The Joyce Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Joyce Foundation, based in Chicago, Illinois, paid $52,234,765 in grants in its most recent filing, across themes of culture, democracy, education and economic mobility, environment, gun violence prevention, justice reform and journalism, with a geographic priority of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and Chicago; check your work fits one of these themes and places before applying.
- A realistic request would typically fall within $20,000 to $250,000, where about eight in ten of its 1,435 grants to organisations land, with a median grant of $90,000; the largest grant was $1,000,000, but that is exceptional.
- Applications are made via an online letter of inquiry on a rolling basis, and the process from initial submission to receipt of funding takes around four to six months, so allow plenty of time.
- Because 82% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in the previous two filings, the foundation appears to favour continuing relationships, so expect it to be competitive for first-time applicants and consider building familiarity with its programmes over time.
Overview
The Joyce 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 Joyce Foundation invests in evidence-informed public policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. It supports organisations working to improve quality of life in the Great Lakes region through culture, democracy, education and economic mobility, environment, gun violence prevention and justice reform, and journalism. Its programme descriptions focus on culturally vibrant and equitable communities; voting rights and representation; closing race and income disparities in college and career success; long-term environmental challenges; safe and just communities; and high-quality public-policy journalism. It describes its work as evidence-informed and policy-focused.
Themes
- Culture
- Democracy
- Education & Economic Mobility
- Environment
- Gun violence prevention
- Justice reform
- Journalism
Geographic Focus
Priority: Illinois; Indiana; Michigan; Minnesota; Ohio; Wisconsin; Chicago.
How to apply
Applicants submit grant inquiries online; the process takes approximately four to six months from the initial submission of a letter of inquiry to receipt of funding.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 82% 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 1,435 grants to organisations were $90,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- For its Culture program, the Foundation focuses on supporting historically underrepresented artists and organizations, including organizations led by and serving communities of color.
- Within its environmental grantmaking, it prioritises projects guided by the perspectives of people impacted by the environmental issues being addressed.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 16%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 6%
- The largest single recipient received 2% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to organisations The Joyce Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Canada).
- 9% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 470 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $80,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Chicago Public Media - Chicago Sun-Times · Mission fund$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Education First Consulting · Education & economic mobility$935,0002024 tax year
- IFF · Mission fund$625,0002024 tax year
- Aspen Institute · Education & economic mobility$600,0002024 tax year
- Minnesota Department of Commerce - Energy & Utilities · Mission fund$600,0002024 tax year
- National Parks Conservation Association · Environment$576,0002024 tax year
- Civic News Company · Journalism$525,0002024 tax year
- Elevate Energy · Environment$500,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Nicholas Turner — Director
- Margot M Rogers — Director
- Cecilia Munoz — Director
- Tracy L Meares — Director
- Steven Koch — Director
- Russ Kavalhuna — Director
- Sean Decatur — Director
- Michael F Brewer — Director
- Sally E Blount — Director
- Chanda Smith Baker — Director
- Jose B Alvarez — Director
- Edmund Miller — V.P. of Strategy & Programs
- Julia Morita — President / Director (As of 10/1/24)
- Nickol Hackett — Chief Investment Officer / Treasurer
- Kathleen Clarke — Chief Operating Officer
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $66,076,186 | $56,267,588 | $1,167,846,391 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $77,162,152 | $55,953,961 | $1,243,336,860 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $67,316,551 | $52,234,765 | $1,297,079,019 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Joyce Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (312) 782-2464
- Chicago, IL
- joycefdn.org
Applying to The Joyce Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (312) 782-2464
- Chicago, IL
- joycefdn.org