Knight Impact Partners
Knight Impact Partners is a private foundation based in Lake Forest, Illinois. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Illinois.
Knight Impact Partners at a glance
In short: Knight Impact Partners gave $5.1M across 32 grants in 2024 (avg $159K), mostly in Illinois. 56% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,072,149
- +735.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 32
- +146.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $158,505
- +239.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $23,953,618
- -11.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (18 of 32, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (97% 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 Knight Impact Partners
- 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: 272 E Deerpath Rd 236, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Phone: (847) 283-7810
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Knight Impact Partners funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Inner-City Muslim Action Network ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $4.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
101 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 101 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 2% to recipients in Massachusetts. Michigan and New York each accounted for 0% as reported.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Knight Impact Partners open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 32 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $193K; repeat grants $114K. How we count
Medians: $150K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 28% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 242% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 284% 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 $607K (2023) to $5.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 32 grants totaling $5.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Inner-City Muslim Action Network Chicago, IL | General Support | $1,000,000 |
| One Acre Fund Highland Park, IL | General Support | $750,000 |
| Northshore Hospitals Foundation Evanston, IL | General Support | $560,499 |
| City Colleges of Chicago Foundation Chicago, IL | General Support | $500,000 |
| La CASA Norte Chicago, IL | Hope for Homes Day & Non-Congregate Shelter Project | $325,000 |
| Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Knight Scholars Fund | $250,000 |
| Maafa Redemption Project Inc Chicago, IL | General Support | $200,000 |
| One Million Degrees Chicago, IL | General Support | $200,000 |
| The Cara Program Chicago, IL | General Support | $200,000 |
| Connections for the Homeless Evanston, IL | General Support | $150,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Knight Impact Partners?
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 | $23,953,618 | $2,227,674 | $5,287,083 | $5,072,149 | 32 | $5,072,149 | $2,011,220 | $1,786,782 |
| 2023 | $27,013,027 | $13,446,174 | $785,546 | $607,000 | 13 | $607,000 | $1,556,160 | $1,162,281 |
| 2022 | $14,398,173 | $5,069,270 | $2,017,225 | $1,854,406 | 18 | $1,854,406 | $220,434 | $925,944 |
| 2021 | $13,410,132 | $2,923,564 | $1,609,192 | $1,482,445 | 17 | $1,482,445 | $1,842,165 | $961,611 |
| 2020 | $12,095,018 | $2,186,504 | $2,428,261 | $2,340,615 | 21 | — | $621,713 | $827,447 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Knight Impact Partners reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose stated missions include health and wellness, hunger relief, education, housing and homelessness services, and employment pathways.
For example, Inner-City Muslim Action Network describes its mission as fostering health, wellness, and healing in the inner city through social change, the arts, and a holistic health center. One Acre Fund says it works with rural self-help groups to help chronically hungry farm families in Africa address hunger and poverty. La Casa Norte says it provides services, resources, and housing to people and families facing homelessness. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 32 grants totaling $5,072,149. Grants ranged from $1,500 to $1,000,000, with a median of $50,000. The largest grants included $1,000,000 to Inner-City Muslim Action Network for general support; $750,000 to One Acre Fund for general support; $560,499 to NorthShore Hospitals Foundation for general support; and $500,000 to City Colleges of Chicago Foundation.
Other notable 2024 grants included $325,000 to La Casa Norte for its Hope for Homes Day and Non-Congregate Shelter Project; $250,000 to Northwestern University for the Knight Scholars Fund; and $200,000 each to MAAFA Redemption Project, One Million Degrees, and The Cara Program. The latter three grants were for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Rebecca W. Knight and Lester B. Knight as trustees, Sol A. Flores as CEO, and Christopher T. Childs as CFO.
Knight Impact Partners is led by Sol A. Flores, CEO on the 2024 filing; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sol A. Flores
CEO
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lester B. Knight
Trustee
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca W. Knight
Trustee
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher T. Childs
CFO
New on the 2024 filing
10 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 Knight Impact Partners
How much does Knight Impact Partners give each year?
Knight Impact Partners gave $5.1M across 32 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $607K across 13 grants.
What is Knight Impact Partners's typical grant size?
Knight Impact Partners's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $158,505, across 32 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Knight Impact Partners that year got $193K on average.
Where does Knight Impact Partners give grants?
Knight Impact Partners gives mostly in Illinois: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (20 grants) and Evanston, IL (5 grants).
Does Knight Impact Partners give general operating support?
Yes: 81% of Knight Impact Partners's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (26 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Knight Impact Partners's largest grantees?
Knight Impact Partners's largest 2024 grantees include Inner-City Muslim Action Network ($1,000,000), One Acre Fund ($750,000) and Northshore Hospitals Foundation ($560,499), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Knight Impact Partners?
Knight Impact Partners reported $24.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Knight Impact Partners fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose stated missions include health and wellness, hunger relief, education, housing and homelessness services, and employment pathways. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Knight Impact Partners?
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 Knight Impact Partners's EIN?
Knight Impact Partners's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-6566394. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Knight Impact Partners 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Knight Impact Partners funds
Recreation & Sports Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Knight Impact Partners's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
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.
Assets
$1.8B
Grants
255
Total Given
$106.1M
Circle of Service Foundation
Chicago, IL
The foundation funds community services, education, Jewish community, and medical research, with grantmaking concentrated in Cook and Lake Counties, Illinois, though it also funds organizations elsewhere. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000 and ranged from $50 to about $1.74 million; it accepts unsolicited pre-applications for community services and for Jewish community requests in Cook or Lake County, but not for the other stated categories or out-of-area Jewish community requests.
Assets
$592.0M
Grants
637
Total Given
$37.0M
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial
Chicago, IL
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial supports education, the environment, health and human services, gun violence prevention, homelessness prevention, and Jewish community and Israel initiatives, with a strong focus on Chicago and giving across the U.S. and internationally. In 2024, its grants ranged from $500 to $3 million, with a median of $55,000. It uses an invitation-only process and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
897
Total Given
$115.2M
Polk Bros Foundation Inc
Chicago, IL
Polk Bros Foundation funds community-driven Chicago nonprofits working to close the life expectancy gap, build community wealth, and foster participatory, multiracial democracy. Recent grants ranged from $100 to $250,000, with a median of $25,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests during its transition period, which ends in fall 2026; it currently offers targeted RFPs.
Assets
$334.3M
Grants
568
Total Given
$19.3M
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc
Chicago, IL
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago funds nonprofits addressing basic needs and community priorities such as health care, housing, food assistance, early learning, workforce development, and legal services across greater Chicago, including targeted support for Chicago’s South and West Sides and south suburbs. In 2025, grants ranged from about $5,000 to $2 million, with a median of $25,000. The stated 2026 Impact Grants process was limited to current partners, and the BridgeBuilders application was closed; no open unsolicited application process is stated.
Assets
$48.8M
Grants
331
Total Given
$22.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in Illinois
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Knight Impact Partners funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/knight-impact-partners-morg_a4fd7b871a614182a776ce27192786d2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_276566394_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Knight Impact Partners funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/knight-impact-partners-morg_a4fd7b871a614182a776ce27192786d2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Knight Impact Partners'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.
Knight Impact Partners down — hundreds of funders to go?