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Fred J Brunner Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.9M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.1M
Decision Time
3mo

Fred J Brunner Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,897,027 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Applications by August 1; grants distributed in fall
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $150,000
  • Median Grant: $10,000
  • Total Grants Awarded: 106 grants (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily greater Chicago area, IL; exceptions made
  • Total Assets: $32,437,362 (2023)

Contact Details

Overview

The Fred J Brunner Foundation was established in 1955 and incorporated in Illinois, receiving tax-exempt status in August 1957. The foundation was originated by Fred J. Brunner, the third generation director of Brunner & Lay Inc., a world leader in the manufacture of mining and construction tools. Since 1956, the foundation has given grants to numerous organizations, focusing on helping the most vulnerable populations, especially the young and the elderly. With total assets exceeding $32.4 million and annual giving approaching $1.9 million, the foundation makes approximately 100 grants per year. The foundation is classified under NTEE code T20 (Private Grantmaking Foundations) and files IRS Form 990-PF annually. Education, shelter, and hunger have been guiding premises in choosing recipients, with a particular emphasis on Catholic and Christian organizations serving the greater Chicago area.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates a single annual grant program with the following characteristics:

  • Annual Grant Cycle: $1,897,027 total giving distributed once per year in fall
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $150,000 per award
  • Median Grant: $10,000
  • Number of Awards: 106 grants awarded in 2023; historically 79-99 grants per year
  • Application Method: Rolling submissions accepted until August 1 deadline; no application form required

Priority Areas

The foundation makes grants only to tax-exempt, charitable organizations primarily in the fields of:

Education

  • Educational institutions serving vulnerable populations
  • Programs for children and youth
  • Special education and services for individuals with disabilities
  • Catholic and Christian educational institutions
  • Example: Chicago Jesuit Academy ($30,000 for unrestricted organizational support)
  • Example: Center for Independent Futures ($50,000 for electronic curriculum for disabled)

Health

  • Healthcare services for respiratory, cardiac, and immune diseases
  • Health and wellness education programs
  • Medical care for vulnerable populations
  • Example: Aspire ($100,000 for health & wellness education)
  • Example: National Jewish Health ($40,000 for respiratory, cardiac, and immune disease care)

Religion

  • Catholic and Christian organizations
  • Faith-based social services
  • Example: Little Sisters of the Poor ($15,000 for social & human services)

Human Services

  • Services for the elderly
  • Shelter and housing programs
  • Hunger relief and food security
  • Child welfare programs
  • Example: The Salvation Army ($80,000 for unrestricted organizational support)
  • Example: Misericordia Heart of Mercy ($15,000 for education)

Geographic Focus: Primarily serves organizations in the greater Chicago area and Illinois, although exceptions have been made for compelling cases outside this region.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly does not provide grants for:

  • Individuals
  • Endowment funds
  • Scholarships or fellowships
  • Matching gifts
  • Loans

Governance and Leadership

The foundation's leadership consists of family members from the Brunner family:

Officers and Trustees:

  • Fred J. Brunner: President and Treasurer
  • Ruth M. Brunner: Vice President and Secretary
  • Fred M. Brunner: Officer/Trustee
  • Robert B. Wolf: Officer/Trustee

The foundation maintains a family foundation structure, with governance remaining within the Brunner family that originated the foundation through Fred J. Brunner's leadership of Brunner & Lay Inc.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation accepts proposals on a rolling basis until the annual deadline:

Application Format:

  • No formal application form required
  • Submit via proposal or letter
  • Applications should clearly state the character of the applicant organization and the purpose of the grant requested

Required Documentation:

  1. Description of the organization and specific purpose for grant
  2. Statement of problem the project will address
  3. Copy of IRS Determination Letter
  4. Copy of most recent annual report, audited financial statement, or Form 990
  5. An affidavit that the organization qualifies as a non-private foundation

Submission Deadline:

  • August 1 of each year (all requests must be received by this date)

Eligibility:

  • Must be a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) charitable organization
  • Primary focus should align with health and/or education
  • Preference for organizations serving the young and elderly
  • Geographic preference for greater Chicago area/Illinois organizations

Decision Timeline

  • Application Deadline: August 1
  • Review Period: Late summer/early fall
  • Notification: Fall (specific timeframe not publicly disclosed)
  • Grant Distribution: Once per year in the fall

The foundation does not publicly disclose specific notification methods or exact decision dates beyond the general "fall" timeframe.

Success Rates

The foundation made 106 grants in 2023 from total giving of $1,897,027. Historical data shows:

  • 2023: 106 grants awarded
  • 2022: 98 awards
  • 2021: 99 awards
  • 2020: 96 awards

The foundation does not publicly disclose the total number of applications received, so a precise success rate cannot be calculated. However, the consistency of approximately 80-106 grants per year suggests the foundation has an established grant-making pattern.

Reapplication Policy

All recipients may reapply each year. There are no stated restrictions or waiting periods for unsuccessful applicants to resubmit applications in subsequent years. This suggests the foundation welcomes ongoing relationships with organizations and repeated applications.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and grant patterns, applicants should consider:

Alignment with Core Mission: The foundation explicitly states it "focuses its grant giving on organizations that help those who are the most vulnerable, especially the young and the elderly." Applications should clearly demonstrate how the proposed project serves these populations.

Priority Focus Areas: Education, shelter, and hunger are described as "guiding premises in choosing recipients." Strong applications will connect their work to one or more of these three core areas, even if the organization's primary mission is in health or human services.

Geographic Connection: While exceptions are made, "the greater Chicago area has been the primary location of recipients." Illinois-based organizations, particularly those in the Chicago metropolitan area, appear to have an advantage. Organizations outside this region should make a compelling case for why the foundation should make an exception.

Catholic and Christian Affiliation: The foundation has "a particular emphasis on Catholicism and Christianity" in its funding. Organizations with faith-based missions or religious affiliations, particularly Catholic institutions, appear well-aligned with foundation priorities.

Clear Documentation: The foundation requires verification that organizations qualify as non-private foundations and have proper 501(c)(3) status. Complete, accurate documentation strengthens applications.

Equitable Approach: The foundation states it "distributes grants blindly without regard to race, creed or ethnicity," suggesting applications are evaluated on organizational merit and mission alignment rather than demographic factors.

Grant Size Considerations: With a median grant of $10,000 and a range of $5,000-$150,000, applicants should request amounts that match their organizational scale and project scope. The majority of grants appear to fall in the $10,000-$30,000 range based on example grants.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Single annual deadline of August 1 - plan well in advance and submit by this firm deadline; grants distributed in fall
  • Focus on vulnerable populations - explicitly emphasize how your work serves the young and/or elderly in your application
  • Education, shelter, and hunger - connect your work to at least one of these three core guiding premises
  • Greater Chicago/Illinois priority - organizations in this region have a significant advantage; others should make a strong case for exception
  • Faith-based alignment helps - Catholic and Christian organizations appear particularly well-positioned
  • No formal application form - allows flexibility but requires clear, compelling narrative about organizational character and grant purpose
  • Reapplication welcomed - unsuccessful applicants can and should reapply in subsequent years; all previous recipients may reapply annually

References

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