Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation
The Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 filing reports 12 grants totaling $143,500, all designated for general support; the foundation states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation gave $144K across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in Illinois. 42% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $143,500
- +7.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- +33.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $11,958
- -19.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,532,293
- +4.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (5 of 12, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (53% 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 Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family 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: PO Box 803878, Chicago, IL 60680
Phone: (312) 630-6000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Duke University ($55K). Together the top 10 received $142K.
Grant Size Distribution
55 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 51 grants of 55 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 53% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 38% to North Carolina, 7% to New Jersey, and 1% to Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 12 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 42% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 74% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 76% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $83K (2021) to $202K (2020). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $144K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Duke University Durham, NC | General Support | $55,000 |
| Kellogg School of Management Evanston, IL | General Support | $35,000 |
| IL Chapter of the Nature Conservancy Chicago, IL | General Support | $10,000 |
| American School in London Foundation Princeton, NJ | General Support | $10,000 |
| Kenilworth Community Fund Kenilworth, IL | General Support | $10,000 |
| Japan American Society of Chicago Chicago, IL | General Support | $5,000 |
| Solti Foundation US Chicago, IL | General Support | $5,000 |
| The Woman's Board - Rush Univ Medical Center Chicago, IL | General Support | $5,000 |
| Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chicago, IL | General Support | $4,500 |
| Greenlight Fund Boston, MA | General Support | $2,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,532,293 | $467,344 | $168,135 | $143,500 | 12 | $159,074 | $258,029 | $210,071 |
| 2023 | $3,370,668 | $244,963 | $161,859 | $133,500 | 9 | $151,194 | $110,180 | $182,685 |
| 2022 | $3,288,183 | $284,313 | $154,817 | $121,000 | 9 | $134,650 | $77,274 | $178,150 |
| 2021 | $3,158,687 | $1,565,773 | $114,691 | $82,500 | 15 | $94,487 | $723,810 | $178,102 |
| 2020 | $2,033,694 | $1,308,034 | $231,539 | $202,000 | 10 | — | $625,577 | $97,900 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $210K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association describes its mission as enriching, inspiring, and transforming lives through music, community engagement, and education. The Lincoln Park Conservancy says it works to preserve and enhance Chicago’s Lincoln Park, while the Kenilworth Community Fund says it supports eligible social, charitable, or community programs and projects.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 12 grants totaling $143,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $55,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest grants were $55,000 to Duke University and $35,000 to Kellogg School of Management, both for general support. Other grants included $10,000 each to the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, the American School in London Foundation, and the Kenilworth Community Fund; and $5,000 each to the Japan American Society of Chicago, Solti Foundation US, and The Woman’s Board of Rush University Medical Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Northern Trust Company as trustee.
Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation's only listed officer is Northern Trust Company, Trustee on every filing since 2020 (compensated).
Officers on the 2024 filing
Northern Trust Company
Trustee
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$7K (2020) → $20K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $20K, to Northern Trust Company (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation
How much does Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation give each year?
Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation gave $144K across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $134K across 9 grants.
What is Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $11,958, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation give grants?
Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were North Carolina (38%) and New Jersey (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (7 grants).
Does Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Duke University ($55,000), Kellogg School of Management ($35,000) and IL Chapter of the Nature Conservancy ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 70% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation?
Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation reported $3.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $159K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $210K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association describes its mission as enriching, inspiring, and transforming lives through music, community engagement, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Stephen N and Ann S Potter 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 Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation's EIN?
Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7726875. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Stephen N and Ann S Potter 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 25, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/stephen-n-and-ann-s-potter-family-foundation-morg_b926dc80cf584837ae75deeb04143345
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_367726875_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/stephen-n-and-ann-s-potter-family-foundation-morg_b926dc80cf584837ae75deeb04143345},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. 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 Stephen N and Ann S Potter Family 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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