Invest for Kids Inc logo

Invest for Kids Inc

Public charity · Grantmaker Chicago, IL EIN: 27-0826182 Website

Invest for Kids Inc is a public charity based in Chicago, Illinois, that raises funds through an annual investment conference and awards grants to support Chicago-area children’s charities. The organization’s stated mission is to raise funds benefiting Chicago-area children’s charities.

Invest for Kids Inc at a glance

In short: Invest for Kids Inc gave $1.7M across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $135K), mostly in Illinois. 54% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2024)
$1,749,100
+4.2% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
13
-7.1% vs 2023
Average grant
$134,546
+12.2% vs 2023
Median grant
$200,000
Total assets
$719,279
+2.5% vs 2023
New grantees (estimate)
54% first-time grantees (7 of 13, 2024; small sample)
Primary geography
Illinois (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Invest for Kids Inc

How to Apply

The 2026 cycle is closed. The website says to check back for information about the next process. Applicants are evaluated on programming quality, leadership, board commitment, and measurable results.

Contact

Mailing address: 875 N Michigan Ave Suite 3400, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 664-5050
Website: https://investforkidschicago.org

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Invest for Kids Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Atlas Fellows Inc: $200KAtlas Fellows Inc$200KCamp For All Kids: $200KCamp For All Kids$200KChicago Eco HouseNehemiahGrp: $200KChicago Eco HouseNehemiahGrp$200KCollege Possible Chicago: $200KCollege Possible Chicago$200KGreat Lakes Academy Inc: $200KGreat Lakes Academy Inc$200KIngenuity Incorporated Chicag: $200KIngenuity Incorporated Chicag$200KLegal Prep Charter Academies: $200KLegal Prep Charter Academies$200KMetro Squash: $200KMetro Squash$200KChicago Scholars: $74KChicago Scholars$74KIL Network of Charter Schools: $36KIL Network of Charter Schools$36K

The largest 2024 recipient was Atlas Fellows Inc ($200K). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.

Grant Size Distribution

76 grants across all recorded years

35<$50K4$50–100K37$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 37 grants of 76 (49%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Invest for Kids says it supports Chicago-area nonprofits serving youth in low-income circumstances. In filing year 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 1% to recipients in Texas.

Grant Distribution by State

4states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.

Cities

ChicagoEvanstonJamaica PlainBellaireBostonGlenviewHoustonNew York

Is Invest for Kids Inc open to new grantees?

54%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 7 of 13 grantees (54%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $173K; repeat grants $90K. How we count

Medians: $200K first-time, $55K repeat.

  • 31% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 67% from 2021 to 2024. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M18 grants2020 13 grants2021 18 grants2022 14 grants2023 13 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2021) to $1.9M (2022). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $1.7M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Atlas Fellows Inc Chicago, ILTo aid their exempt purpose$200,000
Camp For All Kids Chicago, ILTo aid their exempt purpose$200,000
Chicago Eco HouseNehemiahGrp Chicago, ILTo aid their exempt purpose$200,000
College Possible Chicago Chicago, ILTo aid their exempt purpose$200,000
Great Lakes Academy Inc Chicago, ILTo aid their exempt purpose$200,000
Ingenuity Incorporated Chicag Chicago, ILTo aid their exempt purpose$200,000
Legal Prep Charter Academies Chicago, ILTo aid their exempt purpose$200,000
Metro Squash Chicago, ILTo aid their exempt purpose$200,000
Chicago Scholars Chicago, ILTo aid their exempt purpose$73,600
IL Network of Charter Schools Chicago, ILTo aid their exempt purpose$35,500
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Invest for Kids Inc?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2024$719,279$2,186,831$2,169,325$1,749,10013$67,064
2023$701,773$2,123,711$2,013,626$1,678,50014$52,543
2022$591,688$2,013,591$2,271,396$1,935,50018$9,413
2021$849,493$1,726,967$1,310,260$1,050,50013$391
2020$432,786$1,568,409$1,590,026$1,346,34018$-607

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Invest for Kids’ 2024 filing describes its mission as raising funds to benefit Chicago-area children’s charities through an annual conference featuring investment managers. Its website says it supports Chicago-area nonprofits serving youth in low-income circumstances, with focus areas including education, mentoring, enrichment, college access and career readiness, health and physical fitness, and social services. It targets smaller organizations, generally with budgets of $1 million to $5 million.

Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of supported work. MetroSquash describes its work as an out-of-school-time and college-success program for Chicagoland public school students with demonstrated need. Legal Prep Charter Academies says it prepares Chicago youth for college and life. Ingenuity says it works to ensure Chicago Public School students have access to arts education, while Camp for All Kids describes its work as supporting youth from underrepresented backgrounds to attend overnight summer camp.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2024, Invest for Kids reported 13 grants totaling $1,749,100. The reported grant-size median was $200,000, and the smallest and largest grants were $10,000 and $200,000, respectively. The organization’s website describes its average grant as $200,000.

Among the largest 2024 grants reported in the filing were $200,000 each to Atlas Fellows, Camp for All Kids, Chicago Eco House/Nehemiah Group, College Possible Chicago, Great Lakes Academy, Ingenuity, Legal Prep Charter Academies, and MetroSquash. Other listed recipients included Chicago Scholars ($73,600), Illinois Network of Charter Schools ($35,500), DePaul University ($20,000), and CareerSpring Foundation ($10,000).

The website’s eligibility criteria require applicants to serve Chicago-area youth in low-income circumstances, have had a budget of $1 million to $5 million in the last fiscal year, have existed for at least three years, and qualify as a 501(c)(3) charity. Chicago Board of Education- or State of Illinois-authorized charter schools may apply regardless of annual budget size. Prior recipients may apply again after a one-year waiting period. The selection process includes initial screening, interviews with organizational leadership, occasional site visits, and reference and fact checking. The website states that the 2026 application cycle is closed; it does not specify a deadline for a future cycle.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Benjamin Kovler as CEO, Treasurer, and Secretary; Ronald S. Levin as President and Director; and Brian T. Burke as CFO and Director.

Invest for Kids Inc is led by Benjamin Kovler, CEO, Tr & Secretary since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Benjamin Kovler

    CEO, Tr & Secretary

    Executive Director, CEO, Tr & Secretary → CEO, Tr & Secretary, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ronald S Levin

    President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    20 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brian T Burke

    CFO & Director

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Invest for Kids Inc

How much does Invest for Kids Inc give each year?

Invest for Kids Inc gave $1.7M across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 14 grants.

What is Invest for Kids Inc's typical grant size?

Invest for Kids Inc's median grant in 2024 was $200,000, and its average grant was $134,546, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Invest for Kids Inc that year got $173K on average.

Where does Invest for Kids Inc give grants?

Invest for Kids Inc gives mostly in Illinois: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (12 grants).

Who are Invest for Kids Inc's largest grantees?

Invest for Kids Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Atlas Fellows Inc ($200,000), Camp For All Kids ($200,000) and Chicago Eco HouseNehemiahGrp ($200,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Invest for Kids Inc?

Invest for Kids Inc reported $719K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.2M.

What does Invest for Kids Inc fund?

Invest for Kids’ 2024 filing describes its mission as raising funds to benefit Chicago-area children’s charities through an annual conference featuring investment managers. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Invest for Kids Inc?

The 2026 cycle is closed. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Invest for Kids Inc's EIN?

Invest for Kids Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0826182. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.

Data update history

(6)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 4, 2025)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Invest for Kids Inc's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders that support many of the same organizations

Enterprise Holdings Foundation

Saint Louis, MO

The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.

Assets

$594.3M

Grants

1

Total Given

$101.4M

IMC Chicago Charitable Foundation

Chicago, IL

IMC Chicago Charitable Foundation supports education, youth development, conservation, and Chicago-area impact enterprises, with grants and direct support to charitable organizations. In 2025, it awarded 47 grants totaling about $21.5 million; individual grants ranged from $2,058 to $17.8 million, though most were much smaller. It is based in Chicago, but 2025 grant dollars went mainly to Delaware and California, with some to Illinois; it funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$56.0M

Grants

47

Total Given

$21.5M

CME Group Foundation

Chicago, IL

The CME Group Foundation funds education for low-income students, from early childhood through college and career, with priorities including computer science and financial education, college and career support, and school-based mental health for girls and young women. In 2024, grants ranged from $1,000 to $600,000, with a median of $25,000; most funding went to Illinois, with grants also made in several other states. It does not accept unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$63.8M

Grants

148

Total Given

$6.7M

DRW Foundation

Chicago, IL

The DRW Foundation funds schools, universities, youth programs, and organizations addressing issues such as gun violence, with most 2025 grant dollars going to Illinois and others to California, New York, Massachusetts, and Texas. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to $750,000, with a median of $50,000. It gives only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$4.9M

Grants

36

Total Given

$3.2M

A Better Chicago

Chicago, IL

A Better Chicago funds and provides capacity-building support to nonprofit organizations and initiatives that expand opportunity for Chicago youth, especially Black and Latinx youth from low-income backgrounds, across education, career pathways, mental health, and essential needs. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $300,000, with a median of $125,000. It is not currently soliciting applications, but organizations may submit an interest form for rolling review.

Assets

$20.7M

Grants

25

Total Given

$3.5M

Robert R McCormick Foundation

Chicago, IL

The Robert R. McCormick Foundation funds early childhood education, journalism and government accountability, support for service members and veterans, and community development, with much of its local work focused on Chicago’s South and West Sides, especially Englewood and Little Village. Its 2024 median grant was $50,000, though awards varied widely; funding is by invitation only, and it does not accept unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$1.8B

Grants

255

Total Given

$106.1M

More similar funders

More Funders in Illinois

Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Invest for Kids Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/invest-for-kids-inc-morg_65a5052106204db7ab773e0d049c4e14

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_270826182_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Invest for Kids Inc funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/invest-for-kids-inc-morg_65a5052106204db7ab773e0d049c4e14},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Invest for Kids Inc'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.

Invest for Kids Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?