Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund
The TAWANI Charitable Distribution Fund is a private family foundation established in 2002 and based in Chicago, Illinois. Also known as the Colonel IL James N Pritzker Charitable Distribution Fund, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a focus on strategic philanthropic giving across multiple sectors including education, military history, cultural institutions, environmental initiatives, and health and human services.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$117.0M
+16.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.6M
+11.9% YoY
Grant Count
119
+12.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$80K
-0.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on enhancing awareness of the importance of the citizen soldier through preservation of military history, preserving unique sites of significance to American history, improving public spaces and services to enhance quality of life, and honoring the service of military personnel through recognition of achievement.
Primary funding areas include:
- Educational programs that highlight the role of the military in society
- General education initiatives
- Gender and human sexuality
- Cultural institutions and preservation
- Environmental initiatives
- Health and human services
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants primarily through general support to organizations. Recent grant activity demonstrates significant giving capacity:
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is primarily concentrated in Illinois, New York, and Wisconsin, with a particular emphasis on Chicago-based organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $116,960,063
- Total Revenues: $21,732,117
- Total Expenses: $15,919,015
- Total Giving: $9,069,088
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $100,344,839
- Total Revenues: $15,689,197
- Total Expenses: $9,082,559
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $100,000,000
- Total Revenues: $15,700,000
- Total Expenses: $9,080,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $116,960,063 | $100,344,839 | $86,194,015 |
| Revenue | $21,732,117 | $15,689,197 | $8,425,028 |
| Expenses | $15,919,015 | $9,082,559 | $8,434,987 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,614,501 | $8,664,026 | $8,595,440 |
| Net Investment Income | $9,290,442 | $4,917,460 | $4,704,951 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,990,239 | $4,375,164 | $4,230,063 |
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
250 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
- Founder: COL (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired)
- Principal Officer: Lisa Marie Lanz
- Staff: The foundation operates with 3 employees as of 2024
The foundation's name reflects the founder's three children: Tal, Andrew, and William.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLONEL IL JENNIFER N PRITZKER | PRESIDENT | 0.25 | — |
| MARY F FALCON | SECRETARY | 0.25 | — |
| SHARI L KOEHLER | TREASURER (THRU 08/2024) | 0.25 | — |
| LEWIS M COLLENS | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| COLONEL DAVID R PELIZZON USA RET | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| ANDREW PRITZKER | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| TAL HAVA PRITZKER | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| WILLIAM PRITZKER | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has demonstrated active grantmaking in response to community needs. Recent notable grants include support for Chicago:Blend's venture capital fellowship program and a $500,000 grant to the Greater Chicago Food Depository to address growing food insecurity.
TAWANI Foundation awards major grant to boost Chicago:Blend\u2019s VC fellowship\The foundation continues to honor military service and achievement, as evidenced by its recognition of Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer N. Pritzker with a Badge of Honor from the Ukrainian National Guard's Presidential Brigade.
Colonel Jennifer N. Pritzker\u2019s TAWANI Foundation Responds to Growing\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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