The Scanlan Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, established in 2003. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and focuses on philanthropic giving across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$103.4M
-22.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$16.9M
+12.5% YoY
Grant Count
11
+22.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.5M
-8.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Scanlan Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission statement indicates that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."
Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
The foundation makes substantial grants to preselected organizations. Recent grants documented include:
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Scanlan Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and cities, including:
States: California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Iowa, Illinois, Maine, New York, and Vermont
Cities: Bennington, Chicago, Harpswell, Iowa City, New York, Orono, Portland, Sausalito, Washington, Waukee, and Windsor
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (Most Recent Data):
- Total Assets: $103,358,555 (2024)
- Total Giving: $16,894,526 (2024)
- Total Expenses: $17,504,486 (2024)
- Total Revenue: $6,359,870 (2024)
Historical Assets:
- $133,000,000 (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $103,358,555 | $132,991,717 | $132,163,171 |
| Revenue | $6,359,870 | $1,853,775 | $3,185,114 |
| Expenses | $17,504,486 | $15,390,079 | $6,065,164 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $16,894,526 | $15,023,308 | $5,690,200 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,958,414 | $3,118,186 | $4,508,670 |
| Distributable Amount | $6,532,363 | $6,261,889 | $6,756,968 |
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
37 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Bennington College ($4,000,000), Loomis Chaffee School ($4,000,000), State University of Iowa Foundation ($3,925,998).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BENNINGTON COLLEGE BENNINGTON, VT | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES | $4,000,000 |
| DESMOINES JEWISH FOUNDATION WAUKEE, IA | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES | $1,000,000 |
| GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE PORTLAND, ME | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES | $1,250,000 |
| LOOMIS CHAFFEE SCHOOL WINDSOR, CT | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES | $4,000,000 |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY CHICAGO, IL | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES | $1,500,000 |
| QUAHOG BAY CONSERVATORY HARPSWELL, ME | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES | $140,000 |
| STATE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA FOUNDATION IOWA CITY, IA | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES | $3,925,998 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MAINE FOUNDATION ORONO, ME | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES | $523,528 |
| BIGELOW LABRATORY FOR OCEAN SERVICES EAST BOOTHBAY, ME | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES | $5,000 |
| FOUNDATION OF THE MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY BOSTON, MA | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES | $300,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by three uncompensated directors:
- Mary Bucksbaum Scanlan – President and Director
- Patrick Scanlan – Vice President and Director
- Catherine O'Brien – Treasurer, Secretary, and Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARY BUCKSBAUM SCANLAN | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PATRICK SCANLAN | VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CATHERINE O'BRIEN | TREASURER/SECRETARY/DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2022, the Scanlan Family Foundation made a historic $15 million gift to the University of Iowa College of Education to establish a named mental health center and expand mental health services to schools and veterans. This represented the largest gift in the college's history at that time.
Scanlan Family Foundation gives $15 million to name school mental healthSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Scanlan Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission statement indicates that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Scanlan Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** The foundation makes substantial grants to preselected organizations. Recent grants documented include: • Loomis Chaffee School: $4,000,000 (2024) • Bennington College Corporation: $4,000,000 (2024) • University of Iowa Center for Advancement: $3,925,998 (2024) **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $5,000–$5,000,000 • The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds • All contributions are made for intents established by the various charities **Appli…
Where does Scanlan Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and cities, including: **States:** California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Iowa, Illinois, Maine, New York, and Vermont **Cities:** Bennington, Chicago, Harpswell, Iowa City, New York, Orono, Portland, Sausalito, Washington, Waukee, and Windsor
What size grants does Scanlan Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Scanlan Family Foundation awarded 11 grants totaling $16.9M — an average of about $1.5M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Scanlan Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Scanlan Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Scanlan Family Foundation's EIN?
Scanlan Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-7240192. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Scanlan Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Green and Blue Foundation
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
—
Grants
3
Total Given
$51K
Above and Beyond Daycare Center
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, IL
Assets
—
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Primo Center for Women & Children
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$9.7M
Grants
1
Total Given
$35K
RHS Foundation
MOLINE, IL
Assets
$1.1M
Grants
37
Total Given
$342K
Rose Lafferty Educational Fund Xxxxx9006
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$3.4M
Grants
1
Total Given
$228K
The John Crerar Foundation
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$991K
Grants
1
Total Given
$35K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Scanlan Family Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching Scanlan Family Foundation to a real strategy.