Funding search · EIN 366108293 · Chicago, IL

Polk Bros 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.

2,706
grants reported
$101.7M
total given
2021–2024
filing years
$25,000
median grant

Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 20212024. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.

What they fund

matchingstrongcommunitiesaccessartslearninggifteducation

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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.

  • Chiarts Foundation14 grants · $1.3M
  • Big Shoulders Fund10 grants · $1.1M
  • Chicago Community Foundation13 grants · $1.1M
  • Window To the World Communications23 grants · $1.0M
  • Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago13 grants · $1.0M
  • Greater Chicago Food Depository7 grants · $1.0M
  • Navy Pier4 grants · $1.0M
  • Illinois Immigrant Funders Collaborative5 grants · $975,000
  • Metropolitan Family Services13 grants · $974,375
  • Rush University Medical Center13 grants · $834,500

Giving over time

$31.9M
2021
$26.2M
2022
$24.4M
2023
$19.2M
2024

Grant history

The 100 largest of 2,706 grants.

  • $500,000

    Chiarts Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Legacy Grant

  • $500,000

    The Barack Obama Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $300,000

    Chicago Bar Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $300,000

    Community Behavioral Healthcare Association of Illinois · Springfield, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $300,000

    Uic Jane Addams College of Social Work · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $250,000

    Big Shoulders Fund · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Education

  • $250,000

    Greater Chicago Food Depository · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Illinois Immigrant Funders Collaborative · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Navy Pier · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Arts Access and Learning

  • $250,000

    Big Shoulders Fund · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Education

  • $250,000

    Chiarts Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Arts Access and Learning

  • $250,000

    Greater Chicago Food Depository · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Illinois Immigrant Funders Collaborative · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Navy Pier · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Arts Access and Learning

  • $250,000

    Window To the World Communications · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Big Shoulders Fund · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Education

  • $250,000

    Chiarts Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Arts Access and Learning

  • $250,000

    Greater Chicago Food Depository · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Illinois Immigrant Funders Collaborative · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Navy Pier · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Arts Access and Learning

  • $250,000

    Wbezchicago Public Media · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Window To the World Communications · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Big Shoulders Fund · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Education

  • $250,000

    Chiarts Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Arts Access and Learning

  • $250,000

    Chicago Community Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $250,000

    Contextos Nfp · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $250,000

    Crossroads Fund · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $250,000

    Greater Chicago Food Depository · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Heartland Alliance Health · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $250,000

    Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Special Projects

  • $250,000

    Latinos Progresando · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $250,000

    Navy Pier · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Arts Access and Learning

  • $250,000

    Safe Chicago Network Fund · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $250,000

    The Fund for Equitable Business Growth · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $250,000

    The Kehrein Center for the Arts Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $250,000

    United Way of Metro Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $250,000

    Window To the World Communications · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Special Projects

  • $240,000

    Chicago Community Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $235,000

    Gads Hill Center · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $230,000

    Roosevelt University · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $215,000

    Women'S Justice Institute · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $205,000

    Tapestry 360 Health · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Health

  • $205,000

    Heartland Health Centers · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Health

  • $200,000

    Window To the World Communications · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Special Projects

  • $200,000

    Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Special Projects

  • $200,000

    Wbezchicago Public Media · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Special Projects

  • $200,000

    Center for Housing and Health · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $200,000

    Chicago Funders Together To End Homelessness (Cfteh) · Elgin, IL · 2022

    Initiatives

  • $200,000

    Erie Family Health Center · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Health

  • $200,000

    Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Special Projects

  • $200,000

    Erie Family Health Center · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Health

  • $200,000

    Illinois Immigrant Funders Collaborative · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Special Projects

  • $200,000

    Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Special Projects

  • $200,000

    Michael Reese Health Trust · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $200,000

    Skyart · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $180,000

    Shriver Center On Poverty Law · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Strong Communities

  • $180,000

    Shriver Center On Poverty Law · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Strong Communities

  • $180,000

    Shriver Center On Poverty Law · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Strong Communities

  • $180,000

    Shriver Center On Poverty Law · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Strong Communities

  • $170,000

    Erie Family Health Center · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Health

  • $170,000

    Erie Family Health Center · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Health

  • $160,000

    Chicago Community Loan Fund · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Strong Communities

  • $160,000

    Wbezchicago Public Media · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Special Projects

  • $160,000

    Chicago Community Loan Fund · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Strong Communities

  • $160,000

    Chicago Community Loan Fund · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Strong Communities

  • $160,000

    Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $150,000

    Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Strong Communities

  • $150,000

    Tapestry 360 Health · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Health

  • $150,000

    Uic Community Engagement and Neighborhood Health Partnerships · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Health

  • $150,000

    Chicago Youth Centers · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Strong Families

  • $150,000

    Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Strong Communities

  • $150,000

    Ingenuity Incorporated Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Arts Access and Learning

  • $150,000

    Tapestry 360 Health · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Health

  • $150,000

    Uic Community Engagement and Neighborhood Health Partnerships · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Health

  • $150,000

    All Chicago Making Homelessness History · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $150,000

    Chicago Community Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $150,000

    Chicago Youth Centers · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Strong Families

  • $150,000

    Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Strong Communities

  • $150,000

    Ingenuity Incorporated Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Arts Access and Learning

  • $150,000

    Ampt · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $150,000

    Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $150,000

    Chicago Youth Centers · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Strong Families

  • $150,000

    Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Strong Communities

  • $150,000

    Illinois Humanities · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $150,000

    Ingenuity Incorporated Chicago · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Arts Access and Learning

  • $150,000

    University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $146,000

    University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Equitable Recovery Grant

  • $140,000

    Chicago Public Education Fund · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Education

  • $140,000

    Chicago Public Education Fund · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Education

  • $140,000

    Leading Educators · New Orleans, LA · 2023

    Education

  • $140,000

    Chicago Public Education Fund · Chicago, IL · 2022

    Education

  • $140,000

    Leading Educators · New Orleans, LA · 2022

    Education

  • $140,000

    Nep · Oakland, CA · 2022

    Education

  • $140,000

    Chicago Public Education Fund · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Education

  • $140,000

    Leading Educators · New Orleans, LA · 2021

    Education

  • $135,000

    Mercy Housing Lakefront · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Strong Communities

  • $135,000

    Iff · Chicago, IL · 2023

    Special Projects

View all 2,706 grants →

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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.