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The Joyce Foundation

Annual Giving
$66.3M
Grant Range
$50K - $1.3M
Decision Time
5mo

The Joyce Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $66,300,000
  • Assets: $1,240,000,000
  • Success Rate: Competition is very high (specific percentage not disclosed)
  • Decision Time: 4-6 months from LOI to funding
  • Grant Range: $50,000 - $1,250,000
  • Geographic Focus: Great Lakes Region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin)

Contact Details

Address: 321 N. Clark Street, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: 312-782-2464
Email: info@joycefdn.org
Application Inquiries: applications@joycefdn.org
Website: www.joycefdn.org

Overview

Founded in 1948, the Joyce Foundation is a nonpartisan private foundation with assets of approximately $1.24 billion and annual charitable distributions of over $66 million. The Foundation invests in evidence-informed public policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes region. Under the leadership of President & CEO Julie Morita, MD (who joined in October 2024), the Foundation continues to build on the transformative 21-year tenure of former CEO Ellen Alberding. The Foundation operates six strategic program areas and has risen to national prominence for its work addressing some of the biggest challenges facing the region and nation, including gun violence prevention, environmental protection, and democratic reforms.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Joyce Foundation operates six program areas, each with distinct funding streams:

Culture ($1,000,000 - $1,250,000 range)

  • Strengthens arts organizations by diversifying program offerings, artists' commissions, staff, board leadership, and audiences
  • Invests in Midwestern creative capital
  • Note: The Joyce Awards program (which awarded $100,000 grants for commissioned works) is paused for the 2025 cycle for reflection and planning

Democracy ($100,000 - $200,000 typical range)

  • Supports efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and civic engagement
  • Funds advocacy and policy work to improve electoral systems

Education & Economic Mobility ($550,000 - $1,000,000 range)

  • Focuses on improving educational outcomes and economic opportunities
  • Supports policy research and implementation for workforce development

Environment (Grant amounts vary)

  • Advances environmental policy solutions in the Great Lakes region
  • Supports advocacy for clean water and climate initiatives

Gun Violence Prevention & Justice Reform ($350,000 - $690,000 range)

  • Addresses gun violence through policy solutions
  • Supports criminal justice reform initiatives

Journalism ($425,000 - $450,000 range)

  • Strengthens local journalism in the Great Lakes region
  • Supports sustainable business models for civic media

Application Methods: Rolling basis for Letters of Inquiry (LOI); Board decisions at fixed meetings in April, July, and December (most funding distributed in April and July)

Priority Areas

The Foundation strongly encourages funding requests that articulate advancement of one or more of these three core goals:

  1. Racial Equity: Incorporate the voices of, and achieve more equitable outcomes for, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities in the Great Lakes region

  2. Economic Mobility: Improve the ability of individuals in the Great Lakes region to move up the economic ladder within a lifetime or from one generation to the next

  3. Next Generation: Incorporate the voices of, and improve outcomes for, the next generation of Great Lakes residents (young people born after 2000)

Policy Focus Areas:

  • Research and policy development
  • Communications strategy
  • Advocacy and coalition building
  • Policy implementation
  • Program evaluation

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation typically does not fund:

  • Capital proposals or building campaigns
  • Endowment campaigns
  • Direct service programs
  • Commercial ventures
  • Religious activities
  • Scholarships (except by direct invitation)
  • Lobbying activities (prohibited by federal tax law for private foundations)

Geographic Restriction: Projects must address state and local public policy in the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin) or national public policy designed to impact these states.

Governance and Leadership

Current Board Leadership

Margot M. Rogers - Chair of the Board
Tracey L. Meares - Vice Chair of the Board
Julie Morita, MD - President & CEO and Board Member

Board Members:

  • José B. Alvarez
  • Sally Blount
  • Carole L. Brown
  • Sean M. Decatur
  • Russ Kavalhuna
  • Steven Koch
  • Cecilia Muñoz
  • Chanda Smith Baker
  • Nicholas Turner

Directors Emeritus:

  • Robert G. Bottoms
  • Michael F. Brewer
  • Charles U. Daly
  • Carlton L. Guthrie

Leadership Quotes

Julie Morita (current President & CEO): "I am thrilled and deeply honored to step into the role of President at the Joyce Foundation. It is a tremendous privilege to lead an organization with such a remarkable legacy of positive impact."

Ellen Alberding (former President & CEO, 2003-2024): "Our mission – to achieve racial equity and economic mobility in the Great Lakes region – compelled me everyday to utilize all of the resources at our command to achieve progress. We've taken on some really big issues over time, including issues that some people thought were too high-risk or possibly even hopeless. I'm really proud that the foundation has absorbed those risks and maintained its focus on these issues because you can actually drive down gun violence and make big impact changes over time."

José B. Alvarez (Board Chair during transition): "Under Ellen's leadership, Joyce rose to national prominence for its work advancing policy solutions to address some of the biggest challenges facing our region and nation."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Joyce Foundation uses a three-step application process through their online grants management system, Fluxx:

Step 1: Create an Account

  • First-time applicants must create an account in the Fluxx system
  • Submit account for approval
  • Receive email notification with login credentials within five business days

Step 2: Submit Letter of Inquiry (LOI)

  • All applications must begin with a Letter of Inquiry
  • LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis
  • Submit LOI at least 6-8 weeks prior to the proposal deadline for your target board meeting
  • Program staff review LOIs and invite selected applicants to submit full proposals
  • If project does not fit guidelines, program officer sends decline email

Step 3: Submit Formal Proposal (by invitation only)

  • Only invited applicants may submit full proposals
  • Required attachments include:
    • Itemized project budget and narrative
    • Names and qualifications of project personnel
    • Board members' information
    • Organizational financial statements (expenses and income)
    • Audited financial statements
    • IRS Form 990
    • IRS verification of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status

Decision Timeline

Total Timeline: Approximately 4-6 months from initial LOI submission to receipt of funding

Board Meeting Schedule:

  • Board meetings held in April, July, and December
  • Important: Most grant funds are distributed at April and July meetings; applicants strongly encouraged to target these cycles

Key Deadlines:

  • Submit LOI 6-8 weeks before proposal deadline for target board meeting
  • Proposal deadlines set in advance of each board meeting

Notification Process:

  • Decline emails sent at each stage (LOI, proposal, or board review)
  • If approved: Program officer emails grant contract to grantee
  • Grant payments: Normally made at the end of the month following the board meeting

Success Rates

The Foundation notes that "competition for discretionary funds is very high." Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. The Foundation awarded 116 grants totaling nearly $18 million in November 2024, demonstrating significant grantmaking activity across all program areas.

Reapplication Policy

The Joyce Foundation does not impose specific waiting periods or restrictions on unsuccessful applicants. Organizations that are not invited to submit a formal proposal after LOI review may reapply in future grant cycles. The Foundation encourages ongoing dialogue with program officers to strengthen alignment with funding priorities for future applications.

Application Success Factors

Policy Focus is Essential The Joyce Foundation funds policy work, not direct services. Successful applicants demonstrate how their work advances public policy through research, policy development, communications, advocacy, coalition building, implementation, or evaluation. Projects must show clear policy impact in the Great Lakes region.

Alignment with Core Goals While not required, the Foundation "strongly encourages and prefers" funding requests that articulate advancement of racial equity, economic mobility, and/or benefits to the next generation (people born after 2000). Applications that explicitly address how the project advances these goals are prioritized.

Geographic Relevance Proposals must demonstrate clear impact on state/local policy in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, or Wisconsin, OR show how national policy work will specifically benefit these Great Lakes states. Generic national projects without clear Great Lakes connection are not competitive.

Examples of Recent Funded Work

  • Culture: United States Artists Inc. ($1,250,000) for arts support; The HANA Center ($100,000) for cultural programming
  • Education & Economic Mobility: Advance Illinois NFP ($1,000,000); The Institute for College Access and Success ($700,000)
  • Democracy: State Power Fund ($200,000); CHANGE Illinois ($200,000)
  • Gun Violence Prevention: Impact for Equity Inc. ($690,000); GunsDown Inc. ($350,000)
  • Journalism: Crain Communications, Inc. ($450,000) for local journalism support

Organizational Capacity Matters The Foundation requires comprehensive organizational documentation including audited financial statements, Form 990, board information, and key personnel qualifications. This indicates they look for established organizations with strong governance and financial management.

Evidence-Informed Approach The Foundation explicitly states it invests in "evidence-informed public policies and strategies." Successful applications cite research, data, and evidence supporting the proposed policy approach.

Relationship Building The Foundation encourages dialogue with program officers throughout the process. Applicants who engage with staff to refine proposals and ensure alignment with foundation priorities are more likely to succeed. Contact applications@joycefdn.org with questions.

Avoid Common Pitfalls

  • Don't propose direct service programs—Joyce funds policy change, not service delivery
  • Don't submit proposals for lobbying activities (prohibited by law for private foundations)
  • Don't apply for capital campaigns, endowments, or buildings
  • Don't ignore the Great Lakes geographic focus—national work must have clear regional impact

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Policy or nothing: The Joyce Foundation exclusively funds policy work—research, advocacy, communications, coalition building, implementation, and evaluation. If your project doesn't advance public policy, don't apply.

  • Target April or July board meetings: Most funding is distributed at these two meetings. December is a backup, but competition for remaining funds is even higher.

  • Start with the LOI 6-8 weeks early: The LOI must precede any full proposal. Plan backward from board meeting dates to ensure adequate review time.

  • Triple-check Great Lakes connection: Your project must impact Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, or Wisconsin. Generic national projects without clear state-level impact in these states won't make it past the LOI stage.

  • Articulate how you advance the three goals: While not required, proposals addressing racial equity, economic mobility, and/or the next generation are "strongly encouraged and preferred"—make these connections explicit.

  • Engage program officers early: The Foundation welcomes dialogue. Use applications@joycefdn.org to discuss fit before investing time in a full LOI. Staff can help refine proposals for better alignment.

  • Be patient but persistent: The 4-6 month timeline requires planning ahead. If declined, you can reapply in future cycles—use staff feedback to strengthen your next attempt.

References

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