The Sue Ling Gin Foundation Trust is a private philanthropic foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, established in 2015. The foundation was created to honor the legacy of Sue Ling Gin, founder and CEO of Flying Food Group, an international airline catering company that grew from a single airport kitchen into a $436 million enterprise. The foundation receives 100% of Flying Food Group's profits and has distributed over $21 million in grants since 2016.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$57.6M
-29.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$34.4M
+299.8% YoY
Grant Count
24
+84.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.4M
+116.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation focuses on transformational giving in the following priority areas:
- Gun violence reduction — Approximately half of the foundation's assets are directed toward programs aimed at reducing gun violence in Chicago
- Education — Scholarship funds and educational access initiatives, with particular emphasis on first-generation college students
- Healthcare — Support for free health clinics and nursing education programs
- Cultural institutions — Museums and botanical gardens
- Public safety — Police leadership and management training
- Chinese American community services — Support for community organizations and cultural initiatives
- Immigration rights and legal assistance
Grantmaking
The Sue Ling Gin Foundation Trust makes large-scale transformational grants to preselected organizations rather than accepting unsolicited requests for funds.
Grant Range
$10,000 to $21 million
Average Grant
Approximately $661,004
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates with a Chicago-centric focus with national reach. Primary funding areas include:
- Chicago, Illinois (primary focus)
- Additional U.S. cities supported: Atlanta, Bedford Park, Evanston, New York, San Diego, and Seattle
- States with funding activity: California, Georgia, Illinois, New York, and Washington
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (Most Recent Filings):
- Total assets: $81,345,333 (2024)
- Total assets: $57,586,854 (2025)
- Total revenue: $5,216,823 (2024)
- Total revenue: $11,029,505 (2025)
- Total expenses: $9,011,888 (2024)
- Total expenses: $71,970,468 (2025)
- Investment income and dividends: $3,389,572 (2025)
Annual Giving:
- 2024: $8,593,050
- 2025: $8.6 million (13 grants awarded)
Tax Status:
- 501(c)(3) organization
- EIN: 47-6858270
- Tax-exempt since October 2015
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $57,586,854 | $81,345,333 | $85,140,398 |
| Revenue | $11,029,505 | $5,216,823 | $3,675,935 |
| Expenses | $71,970,468 | $9,011,888 | $4,714,598 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $34,386,851 | $8,685,708 | $4,503,305 |
| Net Investment Income | $10,799,300 | $4,694,909 | $3,508,812 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,166,160 | $4,443,420 | $4,407,231 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
45 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Trustees:
- David Cotton — Trustee (serves without compensation)
- Robert Hamada — Trustee (receives $45,000 annually for his role; former Dean at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business)
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID COTTON | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| ROBERT HAMADA | TRUSTEE | 2 | $45,000 |
| MARK V NOFFKE- AS OF 31425 | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 35 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2025 Police Leadership Initiative**
The Sue Ling Gin Foundation pledged $15 million over five years to support the development and implementation of a leadership and management education program for Chicago police supervisors. The program, executed in collaboration with the Civic Committee and the University of Chicago Crime Lab, aims to enhance effective and ethical leadership practices, performance management, data-driven decision-making, resilience building, officer wellness, and community trust. The initiative is modeled after national programs like the Policing Leadership Academy.
Sue Ling Gin Foundation donates $15M to train Chicago police supervisors**Chinese American Service League Expansion**
The foundation provided a $10 million donation to support the Chinese American Service League's vision for community care expansion.
Chicago CRED receives $21 million grant from Sue Ling Gin Foundation - Chicago**Chicago CRED Support**
Chicago Cred received a $21 million grant from the Sue Ling Gin Foundation to support gun violence reduction efforts in the city.
Sue Ling Gin Foundation donates $15M to train Chicago police supervisorsContact Information
- Address: 212 N Sangamon St Ste 1a, Chicago, IL 60607-1722
- Phone: +1-312-243-0399
- Website: www.suelgincharitablefoundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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