Agricultural Support Association

Geneseo Foundation

Geneseo, IL

The Geneseo Foundation supports charitable, civic, educational, scientific, and benevolent work—including aid for people in need and scholarships—with a focus on Geneseo and surrounding areas in Illinois. In 2026, grants ranged from $970 to $309,000, with a median of $5,000. It accepts unsolicited requests from eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits and reviews applications monthly.

The Allen and Ellen M Blessman

New Holland, IL

The foundation supports education, scholarships, children’s programs, and hospital program support benefiting current or former Mason County, Illinois residents. Its 2025 grants ranged from $2,000 to $50,000, with a median of $7,500. It accepts unsolicited requests by letter of inquiry; no deadline is listed.

Union Pacific Foundation

Omaha, NE

The Union Pacific Foundation funds 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Union Pacific communities, prioritizing safety, workforce development, community vitality, environmental sustainability, and local needs. Its annual local grants are typically $5,000–$30,000, though awards overall ranged from $5,000 to $600,000 in 2025; it prioritizes local operating communities, with the most 2025 funding going to Nebraska. It accepts online applications during designated periods and says it does not limit giving to preselected organizations.

Brandt Foundation Inc

Springfield, IL

Brandt Foundation Inc funds established U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations working on food security, agricultural education, and food waste reduction, with some support for other community needs. It awards grants in areas where BRANDT and its sister companies operate; recent grants ranged from $1,000 to $21,585, with a typical grant of about $6,250 and a stated average of $1,000–$10,000. It accepts unsolicited letters of inquiry, and applicants invited to proceed submit a formal application.

Dorothy Ratermann Charitable

Salem, IL

The Growmark Foundation

Bloomington, IL

The GROWMARK Foundation funds agricultural education and leadership, scholarships, cooperative education, youth programs, and community activities, with much of its grantmaking in Illinois and nearby Midwestern states. In 2025, grants ranged from $50 to $132,950, with a median of $2,000. It gives only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited funding requests.

The Chicago Community Trust

Chicago, IL

The Chicago Community Trust funds nonprofits addressing economic mobility, wealth gaps, and urgent community needs, with priorities including homeownership, small businesses, education, quality jobs, and investment in underinvested communities. Its 2025 itemized grants had a median of $26,500, though awards vary widely; grants generally benefit Chicago-region residents, and the Trust directs applicants to open opportunities but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

The Allstate Foundation

Northbrook, IL

The Allstate Foundation funds youth empowerment, efforts to prevent and address relationship abuse, nonprofit leadership, and related economic opportunity and equity work. Its 2024 grants ranged from $250 to $2 million, with a median of $1,000, and awards must support work in the United States. It accepts proposals from organizations beyond a preselected list; proposals are reviewed as received.

Elks National Foundation Inc

Chicago, IL

The Elks National Foundation funds scholarships, youth programs, veterans services, disaster relief, and community projects, primarily through Elks Lodges and state associations in communities across the United States where Elks live and work. Its 2025 grants had a median of $8,500, though amounts varied widely; the listed Beacon and Freedom Grants are limited to Elks Lodges. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation

Chicago, IL

The foundation funds a broad range of work, including journalism, arts, Chicago communities, climate and clean energy, homelessness, human rights, and criminal justice reform. Its 2024 grants had a median of $160,000, with awards ranging from $450 to $21 million; funding is nationwide, with the largest shares going to New York, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. Application rules vary by program: some accept self-nominations or Letters of Inquiry, while others generally do not fund unsolicited proposals.

Arie and Ida Crown Memorial

Chicago, IL

Arie and Ida Crown Memorial supports a broad range of organizations, including education, Jewish organizations, and community foundations. Its 2024 grants ranged from $500 to $3 million, with a median of $55,000; 55% of grant dollars went to Illinois, with additional funding in New York, Washington, DC, California, and Minnesota. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.