
$2.0M
Creo Family Office Syndicate · New York, NY · 2022
Increase CREO network to 250 members to catalyze $1T of intentional and informed capital to help build an effective climate and sustainability marketplace by 2025.
$1.9M
Walton Family Foundation · Bentonville, AR · 2024
to support its grantmaking program focused on advancing sustainability efforts in the Midwest
$1.8M
Chicago Community Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2023
to support the Art Works Fund
$1.8M
Rare · Arlington, VA · 2022
to support Make It Personal, a comprehensive system harnessing behavior change to reduce carbon emissions, will catalyze individual action on climate change
$1.5M
Creo Family Office Syndicate · New York, NY · 2023
To support building an effective climate and sustainability marketplace by 2025.
$1.5M
United States Fund for Unicef · New York, NY · 2022
To provide support for 2022 operations.
$1.1M
Inner-City Muslim Action Network · Chicago, IL · 2022
To support operations and programming at the Fresh Market
$1.1M
Florida Atlantic University Foundation · Boca Raton, FL · 2022
to support community-based queen conch aquaculture development on Grand Bahama
$1.0M
Best Friends Animal Society · Kanab, UT · 2024
to support the operating costs of a pet resource center and shelter in Bentonville, Arkansas
$1.0M
Common Market Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA · 2024
to support its work in the Great Lakes region
$1.0M
Elevate · Chicago, IL · 2024
To provide general operating support
$1.0M
Everyday People for Change · San Leandro, CA · 2024
to support an entrepreneurship project
$1.0M
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization · Chicago, IL · 2024
to support organizations working in support of environmental and climate efforts in Chicago
$1.0M
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization · Chicago, IL · 2024
To provide general operating support
$1.0M
Maine Community Foundation · Ellsworth, ME · 2024
to support its funding of research on blue carbon in Maine
$1.0M
Meridian Institute · Dillon, CO · 2024
to support a research and education project focused on building a national soil data repository
$1.0M
Mission Edge San Diego · San Diego, CA · 2024
to support clean energy development on Midwest tribal lands
$1.0M
Proofing Station · Chicago, IL · 2024
to provide general operating support
$1.0M
The Minneapolis Foundation · Minneapolis, MN · 2024
to support an environmental grantmaking coalition
$1.0M
Best Friends Animal Society · Kanab, UT · 2023
To support operational costs for the first 5 years of the Pet Resource Center in Bentonville, Arkansas - creating an innovative model for progressive community sheltering
$1.0M
Elevate Energy · Chicago, IL · 2023
To support the Justice40 Accelerator's Midwest cohort and expand Elevate's Illinois workforce training and development programs
$1.0M
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization · Chicago, IL · 2023
To support Chicago's frontline-led EJ/CJ organizations and their partners.
$1.0M
Best Friends Animal Society · Kanab, UT · 2022
to support operational costs for the first 5 years of the Pet Resource Center in Bentonville, Arkansas creating an innovative model for progressive community sheltering
$1.0M
Elevate Energy · Chicago, IL · 2022
to support the Justice40 Accelerator cohort in the Midwest while growing Elevates workforce development programs in IL
$1.0M
Maine Community Foundation · Ellsworth, ME · 2022
To fund a series of blue carbon projects in the State of Maine that respond to the needs of Maine's Climate Action Plan, in partnership with the Broad Reach Fund.
$1.0M
Racing Magpie · Rapid City, SD · 2022
To contribute to the Waterers 2023 Fund
$1.0M
Reclaiming Chicago Nfp · Chicago, IL · 2022
To support Reclaiming Chicago NFP's efforts to build affordable homes in the North Lawndale area of Chicago
$1.0M
The Barack Obama Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2022
To support the Obama Foundation's partnership with Urban Alliance and support the Obama Youth Jobs Corp. program
$936,560
The Nature Conservancy · Arlington, VA · 2023
To support the SOAR program
$905,000
Practical Farmers of Iowa (Pfi) · Ames, IA · 2024
to support educational opportunities for beginning farmers and food production and procurement partners
$900,000
World Wildlife Fund · Washington, DC · 2024
to support seaweed and shellfish aquaculture programming in Maine
$900,000
Mission Investors Exchange · New York, NY · 2023
To create a database for new board and investment committee members
$877,971
Florida Atlantic University Foundation · Boca Raton, FL · 2023
To support community-based queen conch aquaculture development on Grand Bahama
$875,000
National Public Housing Museum · Chicago, IL · 2022
to support the build-out of the new NPHM building, particularly for arts related spaces, and programming support for the Entrepreneurship Hub.
$864,000
Ecoworks · Detroit, MI · 2024
to support educational programs related to building electrification and efficiency in Michigan
$862,446
Florida Atlantic University Foundation · Boca Raton, FL · 2024
to support community-based queen conch aquaculture development on Grand Bahama
$750,000
The Minneapolis Foundation · Minneapolis, MN · 2024
to support long-term regional movement infrastructure building
$750,000
The Nature Conservancy · Arlington, VA · 2024
to support its work to increase regenerative farming in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
$750,000
Pashko · Ancram, NY · 2023
To foster economic empowerment and job creation for skilled craftspeople in the united states whose industries have been decimated by the automation and overseas transfer of manufacturing and production.
$750,000
Regents of the University of Michigan · Ann Arbor, MI · 2023
To support the launch of the Climate Justice Movement Catalyst fellowship program
$750,000
Smartfish Rescate De Valor · 2023
To scale-up Grantee's value rescue model implementation in Baja California Sur, using markets to drive economic, social and environmental improvements in small-scale fisheries
$750,000
Partnership for a Healthier America · Washington, DC · 2022
to support a demonstration project to transition to affordable produce in retail and pop-up markets
$750,000
Sunrise Project · Dover, DE · 2022
To support general operations for the grantee's work in protecting the freedom to invest in sustainable finance
$700,000
Forefront · Chicago, IL · 2024
to support a food assistance project in North Lawndale
$700,000
Forefront · Chicago, IL · 2023
This grant is to support Year 2 and 3 of North Lawndale Fresh, a fund within Grantee's Fresh Taste project
$696,118
Coastal Enterprises · Brunswick, ME · 2022
to support Growing Maine's Sustainable Shellfish and Seaweed Aquaculture Industry
$675,000
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization · Chicago, IL · 2022
To build the capacity of Chicago's frontline Environmental Justice organizations through the Chicago EJ Fund
$668,203
President and Fellows of Harvard College · Cambridge, MA · 2024
to support a state-based technical assistance program on food as medicine
$615,938
American Heart Association · Dallas, TX · 2024
to support research and education on healthy food and nutrition
$610,000
Public Media Institute · Chicago, IL · 2023
To support the growth and development of MdW, a coalition of artist-run spaces serving the midwest.
$600,000
Minneapolis St Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership · Saint Paul, MN · 2024
to support its work on sustainable protein supply chains in the Midwest
$600,000
People for Community Recovery · Riverdale, IL · 2024
To provide general operating support
$600,000
Regents of the University of Michigan · Ann Arbor, MI · 2024
to support a fellowship program involving climate resilience and sustainability
$600,000
Forefront · Chicago, IL · 2022
To support Year 3 of Austin Fresh, a fund within Grantee's Fresh Taste project
$583,881
Healthy Hoosiers Foundation · Indianapolis, IN · 2024
to support educational efforts focused on food and medicine in Indiana
$560,000
Public Media Institute · Chicago, IL · 2024
to support an artist-run spaces program in the Midwest
$560,000
Puget Sound Restoration Fund · Bainbridge Island, WA · 2023
To expand Olympia oyster, pinto abalone, and bull kelp restoration in Puget Sound
$500,000
548 Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2024
to support implementation of a clean jobs workforce training program
$500,000
Big Nfp · Chicago, IL · 2024
to increase capacity-building and programmatic support for an energy program focused on accessibility and affordability
$500,000
Common Market Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA · 2024
to support expansion of its programming to the Great Lakes region
$500,000
Island Institute · Rockland, ME · 2024
to support innovation in the lobster and aquaculture industry in Maine and increase environmental resilience
$500,000
Meridian Institute · Dillon, CO · 2024
to support a research project focused on evaluating soil inventory
$500,000
Milken Institute · Washington, DC · 2024
to support a strategic framework for collaboration on food as medicine initiatives
$500,000
No Kid Hungry By Share Our Strength · Washington, DC · 2024
to support a program to decrease food insecurity for children in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Human Services
$500,000
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2024
to support a grantmaking project focused on supporting coal-impacted communities and workers in the Midwest
$500,000
The Minneapolis Foundation · Minneapolis, MN · 2024
to support a coalition seeking to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and other climate impacts
$500,000
The Nature Conservancy · Arlington, VA · 2024
to support increased programmatic capacity for blue carbon ecosystem restoration projects in Maine and new projects for innovations in fisheries
$500,000
Walton Family Foundation · Bentonville, AR · 2024
to support a technical assistance fund for charitable organizations
$500,000
Windward Fund · Washington, DC · 2024
to support the development of innovative climate solutions in rural communities across the Midwest
$500,000
Inner-City Muslim Action Network · Chicago, IL · 2023
To support operations and programming at the Fresh Market
$500,000
Island Institute · Rockland, ME · 2023
To catalyze innovation among Maine's lobster and aquaculture supply chains and build a sustainable blue economy ecosystem that is resilient to climate change and fosters a healthy ocean.
$500,000
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization · Chicago, IL · 2023
To launch a community center in Little Village that includes a commercial kitchen, solar training facility
$500,000
Meridian Institute · Dillon, CO · 2023
To support multisectoral aquaculture engagement
$500,000
No Kid Hungry By Share Our Strength · Washington, DC · 2023
To support a program to implement Summer EBT with Illinois DHS
$500,000
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2023
To provide technical assistance, policy expertise, and financial support to Midwest communities transitioning away from a dependence on fossil fuel extraction.
$500,000
The Minneapolis Foundation · Minneapolis, MN · 2023
To strengthen the Midwest Environmental Justice Network's capacity and ability to support its partners in accessing federal benefits.
$500,000
The Minneapolis Foundation · Minneapolis, MN · 2023
To support the RE-AMP Network's collaboration with frontline organizations to advance equitable climate and clean energy policy across the Midwest.
$500,000
The Minneapolis Foundation · Minneapolis, MN · 2023
To build climate policy and project capacity in Midwestern environmental justice organizations through grants, technical assistance, peer learning, and program support.
$500,000
Windward Fund · Washington, DC · 2023
To support organizations that are advancing equitable building electrification in frontline communities across the Midwest.
$500,000
Windward Fund · Washington, DC · 2023
To support innovative solutions to climate justice in rural communities across the Midwest.
$500,000
Big Nfp (Aka Blacks in Green) · Chicago, IL · 2022
To grow the organizational capacity of Blacks in Green and continue the work of the Black Energy Justice project
$500,000
Chicago Park District · Chicago, IL · 2022
To support the Young Cultural Stewards programming.
$500,000
Economics Education and Research Consortium Inc (Kyiv School of Economics · Oakland, CA · 2022
To provide support for 2022 operations.
$500,000
Emerald Cities Collaborative · Washington, DC · 2022
To support frontline organizations promoting equitable building electrification in the Midwest.
$500,000
Island Institute · Rockland, ME · 2022
to catalyze innovation among Maine's lobster and aquaculture supply chains and build a sustainable blue economy ecosystem that is resilient to climate change and fosters a healthy ocean.

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Source: IRS Form 990-PF, Part XV, as filed by the foundation. These are grants already paid — a record of what this funder backs, not an open call.