Sunshine Charitable Foundation
Sunshine Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Libertyville, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports 63 grants totaling $3,271,290 to organizations including conservation groups, a YMCA, educational institutions, and health-related organizations.
Sunshine Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Sunshine Charitable Foundation gave $3.3M across 63 grants in 2025 (avg $52K), top state Illinois. 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,271,290
- +198.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 63
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $51,925
- +198.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $115,351,352
- +0.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (6 of 62, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (47% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sunshine Charitable 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: 111 Lake Street, Libertyville, IL 60048
Phone: (847) 615-9560
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sunshine Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Ducks Unlimited Inc ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $3.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
304 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 262 grants of 304 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois (47%), Wisconsin (17%), Pennsylvania (14%), New York (10%), and Ohio (5%). The listed grants also included recipients in other states, including North Dakota, Colorado, California, and Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 63 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sunshine Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 62 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $44K; repeat grants $54K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 79% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 52% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 72% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2024) to $13.1M (2019). In 2025 it made 63 grants totaling $3.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ducks Unlimited Inc Brookfield, IL | General Support Grant | $1,028,000 |
| Door County YMCA Sturgeon Bay, WI | General Support Grant | $510,000 |
| National Wrestling Coaches Association Inc Manheim, PA | General Support Grant | $450,000 |
| Fare New York, NY | General Support Grant | $333,333 |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation Lake Forest, IL | General Support Grant | $250,000 |
| Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH | General Support Grant | $150,000 |
| Delta Waterfowl Foundation Bismarck, ND | General Support Grant | $100,000 |
| University of Chicago Chicago, IL | General Support Grant | $85,000 |
| Start Early (FKA Ounce of Prevention Fund) Chicago, IL | General Support Grant | $50,000 |
| National Alopecia Areata Foundation San Rafael, CA | General Support Grant | $40,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $115,351,352 | $5,696,954 | $5,531,875 | $3,271,290 | 63 | $3,277,244 | $3,379,194 | $4,525,185 |
| 2024 | $114,898,886 | $24,054 | $4,010,945 | $1,095,607 | 63 | $1,118,476 | — | $5,410,273 |
| 2023 | $118,841,914 | $45,616,502 | $8,903,997 | $7,272,365 | 66 | $7,286,125 | $44,395,159 | $4,645,705 |
| 2022 | $82,080,626 | $7,956,699 | $7,769,619 | $6,865,489 | 56 | $6,868,132 | $7,004,818 | $6,373,066 |
| 2021 | $82,890,583 | $1,646,081 | $5,814,688 | $5,297,600 | 56 | — | $2,534,839 | $7,634,422 |
| 2019 | $91,400,994 | $1,419,781 | $14,093,775 | $13,054,250 | 52 | — | $710,908 | $6,632,995 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sunshine Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.5M for 2025 — 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 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including wildlife conservation, community programs, education, health, and youth sports. For example, Ducks Unlimited received a grant, and Delta Waterfowl Foundation describes its mission as producing ducks and securing the future of waterfowl hunting. Door County YMCA says it works to build healthy spirit, mind, and body and strengthen its community. The National Alopecia Areata Foundation says it supports research, people affected by the disease, and public education.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 63 grants totaling $3,271,290. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $1,028,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest awards included $1,028,000 to Ducks Unlimited Inc., $510,000 to Door County YMCA, $450,000 to National Wrestling Coaches Association Inc., $333,333 to FARE, and $250,000 to Northwestern Memorial Foundation. These grants were listed as general support.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Sunshine Charitable Foundation is led by David G Bunning, President Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David G Bunning
President Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nathan Ballard
Secretary Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Denise A Bunning
Vice President Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Michael Hughes (2019) — Secretary Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Sunshine Charitable Foundation
How much does Sunshine Charitable Foundation give each year?
Sunshine Charitable Foundation gave $3.3M across 63 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 63 grants.
What is Sunshine Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Sunshine Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $51,925, across 63 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sunshine Charitable Foundation that year got $44K on average.
Where does Sunshine Charitable Foundation give grants?
Sunshine Charitable Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Wisconsin (17%) and Pennsylvania (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (10 grants), Sturgeon Bay, WI (9 grants), Lake Forest, IL (7 grants) and Galena, IL (3 grants).
Does Sunshine Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of Sunshine Charitable Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (62 of 63) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sunshine Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Sunshine Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Ducks Unlimited Inc ($1,028,000), Door County YMCA ($510,000) and National Wrestling Coaches Association Inc ($450,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sunshine Charitable Foundation?
Sunshine Charitable Foundation reported $115.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.5M (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 Sunshine Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including wildlife conservation, community programs, education, health, and youth sports. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sunshine Charitable 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 Sunshine Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Sunshine Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1919538. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Sunshine Charitable 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 17, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sunshine Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sunshine Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sunshine-charitable-foundation-morg_4334cd05c8054c88af66978a80229e2d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201919538_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sunshine Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sunshine-charitable-foundation-morg_4334cd05c8054c88af66978a80229e2d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Sunshine Charitable 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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