Trott Family Philanthropies Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $16,521,190 (2023)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $2,500 - $50,000,000+
• Geographic Focus: National focus with emphasis on Chicago area and rural communities

Contact Details

Address: 180 N Stetson Ave Ste 2550, Chicago, IL 60601-6778
Phone: 312-609-1100
EIN: 85-3003942

Note: This foundation does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited grant applications.

Overview

Trott Family Philanthropies Inc was established in 2021 by Byron and Tina Trott, replacing most of the grantmaking previously conducted through the Trott Family Foundation (established 1996). Byron Trott is the founder, chairman, and co-CEO of BDT & MSD Partners, a Chicago-based merchant bank serving ultra-wealthy families and family-owned businesses. Both Byron and Tina are first-generation college graduates from small towns with modest backgrounds—Byron grew up in Union, Missouri, where his father worked as a line repairman and his mother sold Avon products. The couple joined The Giving Pledge in January 2021, committing to give away the majority of their wealth. In 2023, the foundation distributed $16.5 million across 63 grants, continuing their strategic focus on education (particularly rural access to higher education), health, arts and culture, and community development in the Chicago area. Their most significant recent initiative is the STARS College Network, to which they pledged $150 million over ten years (2023-2024) to help students from small towns and rural communities access and succeed at elite colleges and universities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Major Strategic Initiatives:

• STARS College Network: $150 million over 10 years (announced 2024) to support small-town and rural students accessing higher education at 32+ elite colleges and universities including Stanford, Yale, University of Chicago, Northwestern, Ohio State, Amherst College, and Georgia Institute of Technology

Previous Major Grants:

• University of Chicago: $10 million to support the UChicago Careers in Business Program (renamed the Trott Business Program)
• rootEd Alliance: Founded in 2018 by the Trotts to place dedicated college and career advisers in rural high schools across Missouri, Texas, Tennessee, and Idaho

Typical Grant Range: $2,500 to $100,000 for standard institutional grants; multi-million dollar grants for strategic initiatives

Application Method: No public application process; invitation only/preselected organizations

Priority Areas

1. Education (Primary Focus)

   • Rural student access to higher education
   • College and career counseling for underserved students
   • Scholarship programs for rural and low-income students
   • College internship programs
   • K-12 education support

2. Health

   • Lurie Children's Hospital Foundation
   • Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation
   • Northwestern Medical Foundation

3. Arts & Culture (Chicago Focus)

   • Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
   • Art Institute of Chicago
   • Chicago Botanical Gardens
   • Chicago Zoological Society
   • Joffrey Ballet
   • Steppenwolf Theatre Company

4. Youth & Community Development

   • Music Institute of Chicago
   • North Shore Country Day School
   • Young Women's Leadership Charter School of Chicago
   • JAC Education Foundation

5. Emerging Priorities (Through Next Generation)

   • Criminal and social justice reform
   • Climate change
   • Addiction support

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly states it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. This suggests they do not fund:

• Organizations without existing relationships or connections to the foundation
• Projects outside their core focus areas
• Individual requests (except through structured scholarship programs)

Governance and Leadership

Byron D. Trott - Founder and Principal Donor

• Chairman and Co-CEO, BDT & MSD Partners
• Former Vice Chairman of Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs (27-year career)
• University of Chicago AB (1981) and MBA (1982)
• Known as "banker to the ultra-wealthy" and Warren Buffett's "favorite banker"
• Horatio Alger Award recipient
• Estimated net worth: $3.6 billion

Tina Trott - Co-Founder and Principal Donor

• First-generation college graduate
• Active in shaping family philanthropic strategy
• Co-signatory of The Giving Pledge with Byron

Philanthropic Philosophy (From Giving Pledge Letter):

The Trotts have stated: "Our family is unanimous in and motivated by this commitment to put the majority of our wealth to work in philanthropic endeavors." They note that "many young people have neither strong support systems nor the opportunities they had and sadly often get left behind, unable to realize their full potential, and it is this reality that drives their giving philosophy and focus."

They cite Roberto Clemente's 1971 quote as inspiration: "We must all live together and work together no matter what race or nationality."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded through:

• Trustee discretion - The Trotts personally identify and select organizations aligned with their philanthropic priorities
• Invitation only - Organizations may be invited to submit proposals based on existing relationships
• Strategic initiatives - The foundation designs and launches its own programs (e.g., rootEd Alliance, STARS College Network)

Getting on Their Radar

University of Chicago Alumni Network: Byron Trott maintains strong ties to his alma mater, the University of Chicago. Organizations connected to the University of Chicago network or its business school (where Trott earned his MBA) may have better access.

Rural Education Ecosystem: The Trotts are deeply invested in the rural education space through rootEd Alliance and STARS College Network. Organizations working in Missouri, Texas, Tennessee, and Idaho rural education have received support, particularly those focusing on college access and career counseling.

Chicago Cultural Institutions: The Trotts have established relationships with major Chicago arts and cultural organizations. Demonstrated impact in Chicago's cultural sector appears to be a pathway to consideration.

The Giving Pledge Community: As Giving Pledge signatories, the Trotts participate in a network of ultra-wealthy philanthropists. Organizations that have connections to other Giving Pledge signatories or their initiatives may benefit from cross-referrals.

BDT & MSD Partners Network: Byron Trott's merchant bank serves ultra-wealthy business owners and family-owned businesses. Organizations with connections to these family offices may have indirect access.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed due to the invitation-only nature of grantmaking.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists. In 2023, the foundation made 63 grants totaling $16.5 million.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to invitation-only model. Organizations that have received funding may receive multi-year support or renewed grants based on performance and strategic alignment.

Application Success Factors

Since this funder operates on an invitation-only model, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on their documented grantmaking patterns and stated priorities, organizations most likely to receive funding share these characteristics:

1. Direct Connection to the Trotts' Personal Story

The Trotts consistently emphasize their backgrounds as "first generation college graduates from small towns and families of very modest means." Organizations serving similar populations—particularly rural students seeking higher education—have received their largest grants. Byron has specifically noted that his guidance counselor "also taught driver's ed and was the football coach," highlighting his understanding of resource constraints in rural schools.

2. Focus on Rural Student Access to Selective Colleges

The STARS College Network represents the Trotts' clearest articulation of their vision. They've stated that rural students "comprise approximately 30% of this country's high school students" but "receive less than 5% of philanthropic support." Organizations addressing this specific disparity align with their documented priorities.

3. Established Chicago Institutional Presence

Support for institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago Botanical Gardens, Steppenwolf Theatre, and Joffrey Ballet suggests the Trotts value long-standing Chicago cultural institutions with proven track records of excellence.

4. Strategic, Scalable Impact

The rootEd Alliance model—placing dedicated college and career counselors in rural high schools across multiple states—demonstrates their preference for programs that can scale beyond a single community. The organization has helped "80,000 rural students pursue college and other postsecondary school pathways."

5. Alignment with Next-Generation Priorities

The Trotts have noted that their children bring "fresh ideas about how to address systemic issues embedded in society," taking their giving "in new and important directions focused on criminal and social justice reform, climate change, and addiction." Organizations in these emerging focus areas may find growing interest.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is an invitation-only funder - Direct applications are not accepted; focus instead on building relationships within the University of Chicago alumni network, rural education ecosystem, or Chicago cultural community
• Rural education is the top strategic priority - The $150 million STARS commitment dwarfs other grants; organizations serving rural students' access to selective higher education are most aligned
• Personal connection drives giving - Byron and Tina's backgrounds as first-generation college graduates from small towns directly inform their priorities; authentic connection to this narrative matters
• Think multi-year and scalable - The rootEd Alliance operates across four states; the STARS Network spans 32+ institutions; demonstrate how your work can grow beyond a single community
• Chicago cultural institutions receive consistent support - Established arts organizations with strong reputations have benefited from ongoing support
• The next generation is shifting priorities - Organizations working on criminal justice reform, climate change, and addiction support may find growing interest as the Trott children shape family giving
• Transparency is limited - As Inside Philanthropy notes, this is "a difficult funder to contact," and they maintain minimal public presence; expect limited communication unless you are invited into their network

References

• Trott Family Philanthropies Inc. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Accessed January 18, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/853003942
• "Byron and Tina Trott." The Giving Pledge. Accessed January 18, 2026. https://www.givingpledge.org/pledger/byron-and-tina-trott/
• "Trott Family Foundation." Inside Philanthropy. Accessed January 18, 2026. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/illinois-grants/trott-family-foundation
• "STARS College Network Doubles in Size with the Support of Trott Family Philanthropies." University of Maryland Right Now, July 24, 2024. Accessed January 18, 2026. https://umdrightnow.umd.edu/stars-college-network-doubles-in-size-with-the-support-of-trott-family-philanthropies
• "Banker to the Ultra Wealthy Pledges $150 Million to Aid Students from Rural and Small Towns." The Chronicle of Philanthropy, July 24, 2024. Accessed January 18, 2026. https://www.philanthropy.com/article/banker-to-the-ultra-wealthy-pledges-150-million-to-aid-students-from-rural-and-small-towns
• "Byron Trott commits $150 million to recruit rural students for college." Philanthropy News Digest, July 25, 2024. Accessed January 18, 2026. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/byron-trott-commits-150-million-to-recruit-rural-students-for-college
• "Byron Trott." Wikipedia. Accessed January 18, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Trott
• "Byron D. Trott." Horatio Alger Association. Accessed January 18, 2026. https://horatioalger.org/members/detail/byron-d-trott/
• "TIME100 Philanthropy: Byron Trott and Tina Trott." TIME, 2025. Accessed January 18, 2026. https://time.com/collections/time100-philanthropy-2025/7286051/byron-trott-tina-trott/
• Trott Family Philanthropies Inc. Instrumentl 990 Report. Accessed January 18, 2026. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/trott-family-philanthropies-inc
• "Byron Trott gives top colleges millions for rural recruitment." Crain's Chicago Business, July 24, 2024. Accessed January 18, 2026. https://www.chicagobusiness.com/education/byron-trott-gives-top-colleges-millions-rural-recruitment