Chicago Cubs Charities
Chicago Cubs Charities is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Chicago, Illinois. It supports youth, families, and communities through sports-based youth development and academic programming, investments in safe places to play, direct programming for underserved children and youth, and grants to charitable organizations in Chicago and beyond.
Chicago Cubs Charities at a glance
In short: Chicago Cubs Charities gave $2.8M across 54 grants in 2024 (avg $51K), mostly in Illinois. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,762,544
- +78.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 54
- +25.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $51,158
- +42.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $13,255,145
- -7.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (18 of 54, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (86% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Chicago Cubs Charities
- Contact
Mailing address: 1060 West Addison Street, Chicago, IL 60613
Phone: (773) 404-2827
Website: https://cubscharities.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Chicago Cubs Charities funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was McCormick Foundation ($848K). Together the top 10 received $2.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
245 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 217 grants of 245 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois. Other recipient states were California (9%), Massachusetts (2%), New York (2%), and Maryland (1%). The organization describes its grantmaking as serving charitable organizations in Chicago and beyond.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Chicago Cubs Charities open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 54 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $64K; repeat grants $45K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+17%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.5M (2023) to $4.8M (2020). In 2024 it made 54 grants totaling $2.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| McCormick Foundation Chicago, IL | Donation to Cubs Care Fund and Chicago Sports Alliance | $847,767 |
| Brainup Inc Frankfort, IL | Donation for cancer education initiatives given CCC's new Cubs for a Cure event | $579,714 |
| Stand up to Cancer Los Angeles, CA | Donation for cancer education initiatives given CCC's new Cubs for a Cure event | $210,143 |
| Sportsfield Inc Blue Island, IL | Diamond Project & General Support | $82,883 |
| Good Sports Inc Braintree, MA | Diamond Project & Event Sponsorship | $60,000 |
| Chicago Public Schools Chicago, IL | School All Star Grant | $50,000 |
| Advocate Charitable Foundation Oak Brook, IL | Donation for cancer education initiatives given CCC's new Cubs for a Cure event | $35,024 |
| Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation Chicago, IL | Donation for cancer education initiatives given CCC's new Cubs for a Cure event | $35,024 |
| Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation Chicago, IL | Donation for cancer education initiatives given CCC's new Cubs for a Cure event | $35,024 |
| Prostate Cancer Foundation Santa Monica, CA | Donation for cancer education initiatives given CCC's new Cubs for a Cure event | $35,024 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $13,255,145 | $5,602,422 | $5,788,212 | $2,762,544 | 54 | $543,433 |
| 2023 | $14,324,428 | $4,760,908 | $3,434,573 | $1,549,670 | 43 | $384,066 |
| 2022 | $13,267,620 | $4,213,572 | $3,421,300 | $1,642,227 | 39 | $8,779 |
| 2021 | $12,339,863 | $4,064,797 | $3,580,444 | $2,363,820 | 48 | $4,118 |
| 2020 | $11,765,252 | $2,315,259 | $5,755,926 | $4,821,525 | 61 | $27,545 |
| 2019 | $13,791,840 | $5,130,897 | $4,292,927 | $3,189,273 | 68 | $138,107 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Cubs Charities’ mission is to mobilize the power of sport to champion youth, families, and communities. Its stated approach includes sports-based youth development and academic programming, investment in safe places to play, and strategic grantmaking.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. BrainUp Inc. says its mission is to financially support brain cancer research conducted by university teaching hospitals in the Chicagoland area. Good Sports Inc. says it distributes sports equipment, footwear, and apparel to community organizations serving children in need. Urban Initiatives Inc. describes its work as sports-based youth development programs addressing equity gaps for Chicago students.
Grantmaking
In 2024, Cubs Charities reported 54 grants totaling $2,762,544. Grants ranged from $5,156 to $847,767, with a median grant of $25,000. The organization generally provides grants to nonprofit organizations. It says applicants generally provide a breakdown of how funds will be used, and that recipient outcome reporting is requested.
The largest reported grants included $847,767 to McCormick Foundation for the Cubs Care Fund and Chicago Sports Alliance, and $579,714 to BrainUp Inc. for cancer education initiatives associated with the Cubs for a Cure event. Stand Up To Cancer received $210,143 for the same stated purpose. Other notable grants included $82,883 to SportsField Inc. for the Diamond Project and general support, $60,000 to Good Sports Inc. for the Diamond Project and event sponsorship, and $50,000 to Chicago Public Schools for a School All Star Grant.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Brooke Ricketts, Cecelia Ricketts, Laura M. Ricketts, Susanne Shore, Sylvie Legere, and Thomas S. Ricketts as directors. It lists Crane H. Kenney as president, Jonathan Greifenkamp as treasurer, Michael R. Lufrano as vice president/secretary, and Keri Blackwell as deputy director, strategy and programs.
Chicago Cubs Charities is led by Crane H Kenney, President on every filing since 2019; 3 of 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Crane H Kenney
President
On filings since 2019
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brooke Ricketts
Director
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cecelia Ricketts
Director
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura M Ricketts
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susanne Shore
Director
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sylvie Legere
Director
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas S Ricketts
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Meredith Weber
Assistant Director of Development
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$51K (2023) → $127K (2024)
Jennifer Dedes-Nowak
Assistant Director
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$121K (2024)
Keri Blackwell
Deputy Director, Strategy & Programs
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$159K (2024)
Jonathan Greifenkamp
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael R Lufrano
V.p. & Secretary
On filings since 2019
3.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Alicia Gonzalez (2019–2023) — V.p. & Executive Director
- Former: J Peter Ricketts (2019–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $159K, to Keri Blackwell (Deputy Director, Strategy and Programs). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Chicago Cubs Charities
How much does Chicago Cubs Charities give each year?
Chicago Cubs Charities gave $2.8M across 54 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.5M across 43 grants.
What is Chicago Cubs Charities's typical grant size?
Chicago Cubs Charities's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $51,158, across 54 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Chicago Cubs Charities that year got $64K on average.
Where does Chicago Cubs Charities give grants?
Chicago Cubs Charities gives mostly in Illinois: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (40 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Chicago Cubs Charities give general operating support?
Yes: 19% of Chicago Cubs Charities's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 54) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "School All Star Grant" (18 grants) and "Diamond Project" (15 grants).
Who are Chicago Cubs Charities's largest grantees?
Chicago Cubs Charities's largest 2024 grantees include McCormick Foundation ($847,767), Brainup Inc ($579,714) and Stand up to Cancer ($210,143), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Chicago Cubs Charities?
Chicago Cubs Charities reported $13.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.6M.
What does Chicago Cubs Charities fund?
Cubs Charities’ mission is to mobilize the power of sport to champion youth, families, and communities. Its stated approach includes sports-based youth development and academic programming, investment in safe places to play, and strategic grantmaking. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Chicago Cubs Charities?
Chicago Cubs Charities has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check cubscharities.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Chicago Cubs Charities's EIN?
Chicago Cubs Charities's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3443543. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 24, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 23, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 18, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Chicago Cubs Charities's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Chicago Cubs Charities funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/chicago-cubs-charities-morg_919ff4c1dcce4094b9715310d2b2e49b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363443543_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Chicago Cubs Charities funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/chicago-cubs-charities-morg_919ff4c1dcce4094b9715310d2b2e49b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Chicago Cubs Charities'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.
Chicago Cubs Charities down — hundreds of funders to go?