John H Hart Foundation
The John H Hart Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including Chicago-area arts and cultural organizations, educational institutions, a food bank, a zoo, and a health-related foundation.
John H Hart Foundation at a glance
In short: John H Hart Foundation gave $1.5M across 41 grants in 2025 (avg $37K), mostly in Illinois. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,511,350
- +24.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 41
- -16.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $36,862
- +48.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $8,789,572
- -7.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (8 of 41, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (93% 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 John H Hart Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1500 North Lake Shore Drive No 13, Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 502-5427
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John H Hart Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Jessica Fund ($200K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
265 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 217 grants of 265 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that grant dollars went primarily to Illinois recipients (93%), followed by New Mexico (5%) and New York (2%). Wisconsin and Colorado each accounted for 0% as reported.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 41 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is John H Hart Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 41 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $45K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−17%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 290% 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 $1.1M (2020) to $1.8M (2021). In 2025 it made 41 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Jessica Fund Chicago, IL | Charitable Contribution | $200,000 |
| Lincoln Park Zoo Chicago, IL | Charitable Contribution | $180,000 |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation Chicago, IL | Charitable Contribution | $150,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | Charitable Contribution | $135,000 |
| Chi Arts Chicago, IL | Charitable Contribution | $125,000 |
| Steppenwolf Theatre Chicago, IL | Charitable Contribution | $125,000 |
| Goodman Theatre Chicago, IL | Charitable Contribution | $100,000 |
| Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chicago, IL | Charitable Contribution | $95,000 |
| Foundation for Hearing & Speech Chicago, IL | Charitable | $60,000 |
| Merit School of Music Chicago, IL | Charitable Contribution | $50,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,789,572 | $923,542 | $1,622,184 | $1,511,350 | 41 | $1,533,384 | $892,417 | $528,001 |
| 2024 | $9,488,216 | $1,153,485 | $1,358,140 | $1,214,250 | 49 | $1,225,025 | $1,407,366 | $561,088 |
| 2023 | $9,692,871 | $1,076,227 | $1,325,180 | $1,248,250 | 51 | $1,258,150 | $2,500,353 | $551,239 |
| 2022 | $9,941,824 | $417,267 | $1,921,902 | $1,812,675 | 61 | $1,822,645 | $342,025 | $646,677 |
| 2021 | $11,446,459 | $2,942,475 | $1,912,249 | $1,831,355 | 63 | $1,840,995 | $1,130,901 | $706,054 |
| 2020 | $10,416,237 | $-356,740 | $1,200,637 | $1,126,030 | 86 | — | $633,981 | $584,678 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John H Hart Foundation reported a distributable amount of $528K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including the arts, education, food assistance, and health-related services. These are examples of grantee activities, not stated foundation priorities.
The Greater Chicago Food Depository describes its mission as ending hunger and says it serves Cook County through a network of community-based organizations and individuals. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association says its mission is to enrich, inspire, and transform lives through music, community engagement, and education. Merit School of Music describes its work as helping young people access high-quality music education, including through financial aid and scholarships. The Museum of Contemporary Art describes itself as a center for contemporary art that presents exhibitions, performances, collections, and educational programs.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 41 grants totaling $1,511,350. Grant amounts ranged from $150 to $200,000, with a median of $10,000.
Among its larger 2025 grants were $200,000 to The Jessica Fund, $180,000 to Lincoln Park Zoo, $150,000 to Northwestern Memorial Foundation, $135,000 to Greater Chicago Food Depository, $125,000 each to CHI Arts and Steppenwolf Theatre, $100,000 to Goodman Theatre, and $95,000 to Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Other reported grants included $60,000 to Foundation for Hearing & Speech, $50,000 each to Merit School of Music and Museum of Contemporary Art, and $45,100 to Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John H Hart as president, treasurer, and director; Carol Prins as vice president and director; and Ronald Schreiber as secretary and director.
John H Hart Foundation is led by John H. Hart, President, Treasurer & Director since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John H. Hart
President, Treasurer & Director
President, Treasurer & D → President, Treasurer & Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Carol Prins
Vice President & Director
Vice President & D → Vice President & Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ronald Schreiber
Secretary & Director
Secretary & D → Secretary & Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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 John H Hart Foundation
How much does John H Hart Foundation give each year?
John H Hart Foundation gave $1.5M across 41 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.2M across 49 grants.
What is John H Hart Foundation's typical grant size?
John H Hart Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $36,862, across 41 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John H Hart Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does John H Hart Foundation give grants?
John H Hart Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (20 grants) and Santa Fe, NM (5 grants).
Who are John H Hart Foundation's largest grantees?
John H Hart Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Jessica Fund ($200,000), Lincoln Park Zoo ($180,000) and Northwestern Memorial Foundation ($150,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John H Hart Foundation?
John H Hart Foundation reported $8.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $528K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John H Hart Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including the arts, education, food assistance, and health-related services. These are examples of grantee activities, not stated foundation priorities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John H Hart Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 John H Hart Foundation's EIN?
John H Hart Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0156873. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does John H Hart 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John H Hart Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-h-hart-foundation-morg_6331328623eb429a9f65f467749f99a1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200156873_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John H Hart Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-h-hart-foundation-morg_6331328623eb429a9f65f467749f99a1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 John H Hart 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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