Ronald L. McDaniel Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 36-4012153 · since 1995rlm-foundation.org·DuPage County, Kane County, Kendall County, Melbourne, Moncks Corner, Muncie, Prescott, Richmond, Wi…·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$4.9M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$10,000 to $300k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$30,000

Typical grant (median)

56 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

This foundation funds direct-service work for children in education, housing, medical care and basic needs, so a good fit is a nonprofit, public-benefit organisation whose mission or programmes serve children and families in the greater Chicago metropolitan area, with particular emphasis on DuPage, Will, Kane and Kendall counties, or in Prescott, Moncks Corner, Richmond, Muncie or Melbourne.
A realistic request is modest: about eight in ten of its 104 grants to organisations fall between $10,000 and $300,000, the median grant is $25,000, and half of its grants are $25,000 or less, though the largest grant on record is $1,500,000.
Do not simply submit a proposal: the Foundation asks prospective organisations to first email basic programme information, says an invitation is required before applying, and warns it may not respond to every enquiry; invited organisations then receive deadlines aligned with its quarterly Board meetings.
Thirty-seven per cent of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in the two previous filings, suggesting a degree of relationship-based repeat funding, though new organisations clearly do also receive support.
Organisations should not approach the Foundation for grants or loans to individuals, loans to charities, support that excludes participants on grounds such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability, purchase of dinner, gala or raffle tickets, school fundraisers or events including sports and other extracurricular activities, tax-generating entities such as municipalities or school districts for services within their normal responsibilities, academic or scientific research, or political campaigns or purposes.

Overview

Ronald L. McDaniel Foundation is a US private foundation based in Naperville, 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 Foundation supports children by funding direct-service programmes. Its primary interests are education, housing, medical care and basic needs that enable children to reach their optimal potential. It considers nonprofit, public-benefit organisations whose mission or programmes align with that purpose, and welcomes project grants and general operating support when the work directly serves children and families. Current grantee partners may also be considered for capacity-building, capital and endowment grants. Organisations must be based in and/or serve the greater Chicago metropolitan area, Prescott, Moncks Corner, Richmond, Muncie or Melbourne; the Foundation places particular emphasis on four counties in the Chicago area. Its grant record includes children's museums, youth organisations, food banks, family services, schools, shelters and arts groups.

Themes

Children's services
Education
Housing
Medical
Basic needs

Geographic Focus

The greater Chicago, IL metropolitan area: DuPage, Will, Kane and Kendall counties in Illinois; Prescott, AZ; Moncks Corner, SC; Richmond, IN; Muncie IN; Melbourne, FL. Priority: DuPage; Will; Kane; Kendall.

What They Don't Fund

Grants or loans to individuals
Loans to charitable organizations
Organizations that exclude participants based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability
The purchase of dinner, gala or raffle tickets
School fundraisers or events (including sports and other extracurricular activities)
Tax-generating entities (municipalities, school districts, etc.) for services within their normal responsibilities
Academic or scientific research
Political campaigns or purposes

How to apply

Prospective organisations may email basic programme information; an invitation is required before they apply. The Foundation warns that it may not respond directly to every enquiry.

Deadlines: Invited organisations receive application deadlines aligned with quarterly Board meetings.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 37% 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 104 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The Foundation contacts prospective organisations when their programmes align with its funding priorities and immediate grantmaking goals.
Project and general operating proposals should directly serve children and families.
Staff due diligence may include financial-document review, a site visit and follow-up conversations with organisational leadership.
The Board reviews applications and makes final funding decisions at quarterly meetings.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Indiana58%

Illinois34%

Arizona3%

South Carolina2%

Florida<1%

Massachusetts<1%

2 other states: <1%

The largest single recipient received 22% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 37% of grant dollars went to organisations Ronald L. McDaniel Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
15% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

56 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $30,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 56 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$2.5k–$5k2%

$5k–$10k0%

$10k–$25k39%

$25k–$50k18%

$50k–$100k21%

$100k–$250k11%

$250k–$500k5%

$500k–$1M2%

$1M and over2%

Median $30,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Stanley W Hayes Research Foundation · Charitable
$1,500,0002024 tax year
Boys & Girls Club of Wayne County · Charitable
$550,0002024 tax year
DuPage Children's Museum · Charitable
$300,0002024 tax year
Bridge Communities · Charitable
$300,0002024 tax year
Ronald McDonald House Charities · Charitable
$250,0002024 tax year
Loaves and Fishes · Charitable
$150,0002024 tax year
Lowcountry Food Bank · Charitable
$100,0002024 tax year
Cradles to Crayons · Charitable
$100,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Angela Darlington — Director
Stephen Hayes Jr — Director
William Crain — Director
Laura Coyle — Vice President
Laura Alvarado — Director
Brenda Jacobs — Treasurer
Julia Sampieri — Secretary
Barbara Gulick — President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$2,440,505	$2,228,000	$28,603,108	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$3,531,788	$3,208,000	$33,445,815	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$5,399,862	$4,876,100	$37,215,469	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.