Chicago Freedom Trust is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in CHICAGO, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $22K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 9 grants totaling $20K.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$22K
-46.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$20K
+0.0% YoY
Grant Count
9
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
+0.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Chicago Freedom Trust reported a distributable amount of $1K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About Chicago Freedom Trust
Based on IRS filings
Chicago Freedom Trust is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in CHICAGO, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $22K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 9 grants totaling $20K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $21,792 | $40,702 | $11,607 |
| Revenue | $2,000 | $50,000 | $24,000 |
| Expenses | $20,910 | $20,905 | $21,184 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $20,000 | $20,015 | $20,359 |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $1,425 | $1,523 | $570 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Mustard Seed Communities ($4,000), Institute for Justice ($2,000), Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa ($2,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE ARLINGTON, VA | CLINIC ON ENTERPRENEURSHIPAT UNIV OF CHICAGO | $2,000 |
| MEALS ON WHEELS OF CONTRA COSTA MARTINEZ, CA | MEALS FOR HOMEBOUND | $2,000 |
| WORLD ORPHAN FUND RANDOLPH, WI | PROVIDINGASSISTANCE TO ORPHANED CHILDREN | $2,000 |
| CHICAGO HOPE ACADEMY CHICAGO, IL | SCHOOL GRANT | $2,000 |
| CENTER FOR URBAN TEACHING MIKWAUKEE, WI | IDENTIFY, PREPARE ANDSUPPORT HIGH-PERFORMINGURBAN TEACHERS | $2,000 |
| WENATCHEE VALLEY MUSEUM WENATCHEE, CA | PRESERVING & PRESENTINGHISTORY OF COMMUNITIES | $2,000 |
| MUSTARD SEED COMMUNITIES MEDFIELD, MA | PROVIDING BASICCARE FOR VULNERABLECOMMUNITIES | $4,000 |
| CHRISTIAN HOME EDUCATORS OF MIDLAND MIDLAND, MI | SPEECH & DEBATERHETORICAL SKILLSFOR STUDENTS | $2,000 |
| CHRISTIAN HOME EDUCATORS OF MIDLAND MIDLAND, MI | ROBOTICS CLUB-ENGINEERING, PROGRAMMING,PROBLEM SOLVING | $2,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADAM MEYERSON | CO-TRUSTEE | — | — |
| JOSEPH G LEHMAN | CO-TRUSTEE | — | — |
| LEONARD LEO | PRIMARY TRUSTTE & CO-TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| LESLIE GRAVES | CO-TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| TRACIE SHARP | CO-TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chicago Freedom Trust?
Chicago Freedom Trust is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in CHICAGO, IL. It holds $22K in total assets as of 2024.
How large is Chicago Freedom Trust?
As of 2024, Chicago Freedom Trust holds $22K in total assets with $2K in annual revenue. It awarded 9 grants totaling $20K in 2024.
Where does Chicago Freedom Trust operate?
Chicago Freedom Trust has awarded grants in California, District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Virginia, Wisconsin.
What size grants does Chicago Freedom Trust award?
In 2024, Chicago Freedom Trust awarded 9 grants totaling $20K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Chicago Freedom Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Chicago Freedom Trust reported a distributable amount of $1K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Chicago Freedom Trust's EIN?
Chicago Freedom Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-4123223. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Chicago Freedom Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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