Perkins Hunter Foundation
Perkins Hunter Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, established in 1987. The organization holds 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and operates as a grantmaking foundation.
Key facts about Perkins Hunter Foundation
- EIN
- 36-3486609
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $423,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- Average grant
- $22,289
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 47% first-time grantees (9 of 19, 2024)
- Total assets
- $9,255,645
- Primary geography
- California (86% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Perkins Hunter Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Perkins Hunter Foundation's 19 itemized 2024 grants were California (86%) and District of Columbia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (7 grants), Sonoma, CA (4 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Perkins Hunter Foundation open to new grantees?
47%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 19 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $13K repeat.
- 21% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 36% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2023 it paid out 222% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Perkins Hunter Foundation
- How to evaluate Perkins Hunter Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.3M
+5.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$424K
-32.3% YoY
Grant Count
19
+18.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$22K
-43.0% YoY
Grantmaking
The foundation actively makes grants to charitable organizations. Recent grants include:
Ready to take the next step with Perkins Hunter Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates primarily in the Chicago, Illinois area, though specific geographic restrictions on grantmaking are not detailed in available sources.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 19 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $9,255,645
- Total Revenues: $976,731
- Total Expenses: $458,548
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $8,809,019
- Total Revenues: $63,519
- Total Expenses: $629,000
- Total Giving: $625,600
Revenue Breakdown (2024):
- Grants and Contributions: $287,865
- Investment Income and Dividends: $113,140
- Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $579,637
- Miscellaneous Revenues: -$3,911
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,255,645 | $8,809,019 | $10,102,443 |
| Revenue | $976,731 | $63,519 | $221,334 |
| Expenses | $458,548 | $628,826 | $555,521 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $423,500 | $625,600 | $552,650 |
| Net Investment Income | $653,818 | $183,613 | $218,463 |
| Distributable Amount | — | $281,825 | $303,793 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
88 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Tipping Point Community ($125,000), Voteorg ($50,000), Tides Foundation ($35,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| TIPPING POINT COMMUNITY San Francisco, CA | GENERAL USE | $125,000 |
| VOTEORG Oakland, CA | GENERAL USE | $50,000 |
| TIDES FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | GENERAL USE | $35,000 |
| UCSF FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | GENERAL USE | $35,000 |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA-BAY AREA Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL USE | $25,000 |
| CARE MESSAGE San Francisco, CA | GENERAL USE | $25,000 |
| LA LUZ BILINGUAL CENTER Sonoma, CA | GENERAL USE | $20,000 |
| VOTE LATINO Washington, DC | GENERAL USE | $20,000 |
| SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY San Francisco, CA | GENERAL USE | $15,000 |
| HOPEWELL FUND Washington, DC | GENERAL USE | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Thomas Perkins (Director)
- Alec Perkins (Director)
- Jamel Perkins (Director)
The foundation operates with zero employees.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Perkins | Director | 5 | — |
| Alec Perkins | Director | — | — |
| Jamel Perkins | Director | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: 20 N Clark St Ste 3000, Chicago, IL 60602
EIN: 36-3486609
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from Perkins Hunter Foundation?
The foundation actively makes grants to charitable organizations. Recent grants include: • Tipping Point Community: $125,000 (General Use, December 2024) • Voteorg: $50,000 (General Use, December 2024) • Tides Foundation: $35,000 (General Use, December 2024) The foundation made additional grants beyond those listed above, with a total of 14 grants documented in recent filings.
Where does Perkins Hunter Foundation make grants?
The foundation operates primarily in the Chicago, Illinois area, though specific geographic restrictions on grantmaking are not detailed in available sources.
What size grants does Perkins Hunter Foundation award?
In 2024, Perkins Hunter Foundation awarded 19 grants totaling $424K — an average of about $22K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Perkins Hunter Foundation's EIN?
Perkins Hunter Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3486609. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.