Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund
The TAWANI Charitable Distribution Fund is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its giving reflects founder Colonel Jennifer N. Pritzker’s interests in history, the environment, cultural institutions, and health and human rights.
Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund at a glance
In short: Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund gave $9.6M across 119 grants in 2024 (avg $80K), mostly in Illinois. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $9,552,840
- +11.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 119
- +12.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $80,276
- -0.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $24,000
- Total assets
- $116,960,063
- +16.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (37 of 119, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (60% 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 Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. It accepts applications by invitation only and has no open application period.
- Contact
Mailing address: 104 S Michigan Ave 1025, Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: (312) 374-9390
Website: https://tawanifoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Operation White Stork ($1.6M). Together the top 10 received $5.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
601 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 413 grants of 601 (69%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were concentrated in Illinois, which received 60% of the total. New York and California each received 8%, Louisiana received 6%, and Massachusetts received 3%. The foundation describes its cultural-institution support as largely focused in and around the Chicago area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 119 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 37 of 119 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $106K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 193% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $8.5M (2022) to $9.6M (2024). In 2024 it made 119 grants totaling $9.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Operation White Stork Winnetka, IL | General Support | $1,553,000 |
| Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chicago, IL | General Support | $1,145,000 |
| Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL | General Support | $700,000 |
| Tulane University New Orleans, LA | General Support | $606,520 |
| Seti Institute Mountain View, CA | General Support | $580,122 |
| Pritzker Military Foundation Chicago, IL | Salaries/Benefits & General Office Expenses | $483,752 |
| Glad (GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders) Boston, MA | General Support | $250,000 |
| World Pediatrics Saint Louis, MO | General Support | $230,000 |
| Howard Brown Health Center Chicago, IL | General Support | $200,000 |
| Philander Smith College Little Rock, AR | General Support | $200,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund?
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 | $116,960,063 | $21,732,117 | $15,919,015 | $9,552,840 | 119 | $9,614,501 | $9,290,442 | $4,990,239 |
| 2023 | $100,344,839 | $15,689,197 | $9,082,559 | $8,535,628 | 106 | $8,664,026 | $4,917,460 | $4,375,164 |
| 2022 | $86,194,015 | $8,425,028 | $8,434,987 | $8,463,534 | 125 | $8,595,440 | $4,704,951 | $4,230,063 |
| 2021 | $104,212,573 | $19,788,937 | $10,981,084 | $8,975,441 | 123 | $9,770,309 | $10,499,544 | $4,627,204 |
| 2020 | $82,205,067 | $11,333,042 | $8,675,411 | $8,678,482 | 128 | — | $4,792,281 | $3,632,697 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund reported a distributable amount of $5.0M 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
The foundation describes its giving as spanning history, the environment, cultural institutions, health, and human rights. Its stated focus areas also include education and gender and human sexuality. It says it supports organizations whose work connects the past with the future and makes a measurable difference in the present.
Grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association says its mission is to enrich, inspire, and transform lives through music, community engagement, and education. The SETI Institute says it works to explore, understand, and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence. Howard Brown Health Center describes its work as providing healthcare and social services, including behavioral and clinical research. Philander Smith College says its mission is to graduate academically accomplished students grounded as advocates for social justice.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 119 grants totaling $9,552,840. Awards ranged from $192 to $1,553,000, with a median grant of $24,000. The largest grants included $1,553,000 to Operation White Stork, $1,145,000 to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, $700,000 to Loyola University Chicago, $606,520 to Tulane University, and $580,122 to the SETI Institute. The stated purposes for these grants were general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Colonel IL Jennifer N. Pritzker as president; Mary F. Falcon as secretary; and Shari L. Koehler as treasurer through August 2024. Directors listed are Lewis M. Collens, Colonel David R. Pelizzon USA (Ret.), Andrew Pritzker, Tal Hava Pritzker, and William Pritzker.
Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund is led by Colonel Il Jennifer N. Pritzker, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 8 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Colonel Il Jennifer N. Pritzker
President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Pritzker
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lewis M. Collens
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tal Hava Pritzker
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William Pritzker
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Colonel David R. Pelizzon Usa Ret
Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shari L. Koehler
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary F. Falcon
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Mary F. Parthe (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Charles E. Dobrusin Esq. (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: David R. Pelizzon (2020) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund
How much does Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund give each year?
Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund gave $9.6M across 119 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $8.5M across 106 grants.
What is Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund's typical grant size?
Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund's median grant in 2024 was $24,000, and its average grant was $80,276, across 119 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund that year got $23K on average.
Where does Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund give grants?
Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund gives mostly in Illinois: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (8%) and California (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (56 grants), New York, NY (15 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 89% of Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (106 of 119) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund's largest grantees?
Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Operation White Stork ($1,553,000), Chicago Symphony Orchestra ($1,145,000) and Loyola University Chicago ($700,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund?
Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund reported $117.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $9.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund fund?
The foundation describes its giving as spanning history, the environment, cultural institutions, health, and human rights. Its stated focus areas also include education and gender and human sexuality. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund?
The foundation 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 Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund's EIN?
Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0040386. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/tawani-charitable-distribution-fund-morg_d6fa787b7eb74c43bf66cdafe59bb088
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300040386_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/tawani-charitable-distribution-fund-morg_d6fa787b7eb74c43bf66cdafe59bb088},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund'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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