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Bluhm Family Charitable Foundation

Annual Giving
$12.8M
Grant Range
$5K - $5.0M
00

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $12,773,283 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (preselected organizations)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $5,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Chicago and Illinois, with select national and international grants

Contact Details

Address: 900 N Michigan Ave Ste 1600, Chicago, IL 60611-6539
EIN: 26-1572776

Note: The foundation does not have a public website, phone number, or email contact. They do not accept unsolicited grant applications.

Overview

The Bluhm Family Charitable Foundation was established in 2007 as the philanthropic vehicle of real estate and casino billionaire Neil Bluhm. The foundation distributes over $12 million annually across education, healthcare, arts and culture, and Jewish causes, primarily in the Chicago area. The foundation takes a proactive, strategic approach to giving, identifying organizations and causes that align with the Bluhm family's interests rather than responding to unsolicited applications. Major transformative gifts have included $85 million to Northwestern Medicine's cardiovascular programs between 2010-2022, plus an additional $45 million in 2022 to establish the Bluhm Heart Hospital. In 2013, the foundation gave $25 million to Northwestern University, with $15 million earmarked for the Pritzker School of Law. The foundation makes approximately 58-81 grants annually, ranging from $5,000 to multi-million dollar commitments.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines. Instead, it makes strategic grants through trustee discretion to preselected organizations.

Typical Grant Sizes:

  • Small to medium grants: $5,000 - $100,000
  • Major transformative gifts: $1 million - $45 million
  • Average grant size: Approximately $220,000 based on 2023 figures

Priority Areas

Healthcare:

  • Cardiovascular care and research (primary focus)
  • Disease-specific research (prostate cancer, food allergies, Crohn's & colitis, ophthalmology)
  • Major medical institutions

Education:

  • Higher education institutions (particularly Northwestern University)
  • College readiness and access programs
  • Jewish day schools
  • Arts education

Arts and Culture:

  • Major Chicago cultural institutions
  • Theater companies
  • Film festivals
  • Museums (especially Whitney Museum of American Art)

Jewish Causes:

  • Holocaust education and remembrance
  • Israel defense and advocacy
  • Jewish congregations and community services
  • Jewish education

Other Focus Areas:

  • Human services
  • Voluntarism promotion

What They Don't Fund

The foundation has explicitly stated it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations" and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Governance and Leadership

The Bluhm Family Charitable Foundation is led by members of the Bluhm family:

Neil Bluhm - Founder
A prominent Chicago real estate and casino magnate who established the foundation in 2007. Bluhm has stated that his investment in Northwestern's cardiovascular program "has been one of the most gratifying experiences of his life."

Andrew G. Bluhm - Trustee
Partner at Delaware Street Capital

Meredith Bluhm-Wolf - Trustee
Attorney and Principal at Lamb Partners; helps direct the family's business and charitable foundation

Amy Bluhm - Trustee
Family member involved in foundation leadership

Regarding his philanthropic philosophy, Neil Bluhm noted about Northwestern Memorial Hospital before his involvement: "Northwestern was a good hospital, but it wasn't a great one. It didn't have the top people it has now." He added that watching his investment grow exceeded his "high expectations" and expressed pride in enabling world-class care and innovative research.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Bluhm Family Charitable Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grants are made proactively by the trustees based on the family's philanthropic interests and strategic priorities. Organizations are selected by the foundation rather than applying for funding.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's giving pattern shows a strong preference for:

Organizations with existing relationships: The foundation has made repeated, substantial gifts to organizations like Northwestern University and Northwestern Medicine over many years, suggesting they value long-term partnerships.

Family connections to Chicago: Neil Bluhm's deep roots in Chicago business and civic life mean organizations where he or family members have board involvement, personal connections, or business relationships may receive consideration.

Healthcare innovation: The foundation's significant investment in Northwestern Medicine's cardiovascular program came after Dr. Patrick McCarthy and the medical team demonstrated their ability to "do things first" with donor support. Organizations demonstrating cutting-edge innovation in their fields may attract attention.

Board member connections: Given the private family foundation structure, personal relationships with Neil Bluhm or his adult children (Andrew, Meredith, and Amy) who serve as trustees could potentially lead to funding consideration, though this occurs through their own initiative rather than through solicitation.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates on its own timeline for preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications, as the foundation does not accept them.

The foundation made:

  • 58 grants in 2023
  • 64 grants in 2022
  • 81 grants in 2021

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, analysis of their giving patterns reveals:

Long-term relationship building: The foundation has given repeatedly to favored institutions like Northwestern University (over $15 million to the law school) and Whitney Museum of American Art (over $15 million over the years), suggesting they prefer deepening relationships over time.

Transformational impact potential: The largest grants have gone to programs where the Bluhm family's gift could create something exceptional. As Neil Bluhm noted about Northwestern Medicine, his investment allowed them to "do things first" and transform from "a good hospital" into a great one.

Chicago focus with personal meaning: While the foundation gives nationally and internationally, the majority of grants support Chicago-area organizations, particularly those in sectors where the family has personal interest or involvement.

Track record of excellence: Organizations that have received major support demonstrate ability to execute at the highest level and show measurable impact from previous funding.

Jewish heritage alignment: Significant giving to Jewish causes suggests organizations serving the Jewish community or Israel-related causes align with family values.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted: This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant application processes - they select their grantees proactively
  • Relationship-driven giving: Multi-year, repeat grants to favorite institutions suggest decisions are based on long-term relationships and trust
  • Scale varies dramatically: Grants range from $5,000 to $45 million, with both small annual gifts to many organizations and transformational gifts to select institutions
  • Chicago-centric but not exclusive: While Chicago organizations dominate the portfolio, the foundation does fund select national organizations (especially in Jewish causes and arts)
  • Four primary areas: Healthcare (especially cardiovascular), education (especially higher ed), arts/culture, and Jewish causes receive the vast majority of funding
  • Family involvement matters: As a family foundation with active family members as trustees, personal connections to the Bluhm family or their networks are likely essential
  • Results-oriented: Neil Bluhm's comments about Northwestern Medicine reveal appreciation for measurable excellence and innovation - "the money allowed us to do things first"

References

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