Business Communication Research Foundation

Grantmaker Savoy, IL EIN: 37-1244599

Business Communication Research Foundation is a nonprofit organization, based in Savoy, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $1.0M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 5 grants totaling $10K. Net investment income was $16K.

Business Communication Research Foundation at a glance

In short: Business Communication Research Foundation gave $10K across 5 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), top state Texas. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.

Annual giving (2024)
$10,411
+1982.2% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
5
+400.0% vs 2023
Average grant
$2,082
+316.4% vs 2023
Median grant
$500
Total assets
$1,026,580
+548.7% vs 2023
Primary geography
Texas (38% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990 filing, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; updated September 2026.

Who Business Communication Research Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 5 recipients in 2024

Fabienne Bunzli: $5KFabienne Bunzli$5KDoreen Hanke: $4KDoreen Hanke$4KGail Flanagan: $500Gail Flanagan$500Christina Davidson: $500Christina Davidson$500Stephanie Smith: $489Stephanie Smith$489

The largest 2024 recipient was Fabienne Bunzli ($5K). Together the top 5 received $10K.

Grant Size Distribution

15 grants across all recorded years

15<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 15 grants of 15 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

9states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 5 itemized grants.

Cities

Adelaide AustraliaAmesAuburn UniversityChristiansburgCoventryKew GardensLandsdaleLouisvilleMechanicsvilleOrangePittsburghPortsmouthTillson

How Business Communication Research Foundation gives

  • Giving grew 253% from 2021 to 2024. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$5K$10K$15K6 grants2020 1 grant2021 2 grants2022 1 grant2023 5 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $500 (2023) to $11K (2020). In 2024 it made 5 grants totaling $10K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Fabienne Bunzli research$4,933
Doreen Hanke Orange, TXresearch$3,989
Gail Flanagan research$500
Christina Davidson Louisville, KYresearch$500
Stephanie Smith Christiansburg, VAresearch$489
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Business Communication Research Foundation?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$1,026,580$873,737$21,167$10,4115$15,913—
2023$158,248$66,212$17,067$5001——
2022$109,104$37,618$9,094$1,8152—$4,287
2021$80,579$28,195$10,110$2,9531—$3,996
2020$62,529$9,722$16,549$10,7716——

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Business Communication Research Foundation is led by Barbara Shwom, President on the 2024 filing; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Barbara Shwom

    President

    New on the 2024 filing

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Geert Jacobs

    Past President

    Past President → Vice President, 2021

    Vice President → Past President, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marcel Robles

    Past President

    President → Past President, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Judith Ainsworth

    Vice President

    On filings since 2022

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kathryn Rybka

    Secretary-Treasurer

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (4)
  • Former: D Joel Whalen (2022–2023) — President
  • Former: Deborah Roebuck (2020–2021) — Past President
  • Former: James Dubinsky (2020–2021) — Secretary-Treasurer
  • Former: Lisa Snyder (2020–2021) — Past President

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Business Communication Research Foundation

How much does Business Communication Research Foundation give each year?

Business Communication Research Foundation gave $10K across 5 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $500 across 1 grant.

What is Business Communication Research Foundation's typical grant size?

Business Communication Research Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $500, and its average grant was $2,082, across 5 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.

Where does Business Communication Research Foundation give grants?

Business Communication Research Foundation's top state is Texas, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.

Does Business Communication Research Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 5 grants with a stated purpose on Business Communication Research Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 filing were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Research" (5 grants).

Who are Business Communication Research Foundation's largest grantees?

Business Communication Research Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Fabienne Bunzli ($4,933), Doreen Hanke ($3,989) and Gail Flanagan ($500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 91% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Business Communication Research Foundation?

Business Communication Research Foundation reported $1.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Its revenue that year was $874K.

What is Business Communication Research Foundation's EIN?

Business Communication Research Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-1244599. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(1)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Business Communication Research Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders that support many of the same organizations

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL

Northwestern University funds research and community organizations, along with selected programs in community health, transportation research, and investigative journalism. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to $7.7 million, with a median of about $73,000; grants went largely to U.S. recipients, especially in Illinois, and its ANCHOR program focuses on Evanston and Chicago. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Assets

$20.8B

Grants

383

Total Given

$133.4M

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins University funds a broad range of education, research, health, and community-related work, with 2025 grants ranging from $5,500 to nearly $95 million and a median of $100,000; many of the largest awards were sub-awards. Its grants went to organizations across the U.S., with the largest shares in California and Maryland, and the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Assets

$25.3B

Grants

813

Total Given

$594.1M

Tulsa Community Foundation

Tulsa, OK

Tulsa Community Foundation supports charitable causes through donor-advised grants and selected funds, including scholarships, emergency assistance, disaster relief, arts and humanities, healthcare, and financial literacy, primarily in the Tulsa metro area and eastern Oklahoma, with some giving elsewhere in the United States. Its 2024 median grant was $18,560; selected field-of-interest funds have application cycles, but the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests generally.

Assets

$1.1B

Grants

1,066

Total Given

$158.6M

Grant Thornton Foundation

Chicago, IL

In 2024, the Grant Thornton Foundation funded general support, educational institutions, and disaster relief, awarding 10 grants of $1,575 to $41,450 (median $19,060). It is based in Chicago, with 2024 grants concentrated in California, Arizona, and Florida. The foundation gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$224K

Grants

10

Total Given

$181K

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

El Segundo, CA

Hispanic Scholarship Fund supports higher education through scholarships and college-preparation, career, mentorship, leadership, and wellness services, with grants primarily funding student scholarships at colleges and universities. Its 2026 grants ranged from $5,176 to $1,352,727, with a median of $31,603, and went to recipients across multiple states, especially California, Georgia, New York, Texas, and Massachusetts. The profile does not state whether HSF accepts unsolicited requests.

Education

Assets

$198.0M

Grants

316

Total Given

$29.1M

Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc

Washington, DC

AURA funds astronomy observatories and scientific research, including projects using Hubble and James Webb Space Telescope data, mainly through grants to universities and research institutions. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,696 to $3.82 million, with a median of about $130,000; the largest shares went to recipients in California, Massachusetts, Arizona, Maryland, and Texas. The profile does not state whether AURA accepts unsolicited requests.

Science & Technology

Assets

$146.6M

Grants

166

Total Given

$64.7M

More similar funders

More Funders in Illinois

The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Business Communication Research Foundation'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.

Business Communication Research Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?