CME Group Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 45-0575574 · since 2008cmegroupfoundation.org·Chicago, Illinois·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$6.7M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$5,000 to $100k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$25,000

Typical grant (median)

148 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

CME Group Foundation funds education from cradle to career, with priorities in early childhood education and kindergarten readiness, K-12 computer science, personalised learning, financial education, and college and career success, and its geographic focus is Illinois, with Chicago as a priority; make sure your work matches before approaching.
It accepts proposals by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application will not work; invited organisations then receive specific instructions on deadline, format and attachments.
Most grants fall between $5,000 and $100,000, with a median of $25,000, so a request in that range is realistic, though its Foundation Scholars Program is capped at up to $20,000.
With 86% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in the prior two filings, this looks like a relationship-led funder that favours continuing partners, so building a long-term connection matters more than a one-off pitch.
Applicants need 501(c)(3) status, paid staff, three years of operation, an active governing board with community support, and sound finances; note too that an organisation and its affiliates may have only one request or active grant at a time, and the foundation does not fund individuals, benefit events or fundraising advertising, deficit reduction or debt liquidation, organisations that discriminate, or those devoting a substantial portion of activities to lobbying or election campaigning.

Overview

CME Group 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

CME Group Foundation supports education from cradle to career, seeking to prepare students for future academic and career success. Its grantmaking centres on early childhood education and kindergarten readiness, K–12 computer science, technology-enabled personalised learning, financial education, and college and career success. It seeks to improve kindergarten readiness for low-income children in Illinois and funds direct-service nonprofit organisations working with Chicago students from low-income communities in finance and technology. Grants go to universities, school districts, charter networks and nonprofit organisations working to improve education outcomes for low-income students. The Foundation backs specific projects with measurable results, generally favouring projects over general operating support, and supports new or proven programmes, research and development, collaboration and strategic partnerships.

Themes

Early childhood education
K-12 computer science
Personalized learning
Financial education
College and career success

Geographic Focus

Priority: Illinois; Chicago.

What They Don't Fund

Grants for individuals
More than one request or active grant from an organization or its affiliates at a time
Organizations that discriminate in regards to disabilities, age, gender, race, ethnic origin, religion or sexual orientation
Organizations that devote a substantial portion of their activities to attempting to influence legislation or to participating in campaigns on behalf of candidates for public office
Organizations that do not comply with all applicable anti-terrorist financing and asset control laws, regulations, rules and executive orders, including but not limited to, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and Executive Order No. 13224
Organizations that operate deficit reduction or existing debt liquidation
Benefit events and advertising for fundraising purposes
Generate taxes (municipalities, school districts, etc.) for services within their normal responsibilities

How to apply

Organisations must be invited to submit a proposal; invitees receive specific instructions on the deadline, format and attachments.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 86% 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 413 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The Foundation favours focused priorities and large, multi-year commitments to organisations with successful track records in its priority areas.
The proposed activity should not needlessly duplicate other activities or programmes.
Applicants must have IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
Applicants must have paid staff.
Applicants must have operated for three years.
Applicants must have an active governing board and support from the community.
Applicants must have sound finances, efficient and ethical management.
Applicants must be able to successfully implement programmes.
Staff will contact applicants for additional information and arrange a site visit or meeting.
Grantees must report on use of funds, results and how far the outcomes have been achieved.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Illinois78%

Minnesota11%

Massachusetts3%

New York2%

California2%

Texas2%

6 other states: 3%

The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to organisations CME Group Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
16% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

148 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $25,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 148 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k1%

$2.5k–$5k2%

$5k–$10k13%

$10k–$25k15%

$25k–$50k25%

$50k–$100k34%

$100k–$250k9%

$250k–$500k1%

$500k–$1M1%

Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Scholarship America · 2024 cme group foundation scholarship program
$600,0002024 tax year
Youth Guidance · Working on womanhood (wow)
$250,0002024 tax year
Barack Obama Foundation · Obama foundation chicago programming
$200,0002024 tax year
Sinai Health System · Examining the mental health of middle/high school
$200,0002024 tax year
City Colleges of Chicago Foundation · The chicago roadmap
$200,0002024 tax year
Carole Robertson Center for Learning · Bases-k and innovation fund
$150,0002024 tax year
Chicago Public Education Fund · Chicago leads
$150,0002024 tax year
Children First Fund The Chicago Public Schools Foundation · Robotics ost connecting to our community
$125,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Terry L Savage — Trustee
Daniel Glickman — Trustee
Eva Giglio — Executive Director
Howard J Siegel — Secretary / Treasurer
Terrence A Duffy — Vice-Chairman
Charles P Carey — Chairman

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$6,449,625	$6,088,500	$58,491,809	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$6,464,919	$6,073,000	$59,188,963	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$7,186,869	$6,739,500	$63,836,901	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.