Bruce Foundation
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 requests, and the filing says its contributions go only to preselected charitable organisations, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered.
- If you have a connection to the foundation or its officers, a warm introduction is the sensible first step.
- Its grants, judged from the filing rather than any stated focus, cluster around education, civic causes and social support, and the filing states no geographic focus, so a small organisation in those areas is the best fit.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $10,000 and $50,000 and the median is $15,000, so a request in that typical range is realistic, though its largest grant was $500,000.
- In its latest filing, 79% of grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in the previous two filings, so it leans toward continuing relationships and new organisations should expect a slower route in.
Overview
Bruce Foundation is a US private foundation based in Chicago, IL.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Across the recorded grants, the foundation supported education and civic and social purposes, with additional grants for animal rescue and care, health, homelessness, food support, environmental protection, and cultural activity. Its recipients include schools and colleges, social-service and community organisations, food banks, animal-welfare and wildlife groups, and health and arts organisations. The grants went to organisations in Illinois, Michigan, Arizona, Massachusetts and other states, with Illinois the most frequent destination by count and the largest share of recorded dollars. The filing says that contributions go only to preselected charitable organisations and that unsolicited requests are not accepted; it gives no public eligibility criteria or description of how organisations are selected.
Themes
From its grants, not stated by the foundation:
- Education
- Civic causes
- Social support
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Illinois, Michigan, Arizona and Massachusetts.
How to apply
Contributions are limited to preselected charitable organisations; the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 79% 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 128 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 7%
- The largest single recipient received 28% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to organisations Bruce Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 53 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Hillsdale College · Education$500,0002024 tax year
- Beverly Farm · Social$100,0002024 tax year
- Chicago Furniture Bank · Civic$70,0002024 tax year
- Hope for the Homeless · Civic$60,0002024 tax year
- FCACC · Civic$50,0002024 tax year
- Marine Life Center Juno Beach · Social$50,0002024 tax year
- Grand Canyon Trust · Safeguard the grand canyon$50,0002024 tax year
- Cambridge Reproductive Health Map Project · Telemedicine care$40,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- R Jeffrey Bruce — Pres Sec.Tre
- Elizabeth H Bruce — Vice President
- Susan M Bruce — Vice President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $747,257 | $734,000 | $10,913,146 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,117,303 | $1,100,000 | $10,430,143 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,942,034 | $1,900,000 | $28,317,211 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to Bruce Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chicago, IL
Applying to Bruce Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chicago, IL