The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 36-3261347 · since 1985driehausfoundation.org·Chicago, Illinois·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$17.1M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

The Driehaus Foundation funds work in Chicago, with priority given to Illinois, across three areas: improving Chicago’s built environment, supporting the business and infrastructure side of arts and culture, and funding investigative journalism on government accountability.
Its application process is not a simple open form: organisations are asked to contact the Foundation about an initiative, and staff learn about it incrementally before possibly inviting a full application, so this is a relationship-led, invitation-based route rather than a competitive open call.
There is no stated grant range, so it is not possible to say what size of request is realistic; total annual giving was $17,096,126 paid for the year reported.
Each programme has its own exclusions grant writers should check before approaching: the Built Environment programme does not fund capital campaigns; the Arts and Culture programme does not fund research, pilot programmes, exhibitions, film projects, arts education and arts learning, scholarships, programming based outside the city of Chicago, or the development or production of creative work (unless it meets the stated Category C eligibility requirements); and the Investigative Journalism programme does not fund individuals or freelance projects, independent documentaries, journalism education, scholarships, or work based primarily outside the state of Illinois.
National organisations may be considered for journalism work only where the project benefits local investigations and offers services or expertise not readily available in Illinois.

Overview

The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation 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 Driehaus Foundation focuses on improving Chicago’s built environment, cultivating a robust and diverse arts and culture ecosystem, and supporting investigative journalism that fosters transparency, accountability and effective government. Its built-environment work supports historic preservation, urban planning and design, placekeeping, urban agriculture, skills development in heritage trades, and urban open space, with funding primarily focused on Chicago. In arts and culture, it funds the business side of the arts and Chicago-based arts-service initiatives that build management capacity and the infrastructure of creative activity, rather than the making or production of creative work. It supports in-depth investigative reporting on government accountability through nonprofit media organisations able to disseminate findings widely. It prioritises Chicago- and Illinois-based organisations, while national organisations may be considered when projects benefit local investigations and provide services or expertise not readily available in Illinois.

Themes

Historic preservation
Urban design and architecture
Placekeeping
Urban agriculture
Urban open space
Arts infrastructure
Investigative journalism

Geographic Focus

Chicago. Priority: Illinois.

What They Don't Fund

Built Environment funding program only: capital campaigns
Arts and Culture funding program only: Research; Pilot programs; Exhibitions; Film projects; Arts education and arts learning; Scholarships; Programming based outside the city of Chicago; Development or production of creative work; Presentation of creative work unless it meets our five specific eligibility requirements above for Category C
Investigative Journalism program only: Individuals or freelance projects; Independent documentaries; Journalism education, including educational programs with students in schools or universities; Scholarships; Work based primarily outside the state of Illinois

How to apply

Organisations can contact the Foundation with an initiative aligned with its funding guidelines. Staff learn about initiatives incrementally and may then invite a grant application; the application itself is by invitation.

Application success factors

What the foundation says:

An initiative should align with the Foundation’s funding guidelines; learning about it in incremental steps helps ensure alignment and a strong request.
The consideration process draws on the broader input and feedback of its team of programme specialists.
It favours fully developed arts-service initiatives over those still in the ideation phase.
It prioritises Chicago- and Illinois-based organisations for local reporting.

Officers and directors

John Chandler — Director
Anne Lazar — Executive Director / President
Chris Mellin — Director / Secretary
Elizabeth Driehaus — Director / Treasurer
Dorothy Mellin — Director / Vice President
Maurice Cox — Director
Lynn Osmond — Director
Michael Lykoudis — Director
Ernest Wong — Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$7,447,544	$5,162,401	$334,700,905	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$19,897,268	$10,431,221	$363,758,900	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$18,574,013	$17,096,126	$386,726,217	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.