Bright Promise
Bright Promise is a public charity based in Chicago, Illinois, that supports affiliated Christian schools in the Chicago area. Its stated work includes strengthening partner schools, increasing access to Christ-centered education, and providing new and sustaining sources of revenue.
Bright Promise at a glance
In short: Bright Promise gave $291K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $24K), mostly in Illinois. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $291,435
- +16.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- -7.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $24,286
- +26.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $18,500
- Total assets
- $5,847,687
- +85.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Bright Promise
- Contact
Mailing address: 1550 S State Street Suite 107, Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (708) 321-0403
Website: https://brightpromisefund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bright Promise funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Chicago West Side Christian School ($50K). Together the top 10 received $266K.
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 60 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Illinois. The funder’s website describes its partner schools as serving Chicagoland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Bright Promise open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 12 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+17%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $165K (2023) to $291K (2025). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $291K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago West Side Christian School Chicago, IL | General Support | $50,000 |
| PUI-TAK Christian School Chicago, IL | General Support | $42,505 |
| Daystar School Chicago, IL | General Support | $42,500 |
| The Field School Oak Park, IL | General Support | $28,000 |
| Unity Christian Academy South Holland, IL | General Support | $20,500 |
| Calvin Christian School South Holland, IL | General Support | $20,000 |
| Southwest Chicago Christian Schools Palos Heights, IL | General Support | $17,000 |
| Cambridge Classical Academy Chicago, IL | General Support | $15,930 |
| Cornerstone Academy Chicago, IL | General Support | $15,000 |
| Midwestern Christian Academy Chicago, IL | General Support | $15,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,847,687 | $3,374,785 | $722,244 | $291,435 | 12 | $93,569 |
| 2024 | $3,158,540 | $1,035,388 | $713,310 | $250,500 | 13 | $72,934 |
| 2023 | $3,573,984 | $1,362,302 | $688,529 | $164,500 | 7 | $127,209 |
| 2022 | $3,107,412 | $648,865 | $515,041 | $248,500 | 13 | $144,119 |
| 2021 | $2,070,023 | $365,105 | $418,774 | $270,000 | 15 | $133,298 |
| 2020 | $1,799,048 | $282,099 | $393,861 | $257,500 | 15 | $93,937 |
| 2019 | $1,954,072 | $234,469 | $359,737 | $277,737 | 16 | $58,716 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The funder’s stated mission is to strengthen and sustain partner Christian schools by generating new revenue so that more families may benefit from urban Christian education. Its website also describes a mission to increase access, support school leaders, and catalyze growth.
The 2024 filing says school boards may direct funds toward their priorities, most often tuition assistance for families in need, and sometimes emergency capital needs or professional development for teachers and administrators. The filing also describes New to You Upscale Resale, whose proceeds support a professional network for Christians involved in education in urban North America.
The schools supported include organizations with varied educational missions. The Field School describes its work as a diverse, classical education rooted in a Christ-centered environment. Unity Christian Academy says it seeks educational excellence in a diverse community united by Christ. Cambridge Classical Academy describes its work as teaching students in a diverse parent community in Chicago. Cornerstone Academy describes a supportive Christian education with personalized attention for students working toward a high school diploma and developing self-sufficiency.
Grantmaking
In 2025, Bright Promise reported 12 grants totaling $291,435. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $50,000, with a median of $18,500. The listed grants were for general support.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $50,000 to Chicago West Side Christian School, $42,505 to Pui-Tak Christian School, $42,500 to Daystar School, $28,000 to The Field School, and $20,500 to Unity Christian Academy.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Steve Blom as executive director; Chris Wiesehan as president/treasurer; Ann Vanderweele as secretary; and Ryne DeBoer, Ken Erffmeyer, Lou Fan, Amy Groenewold, Clarence Medema, and Ted Williams as directors.
Bright Promise is led by Steve Blom, Executive Director since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 9 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Steve Blom
Executive Director
Executive Di → Executive Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$74K (2020) → $90K (2025)
Chris Wiesehan
President & Treasurer
Treasurer → President, 2022
President → President & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ryne Deboer
Director
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ted Williams
Director
Vice President → Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Groenewold
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lou Fan
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Clarence Medema
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ken Erffmeyer
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ann Vanderweele
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Jabari Turner (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: William Davids (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Martin Ozinga IV (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Felecia Thompson (2019–2021) — Chairman & S
- Former: Kate Boonstra (2019–2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $90K, to Steve Blom (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Bright Promise
How much does Bright Promise give each year?
Bright Promise gave $291K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $251K across 13 grants.
What is Bright Promise's typical grant size?
Bright Promise's median grant in 2025 was $18,500, and its average grant was $24,286, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Bright Promise give grants?
Bright Promise gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (6 grants) and South Holland, IL (3 grants).
Does Bright Promise give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Bright Promise's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Bright Promise's largest grantees?
Bright Promise's largest 2025 grantees include Chicago West Side Christian School ($50,000), PUI-TAK Christian School ($42,505) and Daystar School ($42,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Bright Promise?
Bright Promise reported $5.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.4M.
What does Bright Promise fund?
The funder’s stated mission is to strengthen and sustain partner Christian schools by generating new revenue so that more families may benefit from urban Christian education. Its website also describes a mission to increase access, support school leaders, and catalyze growth. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bright Promise?
Bright Promise has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check brightpromisefund.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Bright Promise's EIN?
Bright Promise's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3634360. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 29, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bright Promise's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bright Promise funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bright-promise-morg_c6a68da017b24fe496fdb73aae82223f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363634360_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bright Promise funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bright-promise-morg_c6a68da017b24fe496fdb73aae82223f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Bright Promise's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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