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Caerus Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$14.7M
Grant Range
$5K - $1.5M

Caerus Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $14,677,953 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not disclosed
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,500,000
  • Geographic Focus: Chicago, San Francisco, Wisconsin (domestic); Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Central America (international)
  • Total Assets: $208 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 3100 Sanders Rd, Suite 500, Northbrook, IL 60062-7155
Phone: 847-559-2000
Website: www.caerusfoundation.org (temporarily offline for maintenance as of December 2025)
Email: Not publicly available

Overview

Established in 2001 and granted tax-exempt status in August 2003, the Caerus Foundation Inc is a private independent foundation based in Northbrook, Illinois. The foundation manages assets of approximately $208 million and distributed nearly $15 million in grants during 2023 across 129 awards. The foundation's mission is to expand educational opportunities for young people, alleviate human suffering, cultivate a more inclusive arts community, and preserve the natural world. Their strategic approach involves making grants in four core program areas: Arts, Education, Environment, and Global Health. The foundation operates with a selective, relationship-based grantmaking model and does not accept unsolicited applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation makes grants through four primary program areas:

  • Arts: Supporting organizations that cultivate a more inclusive arts community. Example: Multi-year grants to Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, including a $450,000 grant in 2012 and a subsequent growth grant with matching potential up to $1.5 million.

  • Education: Expanding educational opportunities for young people across their geographic focus areas.

  • Environment: Preserving natural areas and biodiversity. Example: Partnership with Crown Family Philanthropies and others in the Sustain Our Great Lakes initiative to restore Wisconsin's Lake Michigan watershed.

  • Global Health: International grants supporting activities that alleviate human suffering.

Geographic Priorities

Domestic: Organizations and programs primarily in Chicago, San Francisco, and Wisconsin
International: Activities across Africa and Asia, with additional support in Eastern Europe and Central America

Grant Size and Activity

  • Typical awards range from $5,000 to $1,500,000
  • 129 grants awarded in 2023
  • 108 grants awarded in 2022
  • 92 grants awarded in 2021
  • Median grant size: approximately $50,000

What They Don't Fund

The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is led by a family-based board with no compensation paid to officers:

  • J. Thomas Hurvis - President and Director
  • Sara H. Younkin - Vice President and Director
  • Christina M. Hurvis - Secretary and Director
  • Cathy Wereda - Treasurer
  • Connie Giampapa - Assistant Secretary
  • Sarah Barry - Assistant Treasurer

The foundation employs program officers who manage grant portfolios and cultivate deep relationships with nonprofit stakeholders. Program officers are responsible for shaping grantmaking priorities, conducting sector research, assessing outcomes, and representing the foundation in philanthropic settings.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Caerus Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grants are awarded through the foundation's proactive identification of organizations that align with their program areas and geographic focus.

Decision Timeline

Not disclosed, as grants are made through trustee discretion and proactive selection rather than an open application cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Caerus Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that have received funding from the foundation share these characteristics:

  • Geographic alignment: Located in or serving Chicago, San Francisco, Wisconsin, or the foundation's international focus regions (Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Central America)

  • Program area fit: Strong alignment with one or more of the four core program areas: Arts, Education, Environment, or Global Health

  • Measurable outcomes: Ability to achieve and demonstrate meaningful, measurable results in their work

  • Scale and capacity: Organizations range from those receiving smaller grants ($5,000) to major multi-year commitments ($1.5 million+), suggesting the foundation works with organizations at various stages of development

  • Long-term relationships: Evidence of multi-year support (e.g., Ensemble Español received multiple grants over several years) suggests the foundation values ongoing partnerships

  • Collaborative approach: The foundation participates in collaborative funding partnerships (e.g., Sustain Our Great Lakes with multiple funders), indicating they value organizations that can work effectively in partnership structures

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: The Caerus Foundation only funds preselected organizations. There is no application portal or open call for proposals.

  • Relationship-based grantmaking: The foundation proactively identifies and selects organizations through their program officers who maintain deep relationships in the nonprofit sector.

  • Multi-year support is possible: Examples show the foundation makes multi-year commitments and return grants to organizations (Ensemble Español received multiple grants), suggesting they invest in long-term partnerships.

  • Significant geographic focus: Strong preference for Chicago, San Francisco, and Wisconsin for domestic grants; specific international regions for global work.

  • Growth and capacity building: The foundation has supported organizational growth initiatives, not just programmatic work (e.g., growth grants to help organizations scale).

  • Collaborative funding welcomed: The foundation participates in funder collaboratives, suggesting organizations with multiple funding partners may be attractive.

  • Wide grant range: With grants from $5,000 to $1.5 million, the foundation works with organizations of varying sizes and at different stages of development.

References

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