Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation
The Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2024, it reported 30 grants totaling $5,258,583, with awards to organizations working in areas including policy research, dialogue on global issues, urban agriculture, humanitarian response, and environmental education.
Key facts about Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation
In short: Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation gave $5.3M across 30 grants in 2024 (avg $175K), mostly in District of Columbia. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 36-3852559
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,258,583
- Grants made (2024)
- 30
- Average grant
- $175,286
- Median grant
- $25,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (8 of 30, 2024)
- Total assets
- $65,556,810
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (63% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$65.6M
+1.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.3M
-20.1% YoY
Grant Count
30
-33.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$175K
+19.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 30 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $235K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 53% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 70% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 108% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the Center for Strategic and International Studies describes itself as a bipartisan policy research organization; Urban Growers Collective says its work addresses inequities in the food system through urban agriculture; and the International Rescue Committee says it responds to humanitarian crises and helps people affected by conflict and disaster.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 30 grants totaling $5,258,583. Grant amounts ranged from $1,750 to $2,000,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest awards included $2,000,000 to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, $1,235,000 to The Aspen Institute, and $400,000 to the University of Chicago. Other grants included $333,333 to Movement Strategy Center, $333,000 to Urban Growers Collective, and $200,000 to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The listed grants were for general operating support.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars were distributed primarily to recipients in Washington, DC (63%) and Illinois (24%). Other recipient states were California (6%), Colorado (3%), and New York (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.9M (2020) to $6.6M (2023). In 2024 it made 30 grants totaling $5.3M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Center for Strategic and International Studies ($2.0M). Together the top 10 received $4.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
225 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 126 grants of 225 (56%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Center for Strategic and International Studies Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $2,000,000 |
| The Aspen Institute Inc Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $1,235,000 |
| The University of Chicago Chicago, IL | General Operating Support | $400,000 |
| Movement Strategy Center Oakland, CA | General Operating Support | $333,333 |
| Urban Growers Collective Chicago, IL | General Operating Support | $333,000 |
| Chicago Council on Global Affairs Chicago, IL | General Operating Support | $200,000 |
| Advocates for Urban Agriculture Chicago, IL | General Operating Support | $160,000 |
| Aspen Music Festival & School Aspen, CO | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| International Rescue Committee New York, NY | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Aspen Center for Environmental Studies Aspen, CO | General Operating Support | $68,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $65,556,810 | $6,995,328 | $6,094,128 | $5,258,583 |
| 2023 | $64,655,610 | $5,510,271 | $7,534,783 | $6,578,598 |
| 2022 | $66,680,122 | $5,531,760 | $6,737,060 | $5,279,833 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $65,556,810 | $64,655,610 | $66,680,122 |
| Revenue | $6,995,328 | $5,510,271 | $5,531,760 |
| Expenses | $6,094,128 | $7,534,783 | $6,737,060 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,267,852 | $6,597,400 | $5,315,082 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,116,381 | $4,522,363 | $4,368,445 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,863,965 | $4,470,710 | $4,491,765 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Thomas J. Pritzker as president and director; Margot Pritzker as vice president and director; Paula McMenamin as vice president and director; Scott Stevens as vice president and treasurer; and Joshua S. Abern as vice president and secretary.
Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation is led by Thomas J. Pritzker, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Thomas J. Pritzker
President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margot Pritzker
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paula McMenamin
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joshua S. Abern
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Stevens
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Charles J. Barron (2020) — Vice President & Secretary
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 150 N Riverside Plz 3300, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 577-2600
Frequently asked questions about Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation
How much does Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation give each year?
Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation gave $5.3M across 30 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $6.6M across 45 grants.
What is Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $175,286, across 30 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation give grants?
Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation gives mostly in District of Columbia: 63% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (24%) and California (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (14 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Aspen, CO (2 grants).
Does Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (30 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Center for Strategic and International Studies ($2,000,000), The Aspen Institute Inc ($1,235,000) and The University of Chicago ($400,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation?
Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation reported $65.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family 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 Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation's EIN?
Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3852559. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Margot & Thomas Pritzker Family 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.
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