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The Christopher Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$5.3M
0
Decision Time
3mo
0

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5.25 million (2024)
  • Total Assets: $74.3 million
  • Decision Time: Approximately 3 months from LOI to decision
  • Grant Range: Varies by program (typically not full program costs)
  • Geographic Focus: Chicago region, with special focus on West Side/Austin neighborhood
  • Funding Cycles: Two cycles per year (Education in first half, Employment/Entrepreneurship/Food Security in second half)

Contact Details

Website: christopherff.org

Email: monica@christopherff.org (Monica Thorns, Grants Manager)

Phone: 630.225.8120

Address: 640 Quail Ridge Dr., Westmont, IL 60559

Pre-Application Support: Recommended to contact Grants Manager before submitting Letter of Inquiry

Overview

The Christopher Family Foundation (CFF) was founded in 1997 by Jay W. and Doris K. Christopher as an outgrowth of their business, The Pampered Chef, which they started in 1980. With $74.3 million in total assets and distributing $5.25 million annually in charitable grants, CFF is a private family foundation dedicated to supporting family well-being. The foundation is governed by the Christopher Family Foundation Distribution Committee, which includes multiple generations of the Christopher family (Jay Christopher, Doris Christopher, Kelley Christopher Schueler, Julie Christopher Maloney, and Scott Christopher). CFF's work is guided by two key lenses: the Christian perspective of its founders and an emphasis on access and equity. Most funding is concentrated in the Chicagoland area, with special consideration for Chicago's West Side and Austin neighborhood.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

CFF operates two grant cycles per year with distinct focus areas:

First Cycle (Education Grants)

  • Application available: Mid-February
  • Focus: Education initiatives including kindergarten readiness, cultural enrichment for children, and after-school youth programs
  • Decisions: June
  • Funding distributed: July

Second Cycle (Employment/Entrepreneurship/Food Security Grants)

  • Application available: Mid-year
  • Focus: Job readiness training, entrepreneurship (especially for women), food security, and healthy food access
  • Decisions: November
  • Funding distributed: December

Priority Areas

  1. Education

    • Kindergarten readiness
    • Cultural enrichment for children
    • After-school youth programs
    • Programs with articulated standards for excellence

  2. Employment and Entrepreneurship

    • Creating "short pathways to family-sustaining careers"
    • Job readiness training
    • Entrepreneurship support, especially for women
    • Training, coaching, and access to capital for small businesses

  3. Food Security

    • Addressing hunger
    • Healthy food access initiatives
    • Support during critical needs periods

  4. Individual and Family Wellbeing

    • Family health initiatives
    • Community and fellowship-building organizations
    • Strengthening families and communities

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Governmental entities
  • Policy advocacy grants
  • Currently not funding housing services or disability programs (per FAQ)
  • Organizations that discriminate (faith-based organizations must not discriminate to be eligible)

Governance and Leadership

Founders: Jay W. and Doris K. Christopher (founded 1997 as an outgrowth of The Pampered Chef)

Distribution Committee Members:

  • Doris K. Christopher
  • Jay Christopher
  • Kelley Christopher Schueler
  • Julie Christopher Maloney
  • Scott Christopher

Key Staff:

The foundation is governed by multiple generations of the Christopher family and operates with a commitment to their Christian values while emphasizing access and equity in their grant-making.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

CFF accepts applications through an online portal system with a two-stage process:

Stage 1: Letter of Inquiry (LOI)

  1. Create an account in the online portal at christopherff.org
  2. Submit a Letter of Inquiry during the appropriate cycle
  3. Recommended: Contact Grants Manager Monica Thorns (monica@christopherff.org) before submitting LOI

Stage 2: Full Proposal (by invitation only)

  • Organizations selected from LOI stage are invited to submit full proposals
  • Full proposals are more detailed applications

2026 Education Grant Timeline Example:

  • LOI application opens: February 16, 2026
  • LOI deadline: March 20, 2026
  • Full proposals due: May 11, 2026
  • Funding decisions: June 2026
  • Funding distributed: July 2026

Decision Timeline

First Cycle (Education):

  • Approximately 3.5 months from LOI opening to decision (February to June)
  • Approximately 2 months from LOI deadline to decision

Second Cycle (Employment/Entrepreneurship/Food Security):

  • Similar timeline in second half of year
  • Decisions in November, funding in December

Success Rates

Success rate information not publicly available. However, the foundation reports distributing $5.25 million annually (91.9% of total expenses) and recently approved 14 organizations for employment grants and 9 for entrepreneurship grants, indicating selective but active grant-making.

Reapplication Policy

  • One full proposal per organization per year is allowed
  • If a first cycle LOI is declined, organizations "may submit a different project in our second cycle"
  • For renewal grants, general operating support is more likely than for first-time applicants
  • For new partners, CFF "prefers to support specific programs"

Application Success Factors

Based on CFF's documented guidance and priorities:

Key Requirements from CFF:

  • "Programs with an articulated standard for excellence" - CFF specifically looks for programs with clear quality benchmarks
  • Openness to learning and collaboration - Demonstrated willingness to adapt and work with others
  • Clear measurements of success - Must demonstrate impact beyond just activities performed
  • Geographic alignment - Almost all funding is for organizations serving the City of Chicago, particularly the West Side and Austin neighborhood

Strategic Insights:

  • First-time vs. renewal applicants: New partners should focus on specific programs rather than general operating support; general support is more likely for renewal requests
  • Budget expectations: CFF is "unlikely to fund full program cost" - build budgets accordingly
  • Indirect costs: CFF accepts indirect costs in budgets
  • Faith-based eligibility: Faith-based organizations are supported if they "do not discriminate"
  • Contact before applying: CFF recommends contacting their Grants Manager before submitting an LOI

Recent Funding Patterns:

  • Recent blog posts emphasize "short pathways to family-sustaining careers" in employment programs
  • Entrepreneurship grants focus on "training, coaching, and access to capital"
  • Food security has "come into sharper focus" due to government funding disruptions
  • Approved 14 employment organizations and 9 entrepreneurship organizations in recent cycles

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Contact first: Reach out to Monica Thorns (monica@christopherff.org) before submitting your LOI - this is explicitly recommended by the foundation
  • Geographic focus is critical: Almost all funding goes to Chicago-based organizations, with preference for West Side/Austin neighborhood; rare exceptions only with existing relationships
  • Choose your cycle carefully: Education grants in first half of year, Employment/Entrepreneurship/Food Security in second half; if declined in first cycle, you can submit a different project in second cycle
  • Demonstrate excellence with metrics: Must have "articulated standards for excellence" and "clear measurements of success" that go beyond activity counts
  • Start with program-specific requests: New applicants should focus on specific programs rather than general operating support; save general support requests for renewal applications
  • Budget realistically: Foundation unlikely to fund full program costs, so show other funding sources and build a realistic funding request
  • Align with current priorities: Recent emphasis on "short pathways to family-sustaining careers," entrepreneurship support with capital access, and food security during critical times

References

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