Ceres Foundation
Ceres Foundation is a private foundation based in Northfield, Illinois, established in 1991. The organization is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity that makes strategic investments in nonprofit organizations serving historically underserved populations. The foundation emphasizes long-term partnerships and capacity building to strengthen the organizations it supports.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$551K
+2.0% YoY
Grant Count
101
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+2.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Ceres Foundation is committed to strengthening communities and improving life outcomes of historically underserved youth through dynamic partnerships with innovative nonprofits. The foundation's grants support nonprofit organizations that provide educational and employment opportunities to advance the self-sufficiency of underserved youth and their families.
Primary Funding Priorities:
College Access & Success — Support for programs helping students graduate from high school, prepare for and enroll in college, and secure post-secondary degrees. This includes academic persistence and support programs, mentoring, and life skills development.
Career Pathways — Post-secondary education, training, work-experience, or job placement programs that provide pathways to careers offering sustaining wages and opportunities for advancement.
Family Strengthening — Programs deploying a two-generation approach by working simultaneously with children and parents to promote healthy parenting, prevent child and spouse abuse, build resilient families, and achieve stability essential to education and employment goals.
Approximately 77% of the foundation's funding is focused on capacity building to strengthen organizations and ensure sustained positive impact.
Grantmaking
The foundation primarily provides general operating support and capacity building investments, giving nonprofit partners flexibility to determine their spending priorities. While general operating support is the primary focus, the foundation sometimes earmarks support for specific programs or initiatives.
Grant Range
of $3,000 across all grants
Average Grant
amount of $5,000–$6,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Ceres Foundation's funding is concentrated in three geographic regions where the majority of family members and staff live and work:
- Washington, DC
- Los Angeles and Orange County, California
- Western Massachusetts
The foundation's grantmaking reaches organizations across 18 states, with primary support in Illinois, Michigan, and California accounting for 65% of all grants.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $4,586,781
- Total revenues: $1,881,371
- Total expenses: $659,633
Assets and Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $3,360,000
- Total revenues: $551,000
- Expenses: $630,000
Historical Grantmaking:
- Made 96 grants in 2024
- Made 195 grants totaling $1.1 million across available records
- Distributed between $540,000 and $600,000 annually from 2022 to 2023
- Supported 103 unique organizations
Tax Status:
- Tax-exempt since April 1991
- EIN: 36-3735653
- Donations are tax-deductible
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer: Burton W Hales Jr.
The foundation is governed by 5 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLORENCE H TESTA | PRESIDENT | 0.02 | — |
| DANIEL RJ HALES | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| MARK PATTERSON | SECRETARY | 0.02 | — |
| MARION H CHARDOUL | TREASURER | 0.02 | — |
| DANIEL B HALES | ASSISTANT SECRETARY | 0.02 | — |
Recent Grantmaking Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grants made by the foundation include:
Hillsdale College — $25,000 (General Support, December 2024)
Philadelphia Fire Department Historical Corporation — $20,000 (General Support, December 2024)
Institute for Justice — $20,000 (General Support, December 2024)
The foundation also made a $600,000 investment over three years to STEM Advantage as part of its commitment to scaling program infrastructure.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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