Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- This foundation funds work in the Chicago region and the Lowcountry of South Carolina, with priorities in artistic vitality, land conservation and collections and narratives; organisations outside these areas or themes should look elsewhere.
- Most grants are modest: about eight in ten of its grants fall between $1,250 and $45,000, with a median grant of $8,500, though the largest grant has reached around $235,000, so a modest request fits most applicants.
- For the Broadening Narrative programme, grants of $10,000 to $100,000 are stated, while the Cash Reserve Challenge is capped at $25,000; applicants to Broadening Narratives should note that funding excludes individuals, religious activities, political campaigns or lobbying, endowments, capital campaigns or debt reduction, facility improvements or repairs, and private collections, and that the people whose stories are told must be involved in decision-making.
- Applications are made through the foundation's online system, and new applicants are encouraged to get in touch at least six weeks before the deadline, suggesting that early contact and relationship-building help.
- A high share - 88% - of grant dollars went to organisations also funded previously, so newcomers should expect the process to be competitive.
Overview
Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley 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 foundation makes grants for work in the Chicago region and the South Carolina Lowcountry, with priorities in artistic vitality, land conservation and broadening narratives. It values arts organisations across disciplines and traditions and supports art that amplifies voices and helps build vibrant communities. Its conservation work spans natural areas and working lands, with an emphasis on climate resilience, inclusivity and effective advocacy; support includes multiyear general operating grants, project grants and technical assistance. It also supports collections that tell stories that have not been told, have been told incompletely or inaccurately, and requires the people whose stories are told to be involved in decision-making. Beyond grants, it provides capacity building and one-to-one connections with grantee partners.
Themes
- Artistic vitality
- Land conservation
- Collections and narratives
Geographic Focus
Priority: Chicago region; Lowcountry of South Carolina.
What They Don't Fund
- Broadening Narratives Grants only: Individuals; Religious activities; Political campaigns or legislative lobbying; Endowments, capital campaigns, or debt reduction; Improvements or repairs to physical facilities; Private collections
How to apply
Organisations apply for grants using the online system linked from the foundation’s website.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 88% 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 1,218 grants to organisations were $8,500 or less.
What the foundation says:
- New grantees are encouraged to contact the foundation at least six weeks before the deadline.
- For Broadening Narratives, the people whose stories are being told must be included in decision-making.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 6%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 3% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 88% of grant dollars went to organisations Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 4% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 355 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- National Audubon Society · July 13th board/staff field trip honorarium$235,5002024 tax year
- Nature Conservancy · July 13th 2024 gaylord and dorothy donnelley board/staff field tr$185,5002024 tax year
- Center for Heirs' Property Preservation · Center for heirs property preservation$170,5002024 tax year
- Ducks Unlimited · Ducks unlimited, inc.$145,5002024 tax year
- Coastal Conservation League · Coastal conservation league$133,5002024 tax year
- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation · Chi-cal rivers fund$125,0002024 tax year
- Chicago Community Foundation · Arts work fund for organizational development$120,0002024 tax year
- Us Endowment For Forestry And Comm · General operations$106,2502024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Mimi Wheeler — Director
- Max Wheeler — Director
- Alaka Wali — Director
- Andres Tapia — Director (From 2024)
- Rick Lowe — Director
- Wendi Huff — Director
- Laura Gates — Director
- Shawn M Donnelley — Director
- Inanna Donnelley — Director
- Ceara Donnelley — Director
- Betsy Chaffin — Director
- Brian Bannon — Director
- Denise Gardner — Director, Secretary
- Mark Templeton — Director, Treasurer
- Laura Donnelley — Director, Chairperson
- Joel David Farren — Executive Director & Assistant Secretary
- Baronica Roberson — Director Finance & Assistant Treasurer
- Arnold Randall — Executive Director & Assistant Secretary
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $9,649,040 | $6,473,161 | $192,075,712 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $11,533,247 | $6,982,461 | $195,674,596 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $11,800,801 | $7,116,176 | $193,974,783 | 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
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (312) 977-2700
- grants@gddf.org
- Chicago, IL
- gddf.org
Applying to Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (312) 977-2700
- grants@gddf.org
- Chicago, IL
- gddf.org