Vivo Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Vivo Foundation, based in Northbrook, IL, funds education equity and health and wellness work in Chicago and Lake County, spanning early childhood through college and career success, with threads on experiential learning, violence reduction, mental health and wellbeing, academic development, systems capacity building, family supports, a healthcare pipeline and violence intervention.
- A realistic request would sit in the typical $3,000 to $200,000 range, with the median grant at $50,000 and half of its 364 grants to organisations at $50,000 or less, though the largest grant on record was $650,000.
- The foundation states plainly that it does not accept unsolicited requests and operates by invitation only, so a cold application is not the way in; focus energy instead on building visibility and relationships that might lead to an invitation.
- It looks relationship-led rather than open-competition: 71% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in the prior two filings, so returning partners take the lion's share of funding by value.
- Given the strict invitation-only approach, nonprofits whose work sits outside Chicago or Lake County, or outside education equity and health and wellness, are unlikely to find a fit here.
Overview
Vivo Foundation is a US private foundation based in Northbrook, 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
Vivo Foundation focuses on education equity in Chicago and Lake County, Illinois. Its work spans early childhood education and care through college and career success, and includes experiential learning, violence reduction, and mental health and wellbeing. Its education focus areas also include academic development and systems capacity building, alongside college and career access, persistence and success. Under health and wellness, it names family supports, a healthcare pipeline, mental health and wellbeing, and violence intervention. It envisions young people of every race, ethnicity, belief system and socioeconomic status thriving and contributing to society. Its stated approach balances speed and flexibility with thoughtful decision-making and aims to foster deep, engaging relationships to unlock human potential and pursue bold approaches to education.
Themes
- Education
- Health and Wellness
Geographic Focus
Priority: Chicago; Lake County.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 71% 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 364 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 4% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 71% of grant dollars went to organisations Vivo Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 5% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 130 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $42,500 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- City Colleges of Chicago Foundation · To further the mission of the donee$525,0002024 tax year
- Chicago Special Projects Group · To further the mission of the donee$500,0002024 tax year
- Sinai Health System · To further the mission of the donee$500,0002024 tax year
- University of Chicago · To further the mission of the donee$410,0002024 tax year
- National Louis University · To further the mission of the donee$350,0002024 tax year
- Endeavor Health Clinical Operations · To further the mission of the donee$275,0002024 tax year
- Noble Network of Charter Schools · To further the mission of the donee$260,0002024 tax year
- New Life Centers of Chicagoland · To further the mission of the donee$257,5002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Andrew J Mills — Co-Trustee
- Nancy Mills — Co-Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $8,629,702 | $8,002,558 | $191,179,147 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $10,709,405 | $9,737,608 | $195,217,641 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $12,733,614 | $10,512,142 | $202,546,381 | 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
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Vivo Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Northbrook, IL
- vivofdn.org
Applying to Vivo Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Northbrook, IL
- vivofdn.org