Hanson Family Foundation
The Hanson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 IRS filing is marked as a final return, indicating that it appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
Hanson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Hanson Family Foundation gave $107K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in Illinois. 11% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $106,636
- -6.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- -5.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,924
- -1.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (2 of 18, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (94% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Hanson Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation stated on its final 2024 filing that it does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. The filing is marked as final, so this should not be treated as a current application process.
- Contact
Mailing address: 25 E Superior Street Apt 2501, Chicago, IL 60611-2587
Phone: (312) 877-5605
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Hanson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Grant Park Orchestra Assoc ($58K). Together the top 10 received $101K.
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 91 grants of 93 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 3% to Florida, 2% to Washington, DC, and 1% to Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Hanson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 18 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 83% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+18%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $30K (2020) to $114K (2023). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $107K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Grant Park Orchestra Assoc Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $58,136 |
| Nature Conservancy in IL Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Gulfshore Playhouse Naples, FL | Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| All Chicago Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Entertainment Council Foundation Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| The Boulevard Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Connection for Homeless Evanston, IL | Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| La CASA Norte Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| NPCA Washington, DC | Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Chicago Public Media Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | $117,337 | $116,373 | $106,636 | 18 | $106,636 | $107,600 | $8,967 |
| 2023 | $426,897 | $66,500 | $125,488 | $113,970 | 19 | $113,970 | $58,782 | $27,089 |
| 2022 | $485,885 | $90,777 | $83,814 | $75,500 | 19 | $72,500 | $63,827 | $33,299 |
| 2021 | $478,922 | $266,409 | $98,943 | $90,450 | 22 | $90,450 | $134,319 | $33,511 |
| 2020 | $327,204 | $71,065 | $36,621 | $30,000 | 15 | — | $26,564 | $28,317 |
| 2019 | $292,760 | $21,681 | $48,720 | $42,250 | 22 | — | $15,211 | $24,271 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Hanson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included organizations whose own missions describe work in areas such as performing arts, environmental advocacy, homelessness services, child care, local journalism, substance-use prevention and recovery, and family support. For example, Gulfshore Playhouse says it is committed to professional theatre and arts education in Southwest Florida; La Casa Norte says it provides services, resources, and housing to people facing homelessness; and the Environmental Law and Policy Center describes itself as an environmental legal advocacy and innovation organization.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $106,636. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $58,136, with a median of $1,500. It reported 19 grants totaling $113,970 in 2023 and 19 grants totaling $75,500 in 2022.
The largest reported 2024 grants included $58,136 to Grant Park Orchestra Association and $25,000 to the Nature Conservancy in Illinois, both in Chicago. Other notable grants were $3,000 to Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples, Florida; $2,500 each to All Chicago, Entertainment Council Foundation, and The Boulevard; and $2,000 each to Connection for Homeless, La Casa Norte, and NPCA. The listed purposes for these grants were unrestricted.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Thomas R. Hanson, Nancy Hanson, Bruce Hanson, and Brian Hanson as directors.
Hanson Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brian Hanson
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Bruce Hanson
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Nancy Hanson
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Thomas R. Hanson
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Hanson Family Foundation
How much does Hanson Family Foundation give each year?
Hanson Family Foundation gave $107K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $114K across 19 grants.
What is Hanson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Hanson Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,500, and its average grant was $5,924, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Hanson Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Hanson Family Foundation give grants?
Hanson Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (10 grants), Evanston, IL (4 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Hanson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Hanson Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Hanson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Hanson Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Grant Park Orchestra Assoc ($58,136), Nature Conservancy in IL ($25,000) and Gulfshore Playhouse ($3,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 81% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does Hanson Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included organizations whose own missions describe work in areas such as performing arts, environmental advocacy, homelessness services, child care, local journalism, substance-use prevention and recovery, and family support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Hanson Family Foundation?
The foundation stated on its final 2024 filing that it does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is Hanson Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Hanson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Hanson Family Foundation's EIN?
Hanson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3750504. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does Hanson Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 11, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 28, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Hanson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/hanson-family-foundation-morg_f3b99728483142c7a17617c8553e467b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363750504_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Hanson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/hanson-family-foundation-morg_f3b99728483142c7a17617c8553e467b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Hanson Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Hanson Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?