The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education is a private foundation established in 2014 and based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Liz and Don Thompson, the foundation honors Cleveland Avenue, the street on Chicago's Near North Side where the founders grew up. What began as a family philanthropy initiative has evolved into The CAFE Group, a national nonprofit organization focused on transforming how change is resourced through education equity, social capital, and philanthropic transformation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.6M
-1.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$165K
-93.9% YoY
Grant Count
7
-22.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$24K
-92.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cleveland Avenue Foundation reported a distributable amount of $157K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's work is grounded in relationship and education equity. The organization's mission centers on resourcing leaders, investing in their genius, and bringing people together to reimagine what philanthropy can do.
Primary focus areas include:
- Education equity
- Social capital development
- Philanthropic transformation
- Leadership development for professionals of color
- Support for diverse nonprofit and philanthropic sector leaders
Grantmaking
The foundation operates through two flagship programs:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates nationally, with headquarters in Chicago, Illinois (222 N Canal Street, Chicago, IL 60606).
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education (Private Foundation)
- EIN: 46-3851243
- Total assets: $1,642,455 (2024)
- Total revenues: $168,902 (2024)
- Total expenses: $199,717 (2024)
- Year formed: 2014
The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education Group (Public Charity)
- EIN: 85-3906899
- Total assets: $28,664,750 (2024)
- Total revenue: $19.6 million (2024)
- Total expenses: $2.88 million (2024)
- Total liabilities: $2.36 million (2024)
- Tax-exempt status: 501(c)(3) since September 2021
The organization maintains a Four-Star rating with a 97% overall score based on accountability and finance metrics.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,642,455 | $1,673,270 | $2,644,948 |
| Revenue | $168,902 | $81,848 | $117,664 |
| Expenses | $199,717 | $2,769,692 | $325,205 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $167,890 | $2,724,459 | $267,020 |
| Net Investment Income | $137,888 | $55,144 | $61,614 |
| Distributable Amount | $156,941 | $206,406 | $266,291 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 7 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
64 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Braven Inc ($25,000), Chicago Historical Society ($25,000), City Year Inc ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BRAVEN INC CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $25,000 |
| CHICAGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $25,000 |
| CITY YEAR INC BOSTON, MA | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $25,000 |
| ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $25,000 |
| KIDS FIRST CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $25,000 |
| ONEGOAL CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $15,000 |
| PARTNERSHIP FOR COLLEGE COMPLETION CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Liz Thompson – Founder & CEO of The CAFE Group
- Don Thompson – Co-founder
- Joseph Q. McCoy – President & General Counsel of Cleveland Avenue
- Leslie J. Anderson – Board member, Head US Insurance Distribution at BMO
- Shayne Evans – Board member, Founder & President of The Academy Group
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELIZABETH THOMPSON | PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE | 10 | — |
| DONALD THOMPSON | TRUSTEE | 0.25 | — |
| XAVIER THOMPSON | TREASURER | 0.25 | — |
| MAYA THOMPSON | SECRETARY | 0.25 | — |
| JOSEPH MCCOY | BOARD MEMBER | 0.25 | — |
| EVETTE WILLIAMS | BOARD MEMBER | 0.25 | — |
| MARGUERITE GRIFFIN | BOARD MEMBER | 0.25 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has received recognition for its grantmaking impact, including grants from the MacArthur Foundation totaling $1,000,000 across two years (2021-2024) to support The CAFE Group's work in equitable recovery and education equity. The 1954 Project has been highlighted for awarding multi-million dollar grants to Black leaders in the education sector as part of its commitment to building a diverse pipeline for the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.
1954 Project To Award Five $1 Million Grants to Black Leaders in ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cleveland Avenue Foundation fund?
The foundation's work is grounded in relationship and education equity. The organization's mission centers on resourcing leaders, investing in their genius, and bringing people together to reimagine what philanthropy can do. Primary focus areas include: • Education equity • Social capital development • Philanthropic transformation • Leadership development for professionals of color • Support for diverse nonprofit and philanthropic sector leaders
How do I apply for a grant from Cleveland Avenue Foundation?
The foundation operates through two flagship programs: **The 1954 Project** • Provides catalytic capital to education leaders • Focuses on identifying, supporting, and financially investing in Black nonprofit leaders • Follows a highly selective and competitive selection process • Selected leaders, known as Luminaries, receive multi-year financial investment and entry into a community of Black peer nonprofit leaders and philanthropists • Recent grants include $500,000 awards (2024 and 2021) **L…
Where does Cleveland Avenue Foundation make grants?
The foundation operates nationally, with headquarters in Chicago, Illinois (222 N Canal Street, Chicago, IL 60606).
What size grants does Cleveland Avenue Foundation award?
In 2024, Cleveland Avenue Foundation awarded 7 grants totaling $165K — an average of about $24K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Cleveland Avenue Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Cleveland Avenue Foundation reported a distributable amount of $157K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Cleveland Avenue Foundation's EIN?
Cleveland Avenue Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-3851243. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Cleveland Avenue Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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