Dunham Fund
Dunham Fund was a private foundation based in Aurora, Illinois. Its 2020 filing describes that return as its final tax filing and says its net assets were distributed to Dunham Foundation. The Foundation was incorporated in 2019, received tax-exempt status effective July 1, 2019, and has the same mission as Dunham Fund.
Key facts about Dunham Fund
In short: Dunham Fund gave $3.7M across 54 grants in 2020 (avg $69K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 37-6416138
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2020
- Annual giving (2020)
- $3,703,800
- Grants made (2020)
- 54
- Average grant
- $68,589
- Median grant
- $27,031
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2020 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The Foundation accepts online applications. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- October 1 is the final day to submit applications for the current calendar year; later applications are reviewed the…
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2020; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2020 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$3.7M
Grant Count
54
Avg Grant Size
$69K
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Dunham Foundation’s mission is to honor John C. Dunham’s legacy by supporting organizations that work to make the world a more comfortable, safer place for people to live and prosper. Its stated focus areas are Education, Economic Growth, and Community. The Foundation describes its education work as supporting access to strong early care and educational opportunities; its economic-growth work as investing in people’s skills and economic opportunity; and its community work as advancing equitable access to healthcare, cultural and economic opportunities, and human services.
The 2020 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. Paramount Theatre described its mission as making performing arts accessible across ages and socioeconomic backgrounds and contributing to downtown Aurora’s future. Quad County Urban League described work to secure equal opportunities and facilitate residents’ social and economic growth. Suicide Prevention Services described a mission centered on suicide prevention, education, intervention, and family support. These are the grantees’ own descriptions, not stated Foundation program areas.
Grantmaking
In 2020, Dunham Fund reported 54 grants totaling $3,703,800. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $1,000,000, with a median of $27,031. The largest grants included $1,000,000 to Paramount Arts Centre, $250,000 to North Central College, $231,500 to Aurora East Education Foundation, and $212,000 to Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley. Each was listed for program support.
Review Cycle
** October 1 is the final day to submit applications for the current calendar year; later applications are reviewed the following year. Education grant requests are due February 1.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation serves the greater Aurora area in Illinois. It gives preference to organizations located in its service area, while also allowing applications from organizations outside the area when their programs directly impact residents within it. In Dunham Fund’s 2020 filing, all grant dollars were reported for Illinois recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 54 itemized 2020 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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 2020
Grant Size Distribution
54 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
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 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $2,147,805 | $5,157,000 | $3,703,800 | 54 |
| Metric | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | — |
| Revenue | $2,147,805 |
| Expenses | $5,157,000 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,867,814 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,654,738 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal year 2020
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 the 2020 filing; all 8 officers listed in 2020 are compensated.
Officers on the 2020 filing
Vicki Morcos
President & CEO
New on the 2020 filing
50 hrs/week
$180K (2020)
Stewart Beach
Chairman
New on the 2020 filing
20 hrs/week
$42K (2020)
Michael Morcos
Director
New on the 2020 filing
10 hrs/week
$24K (2020)
Ryan Maley
Director
New on the 2020 filing
10 hrs/week
$24K (2020)
Theodia Gillespie
Director
New on the 2020 filing
10 hrs/week
$24K (2020)
Wendy Hirsch
Director
New on the 2020 filing
12 hrs/week
$24K (2020)
Mark Truemper
Vice Chair
New on the 2020 filing
15 hrs/week
$33K (2020)
Robert Vaughan
Secretary
New on the 2020 filing
15 hrs/week
$30K (2020)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 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
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/
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.
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 Dunham Foundation’s mission is to honor John C. Dunham’s legacy by supporting organizations that work to make the world a more comfortable, safer place for people to live and prosper. Its stated focus areas are Education, Economic Growth, and Community. The Foundation describes its education work as supporting access to strong early care and educational opportunities; its economic-growth work as investing in people’s skills and economic opportunity; and its community work as advancing equit…
How do I apply for a grant from Dunham Fund?
The Foundation accepts online applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2020.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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