The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $9.7 million (2023)
• Total Assets: $88+ million
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $500,000
• Number of Grants: 89 awards (2023)
• Geographic Focus: Metro Chicago area (primary), select grants elsewhere
• Application Process: Invitation only - no unsolicited proposals accepted
• EIN: 30-0036022

Contact Details

Address: 2141 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Phone: (773) 880-5555

Email: info@pritzkerpuckerfamilyfoundation.org

Website: www.pritzkerpuckerfamilyfoundation.org

For Inquiries: Organizations may send inquiries to the email address above, though the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation uses GivingData, an online grants management system, for invited applicants and grantee reporting.

Overview

The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation (PPFF) was founded in 2002 by Gigi Pritzker and her husband, Michael Pucker. Gigi Pritzker is a member of the Pritzker family, one of the 13 billionaire heirs to the Hyatt Hotels fortune, and is also a Hollywood filmmaker who co-founded the production company Odd Lot Entertainment. The foundation awarded $9,693,641 in grants in 2023 across 89 awards and holds more than $88 million in assets.

PPFF is driven by the values, priorities, and experiences the family shares, with a commitment to respect for diverse ideas and interests. The foundation seeks to enrich communities through partnerships and collaboration with passionate leaders. Innovation and social justice are important themes across all areas of funding. The foundation supports high-impact programs that seek to transform individuals, families, and communities through innovative, collaborative, and scalable approaches.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Safety and Wellness Supports direct service, research, and capacity-building investments that reduce gun violence, revitalize communities, and advance systemic change in Chicago. This area involves grantmaking for restorative justice and violence reduction interventions, with a focus on evidence-based interventions that lead to measurable reductions in gun violence.

Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy Advances the expression of art and artists within a framework of social justice, with a commitment to a more equitable and inclusive arts and culture ecosystem focused on Chicago's communities. Past grantees include the Chicago Children's Museum, the Chicago Public Art Group, and Blair Thomas and Company.

Educational Innovations Makes catalytic investments in curricular innovation, multi-disciplinary research, and the development of new programs. The foundation focuses on higher education and often backs colleges and universities with personal connections to the family. The foundation is committed to supporting programs that address systemic barriers to economic and educational mobility through internships, mentoring, and enrichment opportunities for Chicago's youth.

Priority Areas

• Gun violence reduction and community safety in Chicago
• Restorative justice interventions
• Arts organizations with social justice and cultural engagement missions
• Equity and inclusion in the arts ecosystem
• Higher education innovation at institutions with family connections
• Academic enrichment, college and career readiness programs
• Professional development and economic mobility for Chicago youth
• Programs demonstrating innovative, collaborative, and scalable approaches

What They Don't Fund

The foundation only considers proposals from organizations that have non-profit 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status. Geographic priorities are Chicago and the state of Illinois, though select grants are made in other locations. Most importantly, PPFF only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds.

Governance and Leadership

Principals/Board: The assets of the foundation are managed and administered by the board of directors, which includes the family principals: Gigi Pritzker Pucker (Co-Founder), Michael Pucker (Co-Founder), and their three daughters, Abby, Jessy, and Maggie.

Chief Executive Officer: Valerie Chang serves as CEO. She is a senior philanthropic and nonprofit leader with extensive experience in management, strategy development, organizational change, grantmaking, policy research, client service, and donor relations. Prior to joining PPFF, she served as a Managing Director of Programs at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, where she co-led strategic grantmaking programs that awarded $200 million in grants annually.

Chief of Innovation, Community Safety: Julie Wilen leads the PPFF's strategic vision and direction of the Community Safety Initiatives within the Community Safety and Wellness portfolio. She is also Executive Director of the Pritzker Foundation.

Director: Beth Valukas develops and leads grantmaking strategies in the areas of Community Investment and Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, working collaboratively with public and private partners and community stakeholders.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. PPFF does not accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds.

Organizations may send inquiries to info@pritzkerpuckerfamilyfoundation.org, but should understand that the foundation primarily works with organizations they have already identified and with which they are already familiar.

The foundation utilizes an online grants management system and grantee portal called GivingData, where invited applicants complete applications and grantees fulfill reporting requirements.

Decision Timeline

The foundation reviews proposals on a quarterly basis. Specific timelines from inquiry to decision are not publicly documented, as the foundation works primarily with invited organizations. Generally, PPFF supports one-year grants to organizations that it is already familiar with.

Success Rates

Not publicly available, as the foundation works on an invitation-only basis.

Reapplication Policy

Multi-year grants may be considered for organizations that have received prior support. The foundation is known to give multiyear support to its existing grantees, suggesting that successful grantees often receive continued funding.

Application Success Factors

Since PPFF does not accept unsolicited proposals, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on their stated priorities and funding approach, organizations in PPFF's portfolio typically demonstrate:

• Clear alignment with one of the three funding areas (community safety, arts/culture, or educational innovation)
• Evidence-based approaches particularly for community safety interventions
• Innovation and scalability in their program models
• Strong leadership with passionate, collaborative leaders
• Commitment to social justice and equity across their work
• Measurable impact in Chicago communities
• Systems-level thinking that addresses root causes rather than symptoms

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application: PPFF operates exclusively through invitation; unsolicited proposals are not accepted
• Chicago-Centric: Strong geographic focus on Metro Chicago with limited funding elsewhere
• Three Clear Pillars: Funding concentrated in community safety/wellness, arts/culture, and educational innovations
• Social Justice Lens: Innovation and social justice are fundamental themes across all funding areas
• Relationship-Based Giving: Multi-year support common for existing grantees, emphasizing long-term partnerships
• Family-Led Foundation: Board consists of founders Gigi Pritzker Pucker and Michael Pucker plus their three daughters
• Professional Management: Led by experienced philanthropic professionals including CEO Valerie Chang (formerly MacArthur Foundation)

References

1. Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation official website: https://pritzkerpuckerfamilyfoundation.org/ (Accessed March 2026)
2. Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation FAQs: https://pritzkerpuckerfamilyfoundation.org/faqs/ (Accessed March 2026)
3. Inside Philanthropy: "How the Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation Gives in the Chicago Area": https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2022-10-27-how-the-pritzker-pucker-family-foundation-gives-in-the-chicago-area (Accessed March 2026)
4. Inside Philanthropy: Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation Profile: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/illinois-grants/pritzker-pucker-family-foundation (Accessed March 2026)
5. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/300036022 (Accessed March 2026)
6. Instrumentl: The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation 990 Report: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/the-pritzker-pucker-family-foundation (Accessed March 2026)
7. Candid Foundation Directory: The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=VINC014 (Accessed March 2026)
8. GuideStar Profile: The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/30-0036022 (Accessed March 2026)
9. Inside Philanthropy: Gigi Pritzker and Michael Pucker: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/wall-street-donors/gigi-pritzker-and-michael-pucker (Accessed March 2026)
10. Charity Navigator: The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/300036022 (Accessed March 2026)