Susan Crown Exchange
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited funding requests, so a small charity should not send a cold proposal and should instead sign up to its newsletter to hear when a new opportunity launches.
- Relationships appear to matter a great deal, as 86% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so the route in is hard to find without a prior connection.
- Its typical grant is modest: half of its 139 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less, about 8 in 10 fall between $5,000 and $200,000, and the median is $20,000, though its largest grant was about $1,050,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Work in youth sports, social and emotional learning (prioritising the out-of-school-time space), or technology and society fits its main areas, and organisations outside them may be considered for its Catalyst Awards, which value distinct and promising approaches to chronic social problems.
- No geographic focus is stated, so location alone does not rule an organisation in or out.
Overview
Susan Crown Exchange is a US private foundation based in Chicago, IL.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Susan Crown Exchange supports nonprofits that prepare youth to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Its main areas are youth sports, social and emotional learning, and technology and society. In youth sports it works with youth sports organisations and supports SEL-informed initiatives that build critical skills and broaden the definition of winning. In social and emotional learning, it invests in organisations creating access to high-quality experiences, prioritising the out-of-school-time space. Through Tech and Society, it supports nonprofits helping young people navigate an increasingly connected world and build healthy relationships with technology. Its Catalyst Awards recognise organisations beyond its primary programme areas for distinct and promising approaches to chronic social problems.
Themes
- Youth sports
- Social and emotional learning
- Technology and society
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in District of Columbia, California, Massachusetts, Illinois, Colorado and the United States.
How to apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited funding requests; organisations can sign up to its newsletter to hear when a new opportunity launches.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 86% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 139 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It seeks out white spaces in research and practice, including emerging issues in existing fields and new fields entirely.
- For Catalyst Awards, it values organisations with distinct and promising approaches to chronic social problems.
- In social and emotional learning, it prioritises work in the out-of-school-time space.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 16%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 5%
- The largest single recipient received 15% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to organisations Susan Crown Exchange had funded in earlier filings.
- 3% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom).
- 14% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 43 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- President and Fellows of Harvard College · Public charity$1,000,0002024 tax year
- New Venture Fund · Public charity$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Center for Healing & Justice Through Sports · Public charity$500,0002024 tax year
- Common Sense Media · Public charity$500,0002024 tax year
- Ohio State University Foundation · Public charity$374,9552024 tax year
- HopeLab Foundation · Public charity$219,4002024 tax year
- Positive Coaching Alliance · Public charity$200,0002024 tax year
- Denver Film · Public charity$200,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Jennifer Jacoby Hurd — Trustee
- Martha Minow — Trustee
- Paul Jansen — Trustee
- Eli Evans — Trustee
- William C Kunkler III — Treasurer / Secretary
- Susan Crown — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $5,306,767 | $4,055,763 | $6,036,959 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $7,012,797 | $5,786,619 | $6,350,609 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $6,612,799 | $5,429,669 | $7,755,810 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Susan Crown Exchange?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chicago, IL
- scefdn.org
Applying to Susan Crown Exchange?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chicago, IL
- scefdn.org