The Grainger Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The Grainger Foundation, based in Lake Forest, IL, reports paying $20,371,926 in its filing, and it describes its giving across educational, medical, cultural and human services institutions.
- It does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations, so a cold proposal should not be sent.
- Its filing states no grant range and no geographic focus, so do not assume a size or location limit, and the filing gives no typical grant size to plan a request around.
- Because the route in is by invitation, any approach should come through an existing connection to the foundation, and the material reviewed gives no deadlines to plan around.
Overview
The Grainger Foundation is a US private foundation based in Lake Forest, IL.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (nationalabilitycenter.org), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation is described as providing substantive support to a broad range of organisations, including educational, medical, cultural and human services institutions. Its giving is stated across several kinds of institution rather than confined to one beneficiary. Contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations, and unsolicited requests are not accepted. The available filing does not name recipients or state grant purposes, so the specific programmes, populations and projects supported cannot be established from it. No geographic focus or selection criteria are stated in the material reviewed.
Themes
- Educational institutions
- Medical institutions
- Cultural institutions
- Human services institutions
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Officers and directors
- G J Sinclair — Senior Vice President & Secretary
- D W Grainger — Director
- J T Ryan — Director
- J L Howard — Chairman, President & Director
- Julia Wold — Vice President
- J S Chapman — Chairman Emeritus & Director
- C J Bellmore — Treasurer
- W B Hayden — 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 | $46,138,974 | $44,394,439 | $233,830,796 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $18,376,050 | $16,693,000 | $264,831,650 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $22,327,246 | $20,371,926 | $283,684,257 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to The Grainger Foundation?
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Contact
- Lake Forest, IL
Applying to The Grainger Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Lake Forest, IL