Cme Group Foundation
CME Group Foundation is a private corporate foundation established in 2008 and based in Chicago, Illinois. The foundation was created with an initial endowment of $16 million from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Trust (CME Trust), which continues to make annual contributions to support its grantmaking activities. The foundation works to advance the economy by supporting education from cradle to career, with a particular focus on improving outcomes for low-income and at-risk students.
Key facts about Cme Group Foundation
- EIN
- 45-0575574
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,739,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 148
- Average grant
- $45,537
- Median grant
- $25,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (24 of 128, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (79% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- CME Group Foundation has very focused priorities and does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Cme Group Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Cme Group Foundation's 148 itemized 2024 grants were Illinois (79%) and Minnesota (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (98 grants), Washington, DC (7 grants), New York, NY (5 grants) and Champaign, IL (4 grants). 9% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Cme Group Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 24 of 128 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $35K; repeat grants $57K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 77% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+11%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Cme Group Foundation
- How to evaluate Cme Group Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Cme Group Foundation with AI
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$6.7M
+11.0% YoY
Grant Count
148
+5.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$46K
+5.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: CME Group Foundation works to advance the economy by supporting education from cradle to career.
The foundation supports transformative solutions through:
- Driving systems transformation through collaboration and strategic partnerships
- Nurturing new or proven programs, research and development
- Empowering innovative partners
Primary Focus Areas:
- Early Childhood Education – Kindergarten readiness and preparation for low-income students, with emphasis on increasing assessment scores for Black, Latinx, and low-income children
- K-12 Education – Effective education that prepares disadvantaged students for success in college and career
- College to Career Success – Preparing university students for careers in financial services and risk management
- Violence Reduction and Intervention
- Special Opportunities – Including sports, arts, health, and homelessness initiatives
Approximately 90 percent of annual grants focus on the three education level categories.
Grantmaking
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Cme Group Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports education in the Chicago region and Illinois, though it also makes grants in the District of Columbia and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 148 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $63,836,901
- Total Revenues: $11,247,059
- Total Expenses: $7,186,869
- Total Giving: $6,739,500
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $59.2 Million
- Total Revenues: $6.19 Million
- Total Expenses: $6.46 Million
- Total Liabilities: $111,000
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) private grantmaking foundation; tax-exempt since July 2008; EIN 45-0575574
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
682 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Scholarship America Inc ($600,000), Sinai Health System ($270,000 across 2 grants), Youth Guidance ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SCHOLARSHIP AMERICA INC St Peter, MN | 2024 CME GROUP FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM | $600,000 |
| YOUTH GUIDANCE Chicago, IL | WORKING ON WOMANHOOD (WOW) | $250,000 |
| CITY COLLEGES OF CHICAGO FOUNDATION Chicago, IL | THE CHICAGO ROADMAP | $200,000 |
| SINAI HEALTH SYSTEM Chicago, IL | EXAMINING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | $200,000 |
| THE BARACK OBAMA FOUNDATION Chicago, IL | OBAMA FOUNDATION CHICAGO PROGRAMMING | $200,000 |
| CAROLE ROBERTSON CENTER FOR LEARNING Chicago, IL | BASES-K AND INNOVATION FUND | $150,000 |
| CHICAGO PUBLIC EDUCATION FUND Chicago, IL | CHICAGO LEADS | $150,000 |
| CHILDREN FIRST FUND THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION Chicago, IL | ROBOTICS OST CONNECTING TO OUR COMMUNITY | $125,000 |
| BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS Champaign, IL | UIUC CS TEACHER ENDORSEMENT SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| BUILD INCORPORATED Chicago, IL | BUILDING GIRLS 2 WOMEN (BG2W) | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Executive Director: Eva Giglio
Media Contact: Lauren Whalen (lauren.whalen@cmegroup.com)
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles P Carey | Chairman | 1 | — |
| Terrence a Duffy | Vice-Chairman | 1 | — |
| Howard J Siegel | Secretary/Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Eva Giglio | Executive Director | 1 | — |
| Daniel Glickman | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Terry L Savage | Trustee | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Launched a $2 million grantmaking initiative to support mental health of young women and girls in Chicago
CME Group Foundation Launches $2 Million Grantmaking Initiative to SupportAwarded $360,000 in scholarships to first-generation college students in Illinois
CME Group Foundation Awards $360k in Scholarships to First Generation CollegeAwarded 2024 higher education scholarships to historically underrepresented students
CME Group Foundation Awards 2024 Higher Education Scholarships to HistoricallyAwarded nearly $3 million in grants to support kindergarten readiness and K-12 programming in Chicago and Illinois
CME Group Foundation Launches $2 Million Grantmaking Initiative to SupportSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cme Group Foundation fund?
**Mission:** CME Group Foundation works to advance the economy by supporting education from cradle to career. The foundation supports transformative solutions through: • Driving systems transformation through collaboration and strategic partnerships • Nurturing new or proven programs, research and development • Empowering innovative partners **Primary Focus Areas:** • **Early Childhood Education** – Kindergarten readiness and preparation for low-income students, with emphasis on increasing asse…
How do I apply for a grant from Cme Group Foundation?
CME Group Foundation has very focused priorities and does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Cme Group Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports education in the Chicago region and Illinois, though it also makes grants in the District of Columbia and New York.
What size grants does Cme Group Foundation award?
In 2024, Cme Group Foundation awarded 148 grants totaling $6.7M — an average of about $46K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Cme Group Foundation's EIN?
Cme Group Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-0575574. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Cme Group Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.