James Deering Danielson Foundation
The James Deering Danielson Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2025, it reported 49 grants totaling $300,000 to charitable organizations in several states and Washington, D.C.
James Deering Danielson Foundation at a glance
In short: James Deering Danielson Foundation gave $300K across 49 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), top state Florida. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $300,000
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 49
- +6.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,122
- -6.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,456,768
- +8.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (4 of 49, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Florida (36% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to James Deering Danielson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 410 North Michigan Avenue 590, Chicago, IL 60611
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James Deering Danielson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust Inc ($40K). Together the top 10 received $135K.
Grant Size Distribution
247 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 247 grants of 247 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Florida received the largest share of grant dollars, at 36%. Tennessee received 15%, Washington, D.C., 12%, Virginia 9%, and Idaho 8%. Grants also went to organizations in other states, including Maine, Washington, California, and New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 49 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is James Deering Danielson Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 49 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 88% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 270% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $300K (2022) to $315K (2021). In 2025 it made 49 grants totaling $300K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust Inc Miami, FL | Arts and Humanities | $40,000 |
| Sun Valley Summer Symphony Sun Valley, ID | Arts and Humanities | $15,000 |
| Deering Estate Foundation Palmetto Bay, FL | OTHER | $15,000 |
| Breakthrough T1D Brentwood, TN | Social Services | $15,000 |
| Ice Dance International Kittery, ME | Arts and Humanities | $10,000 |
| The Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County - Franklin Theater Franklin, TN | Arts and Humanities | $10,000 |
| Thomas Armour Youth Ballet South Miami, FL | Arts and Humanities | $10,000 |
| Ransom Everglades Miami, FL | Educational | $10,000 |
| Miami Music Project Miami, FL | Arts and Humanities | $5,000 |
| Atlas Economic Research Foundation Arlington, VA | Educational | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with James Deering Danielson Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,456,768 | $279,178 | $320,384 | $300,000 | 49 | $307,488 | $70,824 | $113,697 |
| 2024 | $2,257,381 | $438,282 | $319,844 | $300,000 | 46 | $307,217 | $230,765 | $105,709 |
| 2023 | $2,077,646 | $372,885 | $319,458 | $300,000 | 49 | $307,043 | $164,301 | $94,440 |
| 2022 | $1,875,395 | $238,567 | $315,279 | $300,000 | 49 | $306,927 | $24,808 | $97,732 |
| 2021 | $2,323,139 | $300,169 | $334,194 | $315,000 | 54 | $321,830 | $92,788 | $108,672 |
| 2020 | $2,102,666 | $256,578 | $329,962 | $315,000 | 56 | — | $50,634 | $92,766 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James Deering Danielson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $114K for 2025 — 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 grant records show support for arts and humanities, education, social services, and other purposes. Among its grantees, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust describes its mission as preserving Vizcaya’s cultural and environmental resources, while Sun Valley Summer Symphony says it seeks to build a lifelong love of classical music through free concerts and education programs. Ice Dance International describes its work as creating classical and contemporary ice ballet and providing education, mentorship, outreach, and performance opportunities.
The foundation also supported organizations working in other areas. For example, the Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation describes its mission as raising awareness, funding research, and serving families and professionals affected by SUDC. International Relief Teams describes its work as providing assistance to people affected by disaster, poverty, and neglect. The Reason Foundation says it advances libertarian principles through journalism and public-policy research.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 49 grants totaling $300,000. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $40,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
The largest 2025 grant was $40,000 to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust in Miami, Florida, for arts and humanities. Other notable grants included $15,000 each to Sun Valley Summer Symphony in Idaho for arts and humanities, Deering Estate Foundation in Florida for other purposes, and Breakthrough T1D in Tennessee for social services. The foundation also awarded $10,000 to Ice Dance International and $10,000 to the Franklin Theatre in Tennessee, both for arts and humanities, and $10,000 to Thomas Armour Youth Ballet in Florida for arts and humanities.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert J Venable as president and director; Beverly Danielson, Jocelyn Tennille, and Charles E Seitz III as vice presidents and directors; Susan D Pattock as secretary/treasurer; and David Fuechtman as assistant secretary/assistant treasurer.
James Deering Danielson Foundation is led by Robert J. Venable, President & Director on every filing since 2023; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert J. Venable
President & Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Beverly Danielson
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Charles E. Seitz III
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jocelyn Tennille
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
David Fuechtman
Assistant Secretary & Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Susan D. Pattock
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: John Rau (2020–2022) — President & Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Deering Danielson Foundation
How much does James Deering Danielson Foundation give each year?
James Deering Danielson Foundation gave $300K across 49 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $300K across 46 grants.
What is James Deering Danielson Foundation's typical grant size?
James Deering Danielson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,122, across 49 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James Deering Danielson Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does James Deering Danielson Foundation give grants?
James Deering Danielson Foundation's top state is Florida, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Tennessee (15%) and District of Columbia (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington DC, DC (7 grants), Miami, FL (6 grants), Franklin, TN (3 grants) and Arlington, VA (2 grants).
Does James Deering Danielson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 49 grants with a stated purpose on James Deering Danielson Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Social Services" (24 grants), "Educational" (11 grants) and "Arts and Humanities" (7 grants).
Who are James Deering Danielson Foundation's largest grantees?
James Deering Danielson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust Inc ($40,000), Sun Valley Summer Symphony ($15,000) and Deering Estate Foundation ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is James Deering Danielson Foundation?
James Deering Danielson Foundation reported $2.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $307K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $114K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James Deering Danielson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grant records show support for arts and humanities, education, social services, and other purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James Deering Danielson Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James Deering Danielson Foundation's EIN?
James Deering Danielson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7042530. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does James Deering Danielson 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 23, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 19, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James Deering Danielson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-deering-danielson-foundation-morg_65ed49317a3243e187a17ef52e649ac8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237042530_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James Deering Danielson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-deering-danielson-foundation-morg_65ed49317a3243e187a17ef52e649ac8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Deering Danielson 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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