Funding search · EIN 366051968 · Chicago, IL
The Knowles Foundation
A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.
- 71
- grants reported
- $3.9M
- total given
- 2021–2023
- filing years
- $50,000
- median grant
Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 2021–2023. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.
What they fund
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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.
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Top recipients
Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.
- Merit School of Music8 grants · $478,500
- Lyric Opera of Chicago3 grants · $300,000
- Gigi'S Playhouse3 grants · $300,000
- Ray Graham Association3 grants · $250,000
- Elmhurst Memorial Hospital3 grants · $250,000
- Loyola University Medical Center3 grants · $250,000
- Friends of the Chicago River3 grants · $225,000
- Chicago Architecture Center3 grants · $225,000
- Adler Planetarium3 grants · $210,000
- The Field Museum3 grants · $150,000
Giving over time
Grant history
All 71 reported grants, largest first.
- $187,500
Merit School of Music · Chicago, IL · 2023
Capital campaign
- $100,000
Gigi'S Playhouse · Hoffman Estates, IL · 2023
General fund
- $100,000
Lyric Opera of Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2023
Student and family performances fund
- $100,000
Ray Graham Association · Lisle, IL · 2023
Hanson center
- $100,000
Gigi'S Playhouse · Hoffman Estates, IL · 2022
General fund
- $100,000
Lyric Opera of Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2022
Student and family performances fund
- $100,000
Elmhurst Memorial Hospital · Elmhurst, IL · 2021
Nursing Program
- $100,000
Gigi'S Playhouse · Hoffman Estates, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $100,000
Loyola University Medical Center · Mayhood, IL · 2021
Nursing Fund
- $100,000
Lyric Opera of Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2021
Student and Family Performances Fund
- $100,000
Ray Graham Association · Lisle, IL · 2021
Hanson Center
- $75,000
Chicago Architecture Center · Chicago, IL · 2023
General fund
- $75,000
Elmhurst Memorial Hospital · Elmhurst, IL · 2023
Breast health program
- $75,000
Friends of the Chicago River · Chicago, IL · 2023
General fund
- $75,000
Loyola University Medical Center · Mayhood, IL · 2023
Nursing fund
- $75,000
Chicago Architecture Center · Chicago, IL · 2022
General fund
- $75,000
Elmhurst Memorial Hospital · Elmhurst, IL · 2022
Breast health program
- $75,000
Friends of the Chicago River · Chicago, IL · 2022
General fund
- $75,000
Loyola University Medical Center · Mayhood, IL · 2022
Nursing fund
- $75,000
Chicago Architecture Center · Chicago, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $75,000
Friends of the Chicago River · Chicago, IL · 2021
Music To My Ears Program
- $75,000
Shirley Ryan Abilitylab · Chicago, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $70,000
Adler Planetarium · Chicago, IL · 2023
School experiences program
- $70,000
Adler Planetarium · Chicago, IL · 2022
School experiences program
- $70,000
Adler Planetarium · Chicago, IL · 2021
School Experiences Program
- $68,000
Merit School of Music · Chicago, IL · 2023
General fund
- $68,000
Merit School of Music · Chicago, IL · 2022
General fund
- $60,000
Merit School of Music · Chicago, IL · 2021
General fund
- $50,000
Greater Chicago Food Depository · Hoffman Estates, IL · 2023
General fund
- $50,000
Hinsdale Junior Womans Club · Hinsdale, IL · 2023
General fund
- $50,000
Museum of Science and Industry · Chicago, IL · 2023
General fund
- $50,000
Ray Graham Association · Lisle, IL · 2023
Able campaign
- $50,000
Shedd Aquarium Society · Chicago, IL · 2023
General fund
- $50,000
Shirley Ryan Ability Lab · Chicago, IL · 2023
General fund
- $50,000
The Field Museum · Chicago, IL · 2023
General fund
- $50,000
Hinsdale Junior Womans Club · Hinsdale, IL · 2022
General fund
- $50,000
Museum of Science and Industry · Chicago, IL · 2022
General fund
- $50,000
Shedd Aquarium Society · Chicago, IL · 2022
General fund
- $50,000
Shirley Ryan Ability Lab · Chicago, IL · 2022
General fund
- $50,000
The Field Museum · Chicago, IL · 2022
General fund
- $50,000
Museum of Science and Industry · Chicago, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $50,000
Shedd Aquarium Society · Chicago, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $50,000
The Field Museum · Chicago, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $45,000
Hinsdale Junior Womans Club · Hinsdale, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $40,000
Greater Chicago Food Depository · Hoffman Estates, IL · 2022
General fund
- $40,000
Greater Chicago Food Depository · Hoffman Estates, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $33,000
Foundation for Hearing and Speech Resources · Chicago, IL · 2022
Music to my ears program
- $33,000
Merit School of Music · Chicago, IL · 2022
Music to my ears program
- $32,000
Foundation for Hearing and Speech Research · Chicago, IL · 2023
Music to my ears program
- $32,000
Merit School of Music · Chicago, IL · 2023
Music to my ears program
- $30,000
Alliance for the Great Lakes · Chicago, IL · 2023
General fund
- $30,000
Lincoln Park Zoo · Chicago, IL · 2023
General fund
- $30,000
Alliance for the Great Lakes · Chicago, IL · 2022
General fund
- $30,000
Lincoln Park Zoo · Chicago, IL · 2022
General fund
- $30,000
Alliance for the Great Lakes · Chicago, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $30,000
Lincoln Park Zoo · Chicago, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $28,000
Foundation for Hearing and Speech Research · Chicago, IL · 2023
General fund
- $28,000
Foundation for Hearing and Speech Resources · Chicago, IL · 2022
General fund
- $27,500
Foundation for Hearing and Speech Resources · Chicago, IL · 2021
General fund
- $25,000
The Mayo Foundation · Rochester, MN · 2022
Mayo clinic simulation center
- $25,000
Special Children'S Charites · Chicago, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $25,000
The Mayo Foundation · Rochester, MN · 2021
Mayo Clinic Simulation Center
- $22,500
Foundation for Hearing and Speech Resources · Chicago, IL · 2021
Music To My Ears Program
- $22,500
Merit School of Music · Chicago, IL · 2021
Music To My Ears Program
- $15,000
Foundation for Hearing and Speech Research · Chicago, IL · 2023
Music therapy program
- $15,000
Foundation for Hearing and Speech Resources · Chicago, IL · 2022
Music therapy program
- $15,000
Foundation for Hearing and Speech Resources · Chicago, IL · 2021
Music therapy program
- $10,000
Northwestern University · Evanston, IL · 2023
General fund
- $10,000
Northwestern University · Evanston, IL · 2022
General fund
- $10,000
Northwestern University · Evanston, IL · 2021
General Fund
- $7,500
Merit School of Music · Chicago, IL · 2021
Music therapy program
Who else funds this kind of work
Same state
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- The Big Ten Conference60 grants · $3.91B
Similar purposes
- Popplestone Foundation109 grants · $220.1M
- Cornelia T Bailey Charitable Trust107 grants · $489.0M
- Dunard Fund USA Ltd76 grants · $151.7M
Similar grant size
- Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral16,278 grants · $1.08B
- Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund19,135 grants · $6.79B
- The Chicago Community Trust14,939 grants · $5.82B
Grants already paid are the record; PaperOrbit reads your paper and finds the funders whose record matches it — then explains why.
Search funders like this oneSource: 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.