Aon Foundation
The Aon Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Aon plc, a global insurance and consulting firm headquartered in London, England. Established in 1985, the foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation located in Chicago, Illinois at 200 E. Randolph Street. The foundation is committed to making the communities where Aon does business stronger through financial support to programs with demonstrated success in key areas.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$50K
+0.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.2M
-2.7% YoY
Grant Count
39
+5.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$56K
-7.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Aon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Aon Foundation's mission is to empower people and work with communities at risk. The foundation focuses on financial support to programs with demonstrated success in several key areas:
Primary Focus:
- Education — The foundation's primary funding interest is the education of young people. It supports programs that promote access to and excellence in education, especially those that advance school readiness, academic achievement for school-aged children, and college preparedness/admission for underserved populations. The foundation also invests in programs that prepare the future workforce and help develop the next generation's leaders.
Secondary Focus Areas:
- Arts & Culture
- Civic & Community Affairs
- Environmental Issues
- Human Services
The foundation has a particular interest in organizations and programs that align with Aon's corporate values, specifically those that deliver distinctive client value and develop unmatched teams through partnership and collaboration.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 27 grants in 2023, with total disbursements of approximately $2.26 million. Recent grants include:
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Approximately 59% of grants stay in Illinois. The foundation prioritizes the greater Chicago area, where it is headquartered. However, it also provides significant funding to other regions:
- Four other Midwest states receive a large number of grants
- Additional funding reaches New York, California, Florida, and Massachusetts
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2023 Financial Data:
- Total Revenue: $2,308,928
- Total Expenses: $2,260,028
- Total Assets: $49,906
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Number of Employees: 0
Historical Context: The foundation has maintained consistent grantmaking activity, with total giving of approximately $2.24 million in recent years. Global Aon foundations and charitable funds across multiple countries (Australia, Brazil, France, India, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States) contributed more than $10.6 million to 880 organizations in 2020.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $49,993 | $49,906 | $1,006 |
| Revenue | $2,200,139 | $2,308,928 | $2,238,961 |
| Expenses | $2,200,052 | $2,260,028 | $2,239,035 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,200,052 | $2,260,028 | $2,239,035 |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $2,421 | $2,187 | $2,114 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
203 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Red Cross Greater Chicago Chapter ($500,000), United Way of Metropolitan Chicago ($250,000), American Online Giving Foundation Inc ($166,924).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN CORPORATE PARTNERS NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN CORPORATE PARTNERS NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN IRELAND FUND BOSTON, MA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $56,000 |
| AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INC NEWARK, DE | FACILITATE DONATIONS TO REGISTERED CHARITIES | $48,592 |
| AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INC NEWARK, DE | FACILITATE DONATIONS TO REGISTERED CHARITIES | $64,413 |
| AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INC NEWARK, DE | FACILITATE DONATIONS TO REGISTERED CHARITIES | $166,924 |
| AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INC NEWARK, DE | FACILITATE DONATIONS TO REGISTERED CHARITIES | $75,725 |
| AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INC NEWARK, DE | FACILITATE DONATIONS TO REGISTERED CHARITIES | $53,092 |
| AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INC NEWARK, DE | FACILITATE DONATIONS TO REGISTERED CHARITIES | $67,415 |
| AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INC NEWARK, DE | FACILITATE DONATIONS TO REGISTERED CHARITIES | $44,545 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAROLYN BARRY FROST | PRESIDENT & TREASURER | 30 | — |
| DARREN ZEIDEL | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ANDY WEITZ | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GREGORY C CASE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHRISTA DAVIES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2024, Aon collaborated with the Spencer Educational Foundation to establish the Rick Miller Property Risk Management Scholarship, demonstrating the foundation's ongoing commitment to education and workforce development in specialized fields.
Aon Collaborates with Spencer Educational Foundation to Establish the RickThe foundation continues to support major initiatives including partnerships with the Red Cross and Red Crescent, reflecting its commitment to risk mitigation and community resilience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Aon Foundation fund?
The Aon Foundation's mission is to empower people and work with communities at risk. The foundation focuses on financial support to programs with demonstrated success in several key areas: **Primary Focus:** • **Education** — The foundation's primary funding interest is the education of young people. It supports programs that promote access to and excellence in education, especially those that advance school readiness, academic achievement for school-aged children, and college preparedness/admi…
How do I apply for a grant from Aon Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** The foundation made 27 grants in 2023, with total disbursements of approximately $2.26 million. Recent grants include: • American Online Giving Foundation: $168,122 (2023) • World Business Chicago: $100,000 (2023) • American Online Giving Foundation: $87,778 (2023) • American National Red Cross: $500,000 • United Way of Metropolitan Chicago: $241,000 • American Corporate Partners: $50,000 • Children's Home & Aid Society Foundation: $25,000 • Facing History and Ourselves: $75…
Where does Aon Foundation make grants?
Approximately 59% of grants stay in Illinois. The foundation prioritizes the greater Chicago area, where it is headquartered. However, it also provides significant funding to other regions: • Four other Midwest states receive a large number of grants • Additional funding reaches New York, California, Florida, and Massachusetts
What size grants does Aon Foundation award?
In 2024, Aon Foundation awarded 39 grants totaling $2.2M — an average of about $56K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Aon Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Aon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Aon Foundation's EIN?
Aon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3337340. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Aon Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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