Dunham Fund
Dunham Fund was a private foundation based in Aurora, Illinois (EIN 37-6416138). Its 2020 Form 990-PF is marked as the organization’s final return: the filing states that all net assets were distributed to Dunham Foundation, which was incorporated in 2019 and has the same mission, board members, officers, and mailing address. Dunham Fund therefore appears to have wound down; its 2020 filing is the grantmaking record summarized here.
Dunham Fund at a glance
In short: Dunham Fund gave $3.7M across 54 grants in 2020 (avg $69K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2020)
- $3,703,800
- +6.0% vs 2019
- Grants made (2020)
- 54
- -20.6% vs 2019
- Average grant
- $68,589
- +33.4% vs 2019
- Median grant
- $27,031
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2020 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2020 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2020; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Dunham Fund
- Contact
Application contact: Dunham Foundation
Mailing address: 2430 W Indian Trail Suite 201, Aurora, IL 60506
Phone: (630) 844-2774
Email: info@dunhamfoundation.org
Website: https://www.dunhamfoundation.org/
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dunham Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2020
The largest 2020 recipient was Paramount Arts Centre ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
122 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 83 grants of 122 (68%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2020 went to Illinois recipients. The largest awards included organizations in Aurora, Naperville, Batavia, and Chicago. The successor foundation’s website describes its grantmaking as serving its designated service area and says that preference is given to applicant organizations located there; organizations outside the area may be eligible when their programs directly benefit residents within it.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2020 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
Cities
How Dunham Fund gives
- 63% of 2020 grantees were also funded in 2019. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020). 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 2020, annual grant giving ranged from $3.5M (2019) to $3.7M (2020). In 2020 it made 54 grants totaling $3.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Paramount Arts Centre Aurora, IL | Program Support | $1,000,000 |
| North Central College Naperville, IL | Program Support | $250,000 |
| Aurora East Educ Foundation Aurora, IL | Program Support | $231,500 |
| Comm Fnd of the Fox River Valley Aurora, IL | Program Support | $212,000 |
| Quad County Urban League Aurora, IL | Program Support | $130,000 |
| Rosary High School Aurora, IL | Program Support | $125,000 |
| Batavia Artists Assn-Water Street S Batavia, IL | Program Support | $121,882 |
| Forefront Chicago, IL | Program Support | $120,106 |
| Assn for Ind Development Aurora, IL | Program Support | $115,000 |
| Suicide Prevention Services Batavia, IL | Program Support | $103,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | — | $2,147,805 | $5,157,000 | $3,703,800 | 54 | $1,867,814 | $4,654,738 |
| 2019 | $86,810,629 | $3,276,563 | $5,032,504 | $3,495,079 | 68 | $3,074,162 | $4,600,769 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dunham Fund reported a distributable amount of $4.7M for 2020 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission stated in the Dunham Foundation’s 2025 guidelines is to honor John C. Dunham’s legacy by supporting organizations working to make the world a more comfortable, safer place for people to live and prosper. The guidelines give special consideration to Aurora-area organizations engaged in education and organizations helping individuals attain opportunities they might not otherwise reach.
The successor foundation’s website identifies education, economic growth, and community as its grantmaking areas. The 2020 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Paramount Arts Centre describes its mission as making performing arts accessible across ages and socioeconomic backgrounds and contributing to downtown Aurora’s future; Quad County Urban League describes work to secure equal opportunities and support residents’ social and economic growth; and Suicide Prevention Services describes work in suicide prevention education, intervention, and support for families.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2020, Dunham Fund reported 54 grants totaling $3,703,800. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $1,000,000, with a median of $27,031. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois.
The largest reported grants included $1,000,000 to Paramount Arts Centre, $250,000 to North Central College, $231,500 to Aurora East Education Foundation, $212,000 to Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, and $130,000 to Quad County Urban League. Each was listed for program support. Other notable awards were $125,000 to Rosary High School, $121,882 to Batavia Artists Association–Water Street Studios, $120,106 to Forefront, $115,000 to Association for Individual Development, $103,000 to Suicide Prevention Services, and $100,000 each to Aurora University and Advance Illinois.
The final-return filing directed applicants to Dunham Foundation for online applications. It listed February 1 and June 1 cycles for requests exceeding $75,000, while requests of $75,000 or less were accepted online at any time during the calendar year. It also stated that the annual maximum grant was ordinarily limited to $1 million. These are filing-era instructions, not current application guidance for Dunham Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2020 filing listed Stewart Beach as chairman; Mark Truemper as vice chair; Robert Vaughan as secretary; Vicki Morcos as president and CEO; and Theodia Gillespie, Wendy Hirsch, Ryan Maley, and Michael Morcos as directors.
Dunham Fund is led by Vicki Morcos, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; all 8 officers listed in 2020 are compensated.
Officers on the 2020 filing
Vicki Morcos
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
$158K (2019) → $180K (2020)
Stewart Beach
Chairman
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$45K (2019) → $42K (2020)
Michael Morcos
Director
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$26K (2019) → $24K (2020)
Ryan Maley
Director
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$26K (2019) → $24K (2020)
Theodia Gillespie
Director
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$26K (2019) → $24K (2020)
Wendy Hirsch
Director
On filings since 2019
12 hrs/week
$27K (2019) → $24K (2020)
Mark Truemper
Vice Chair
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
$35K (2019) → $33K (2020)
Robert Vaughan
Secretary
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
$32K (2019) → $30K (2020)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2020. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2020 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2020 filing was $180K, to Vicki Morcos (President & CEO). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Dunham Fund
How much does Dunham Fund give each year?
Dunham Fund gave $3.7M across 54 grants in 2020, according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2019 it gave $3.5M across 68 grants.
What is Dunham Fund's typical grant size?
Dunham Fund's median grant in 2020 was $27,031, and its average grant was $68,589, across 54 grants on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Dunham Fund give grants?
Dunham Fund gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Aurora, IL (27 grants), Chicago, IL (6 grants), Geneva, IL (6 grants) and Batavia, IL (5 grants).
Does Dunham Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2020: none of the 54 grants with a stated purpose on Dunham Fund's 2020 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (54 grants).
Who are Dunham Fund's largest grantees?
Dunham Fund's largest 2020 grantees include Paramount Arts Centre ($1,000,000), North Central College ($250,000) and Aurora East Educ Foundation ($231,500), according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2020 grant dollars.
What does Dunham Fund fund?
The mission stated in the Dunham Foundation’s 2025 guidelines is to honor John C. Dunham’s legacy by supporting organizations working to make the world a more comfortable, safer place for people to live and prosper. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dunham Fund?
Dunham Fund has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check dunhamfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
How much is Dunham Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2020, Dunham Fund reported a distributable amount of $4.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Dunham Fund's EIN?
Dunham Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-6416138. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2020.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 10, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal year 2020
Live grants for the work Dunham Fund funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Dunham Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
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Inc Mental Health Alliance
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INC Mental Health Alliance funds local agencies providing mental health, substance-use, and intellectual or developmental disability services in seven south Kane County townships in Illinois. Its 2025 grants ranged from $17,200 to $480,980, with a median of $63,150. The profile describes an application process but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
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Dunham Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?