James and Catherine Denny Foundation
The James and Catherine Denny Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 grants supported charitable organizations including schools, cultural institutions, social-service organizations, and groups working in public policy and research.
James and Catherine Denny Foundation at a glance
In short: James and Catherine Denny Foundation gave $1.4M across 40 grants in 2024 (avg $35K), mostly in Illinois. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,386,500
- +85.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 40
- +37.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $34,663
- +34.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $5,141,066
- -10.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (6 of 35, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (95% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to James and Catherine Denny Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 180 N Stetson Ave Suite 2550, Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 551-0058
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James and Catherine Denny Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Catholic Extension ($275K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 183 grants of 200 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois. The remaining reported shares were 2% each to recipients in Washington, DC, and Massachusetts, and 1% to Florida. New York is listed at 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 40 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is James and Catherine Denny Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 35 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $41K; repeat grants $39K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 40% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 516% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $600K (2022) to $2.5M (2020). In 2024 it made 40 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DePaul College Prep Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $250,000 |
| Catholic Extension Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $247,848 |
| Chicago Jesuit Academy Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $157,320 |
| Illinois Policy Institute Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $125,000 |
| Adler Planetarium Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $50,000 |
| Chicago Jesuit Academy Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $30,097 |
| Chicago Jesuit Academy Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $29,791 |
| Catholic Extension Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $27,152 |
| Chicago Jesuit Academy Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $26,350 |
| Saints Faith Hope & Charity Winnetka, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Gift | $25,500 |
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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 | $5,141,066 | $612,102 | $1,433,277 | $1,386,500 | 40 | $1,386,500 | $322,369 | $268,524 |
| 2023 | $5,766,005 | $143,905 | $811,627 | $746,378 | 29 | $746,378 | $83,512 | $290,856 |
| 2022 | $6,433,895 | $559,930 | $648,103 | $599,592 | 38 | $599,592 | $504,494 | $280,157 |
| 2021 | $6,521,299 | $1,605,651 | $1,036,780 | $992,990 | 44 | $992,990 | $1,501,355 | $295,949 |
| 2020 | $5,953,368 | $279,065 | $2,509,821 | $2,454,637 | 49 | — | $714,802 | $285,256 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James and Catherine Denny Foundation reported a distributable amount of $269K 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 show support for a range of organizations. For example, the Illinois Policy Institute describes itself as a free-market-oriented think tank focused on public policy issues facing Illinois. Clearbrook says it provides services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The Academy for Urban School Leadership says it recruits, trains, and supports teachers in underserved communities. The Brain Research Foundation describes its work as supporting neuroscience research into brain function and brain-related disorders.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 40 grants totaling $1,386,500. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $250,000, with a median grant of $25,000. Among the largest were $250,000 to DePaul College Prep, $247,848 to Catholic Extension, $157,320 to Chicago Jesuit Academy, and $125,000 to the Illinois Policy Institute. Other 2024 grants included $50,000 to Adler Planetarium and $25,000 each to Clearbrook, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Brain Research Foundation, and Academy for Urban School Leadership. Teach for America received $25,000; Lyric Opera of Chicago and DePaul University each received $10,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James M. Denny and Catherine M. Denny as trustees.
James and Catherine Denny Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Catherine M. Denny
Trustee, P & T
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
James M. Denny
Trustee, P & T
On filings since 2020
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 James and Catherine Denny Foundation
How much does James and Catherine Denny Foundation give each year?
James and Catherine Denny Foundation gave $1.4M across 40 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $746K across 29 grants.
What is James and Catherine Denny Foundation's typical grant size?
James and Catherine Denny Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $34,663, across 40 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James and Catherine Denny Foundation that year got $41K on average.
Where does James and Catherine Denny Foundation give grants?
James and Catherine Denny Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (32 grants).
Does James and Catherine Denny Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of James and Catherine Denny Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (40 of 40) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are James and Catherine Denny Foundation's largest grantees?
James and Catherine Denny Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Catholic Extension ($275,000 across 2 grants), Chicago Jesuit Academy ($250,000 across 5 grants) and DePaul College Prep ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is James and Catherine Denny Foundation?
James and Catherine Denny Foundation reported $5.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $269K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James and Catherine Denny Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, the Illinois Policy Institute describes itself as a free-market-oriented think tank focused on public policy issues facing Illinois. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James and Catherine Denny Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James and Catherine Denny Foundation's EIN?
James and Catherine Denny Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7067862. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does James and Catherine Denny Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James and Catherine Denny Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-and-catherine-denny-foundation-morg_c28d26c0aea14342a0e4df382d26e6f8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_367067862_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James and Catherine Denny Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-and-catherine-denny-foundation-morg_c28d26c0aea14342a0e4df382d26e6f8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 James and Catherine Denny 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.
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