Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust
Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In its 2025 filing, it reported 16 grants totaling $199,257 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in hunger relief, children’s research, and support for people with developmental disabilities.
Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust gave $199K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), mostly in Illinois. 75% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $199,257
- +706.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +100.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,454
- +303.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $187,740
- +40.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 75% first-time grantees (12 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 300 North Lasalle Street 1600, Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: (847) 899-1215
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cure Epilepsy (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy) ($101K). Together the top 10 received $198K.
Grant Size Distribution
43 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 40 grants of 43 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 4% went to recipients in Pennsylvania. The filing also lists recipients in Texas, Ohio, and Michigan at 0% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
75%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 16 grantees (75%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $750 first-time, $2K repeat.
- 6% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 748% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $24K (2022) to $721K (2019). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $199K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cure Epilepsy (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy) Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $100,850 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $50,000 |
| Our Place of New Trier Township Wilmette, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $19,977 |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago Foundation Chicago, IL | Children's research fund campaign for stanley manne children's research institute | $15,000 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation Pittsburgh, PA | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $6,300 |
| Mario Lemieux Foundation Sewickley, PA | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $2,500 |
| Special Gifts Theatre Northbrook, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $1,025 |
| Alzheimers Association Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $1,000 |
| Figueroa Wu Family Foundation Chicago, IL | Pilsen Food Pantry | $1,000 |
| Window to the World Communications Inc Chicago, IL | WFMT/WTTW - Public Radio Programming | $500 |
Ready to take the next step with Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $187,740 | $1,003,445 | $203,974 | $199,257 | 16 | $201,673 | $1,052 | $8,432 |
| 2024 | $134,074 | $277,799 | $29,720 | $24,705 | 8 | $26,153 | $73,850 | $8,942 |
| 2023 | $21,681 | $164,278 | $145,052 | $143,000 | 8 | $144,033 | $119,789 | — |
| 2022 | $38,816 | $45,403 | $27,950 | $23,500 | 5 | $27,505 | $44,958 | $6,778 |
| 2021 | $21,363 | $229,937 | $42,321 | $38,103 | 6 | $41,943 | $14,614 | $850 |
| 2020 | $24,580 | $161,179 | $626,580 | $606,100 | 10 | — | $65,976 | $10,548 |
| 2019 | $554,349 | $1,261,231 | $735,776 | $720,850 | 18 | — | $672,055 | $8,720 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $8K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose own missions describe work in areas such as food access, medical research, youth activities, and services for people with disabilities. For example, the Greater Chicago Food Depository describes its mission as ending hunger, and Our Place of New Trier Township describes supporting teens and adults with developmental disabilities to live meaningful, socially connected lives in their home community.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the trust gave 16 grants totaling $199,257. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $100,850, with a median of $1,000.
The largest reported grants included $100,850 to CURE Epilepsy, $50,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, $19,977 to Our Place of New Trier Township, and $15,000 to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation. The Lurie grant was designated for the Children’s Research Fund campaign for the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute; the other three were listed as unrestricted charitable gifts.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Debra A. Cafaro and Terrance K. Livingston as co-trustees.
Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Debra A. Cafaro
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terrance K. Livingston
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust
How much does Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust give each year?
Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust gave $199K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25K across 8 grants.
What is Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $12,454, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust that year got $12K on average.
Where does Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust give grants?
Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust gives mostly in Illinois: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (7 grants).
Does Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 81% of Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Cure Epilepsy (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy) ($100,850), Greater Chicago Food Depository ($50,000) and Our Place of New Trier Township ($19,977), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 86% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust?
Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust reported $188K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $202K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $8K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose own missions describe work in areas such as food access, medical research, youth activities, and services for people with disabilities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust's EIN?
Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-6182324. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 25, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Illinois
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
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.
Assets
$89.3M
Grants
2,010
Total Given
$38.0M
Elks National Foundation Inc
Chicago, IL
The Elks National Foundation funds scholarships, youth programs, veterans’ services, and charitable projects through Elks Lodges and state associations across the United States. Its 2026 grants had a median size of $10,000, though awards varied widely; the profile describes application routes for specific Lodge and scholarship programs but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$954.1M
Grants
1,536
Total Given
$36.5M
John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation
Chicago, IL
The MacArthur Foundation funds work advancing a more just, verdant, and peaceful world, including climate solutions, criminal justice, journalism, technology, and Chicago. In 2024, its grants had a median of $160,000, though awards ranged widely; it generally does not accept unsolicited requests, with possible exceptions for specific open calls or proposals that meet program guidelines.
Assets
$9.3B
Grants
1,086
Total Given
$356.1M
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial
Chicago, IL
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial supports education, the environment, health and human services, gun violence prevention, homelessness prevention, and Jewish community and Israel initiatives, with a strong focus on Chicago and giving across the U.S. and internationally. In 2024, its grants ranged from $500 to $3 million, with a median of $55,000. It uses an invitation-only process and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
897
Total Given
$115.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in Illinois
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cafaro-livingston-charitable-trust-morg_6e149e7dbba84f1189496be3946cea71
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_276182324_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cafaro-livingston-charitable-trust-morg_6e149e7dbba84f1189496be3946cea71},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust'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.
Cafaro-Livingston Charitable Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?