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
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.
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
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Chicago Symphony Orchestra ($1,145,000), Glad (glbtq Legal Advocates & Defenders) ($250,000), Howard Brown Health Center ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A JUST HARVEST CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| A SILVER LINING FOUNDATION CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $76,000 |
| ACLU FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS CHICAGO, IL | 40 TICKETS TO CHICAGO RED STARS MATCHES AT FMV GIVEN ON 11/26/2024 | $640 |
| AMERICAN FARM SCHOOL NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF YAD LABANIM INC LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS FBO RED CROSS OF GREATER CHICAGO WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,000 |
| AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| BERNIE'S BOOK BANK LAKE BLUFF, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
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
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund fund?
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 h…
How do I apply for a grant from Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund?
The foundation makes grants primarily through general support to organizations. Recent grant activity demonstrates significant giving capacity: **2024 Activity:** • Made 125 grants totaling approximately $9.1 million • Notable recipients included Chicago Symphony Orchestra ($1,145,000), Loyola University Chicago ($700,000), and SETI Institute ($580,122) • Typical award ranges from $192 to $1,553,000 **2023 Activity:** • Made 125 grants totaling approximately $7.1 million • Notable recipients in…
Where does Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking is primarily concentrated in Illinois, New York, and Wisconsin, with a particular emphasis on Chicago-based organizations.
What size grants does Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund award?
In 2024, Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund awarded 119 grants totaling $9.6M — an average of about $80K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Tawani Charitable Distribution Fund reported a distributable amount of $5.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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