The 21st Century Institute is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Westmont, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $3.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $5K. Net investment income was $74K.
Key facts about The 21st Century Institute
In short: The 21st Century Institute gave $5K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 81-4822464
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $5,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- Average grant
- $5,000
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,778,855
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.8M
+13.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$5K
-80.0% YoY
Grant Count
1
-66.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
-40.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The 21st Century Institute reported a distributable amount of $164K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The 21st Century Institute gives
- Giving fell 75% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 58% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Ready to take the next step with The 21st Century Institute?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5K (2025) to $70K (2023). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $5K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was claremont Mckenna College ($5K).
Grant Size Distribution
9 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 9 grants of 9 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| claremont Mckenna College Claremont, CA | Acdemic Support | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,778,855 | $3,339,822 | $2,590,854 |
| Revenue | $74,066 | $289,834 | $73,136 |
| Expenses | $184,775 | $198,123 | $148,533 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $94,888 | $198,123 | $148,533 |
| Net Investment Income | $74,066 | $291,570 | $73,136 |
| Distributable Amount | $164,021 | — | $126,590 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 11, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 31, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The 21st Century Institute is led by Sharon K Tan, President & Education Dirctor since 2023 (on filings since 2019); all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sharon K Tan
President & Education Dirctor
President → Presidentand Education Dirctor, 2020
Presidentand Education Dirctor → President & Education Dirctor, 2023
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$25K (2020) → $100K (2025)
Kevin K. Tan
Secretary
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$24K (2024) → $30K (2025)
Weidong Shi
Vice President
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$8K (2024) → $20K (2025)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $100K, to Sharon K Tan (PRESIDENT and Education Dirctor). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The 21st Century Institute
How much does The 21st Century Institute give each year?
The 21st Century Institute gave $5K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25K across 3 grants.
How large is The 21st Century Institute?
The 21st Century Institute reported $3.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $95K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $164K (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 is The 21st Century Institute?
The 21st Century Institute is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Westmont, IL. It holds $3.8M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does The 21st Century Institute operate?
The 21st Century Institute has awarded grants in California, Illinois.
What is The 21st Century Institute's EIN?
The 21st Century Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4822464. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Here's the math on researching The 21st Century Institute by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The 21st Century Institute's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Annexstad Family Foundation
Alpharetta, GA
The foundation funds undergraduate scholarships for students who have overcome difficult circumstances, providing support through partner colleges and universities across the United States. In 2025, its 54 grants ranged from $2,065 to $1 million, with a median of $43,875. It does not accept unsolicited requests; partner institutions select scholarship recipients.
Assets
$32.6M
Grants
54
Total Given
$3.2M
Ernst & Young Foundation
New York, NY
The Ernst & Young Foundation primarily supports higher education and preparation for business careers, with additional grants for educational projects, social justice, and disaster relief. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,056 to $316,005, with a median of $13,525, and went to organizations across the United States.
Assets
$47.6M
Grants
637
Total Given
$16.7M
KPMG US Foundation Inc
Montvale, NJ
KPMG US Foundation supports education, mental health, community vitality, and community relief and resilience, with grants distributed across the United States. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts ranged from about $5,000 to $2.2 million. The available information does not say whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$12.4M
Grants
387
Total Given
$33.5M
Deloitte Foundation
Stamford, CT
The Deloitte Foundation funds U.S. education initiatives, including scholarships, curriculum and faculty support, mentoring, and grants to education nonprofits and universities, particularly through local programs in about 30 selected locations. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, and it does not accept unsolicited requests for its Local Impact Grant Program.
Assets
$51.4M
Grants
121
Total Given
$32.5M
Smith Richardson Foundation Inc
Greensboro, NC
The Smith Richardson Foundation funds public-policy research and writing on international security and foreign policy, as well as domestic policy areas such as education, economic opportunity, and criminal justice; its grants support organizations and institutions, primarily in the U.S. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $400,000 in 2024, with a median of $49,715. Its website describes a process beginning with a concept paper, with full proposals by invitation; it does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$557.9M
Grants
282
Total Given
$22.9M
Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco the Peninsula Marin & Sonoma
San Francisco, CA
Jewish Federation Bay Area funds programs that strengthen Jewish life, combat antisemitism, respond to crises, support people in need, and advance justice and inclusion. Its work focuses on the Bay Area, Israel, and beyond; 2025 grants had a median of $22,750, though amounts varied widely. It frequently issues requests for proposals and welcomes inquiries about its process, but no current opportunities are listed.
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
1,032
Total Given
$94.5M
The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation Inc
Milwaukee, WI
The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation supports 501(c)(3) organizations advancing constitutional order, free markets, civil society, and informed citizens, with grants across the U.S. and the largest share going to Wisconsin. In 2024, grants ranged from $500 to $6.62 million, with a median of $100,000. It accepts unsolicited letters of inquiry online on an ongoing basis; full applications are by invitation.
Assets
—
Grants
361
Total Given
$56.5M
Western Asset Management Company
Pasadena, CA
Western Asset Management Company funds education, humanitarian aid, religious activities, and other charitable work, primarily in California, with some giving in New York and other states. Its 2026 grants ranged from $100 to $6,772, with a median of $1,000. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$10K
Grants
66
Total Given
$55K
Russell Sage Foundation
New York, NY
The Russell Sage Foundation funds U.S.-focused social science research on issues including work, race and immigration, decision-making, and inequality, primarily through grants to researchers and institutions. Recent grants had a median of $37,500, while program awards can reach $200,000; it supports work focused on the United States. It accepts applications through program-specific online processes, with eligibility and deadlines varying by grant.
Assets
$492.6M
Grants
137
Total Given
$6.4M
The Henry Luce Foundation Inc
New York, NY
The Henry Luce Foundation funds U.S. nonprofits and international equivalents working in areas including education, research, arts, civic life, Indigenous knowledge, religion, and women in STEM. Its 2024 grants had a median of $50,000, with amounts ranging from $75 to $1.25 million. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
652
Total Given
$49.3M
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation funds education, climate and conservation, the arts, gender equity, governance, democracy, and philanthropy, with work in the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. West, nationally, and internationally. Its 2024 grants had a median of $150,000, though awards ranged from $50 to more than $11 million; it often provides long-term general operating support. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, except through invited open processes.
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds nonprofits addressing economic mobility, wealth gaps, and urgent community needs, with priorities including homeownership, small businesses, education, quality jobs, and investment in underinvested communities. Its 2025 itemized grants had a median of $26,500, though awards vary widely; grants generally benefit Chicago-region residents, and the Trust directs applicants to open opportunities but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
More Funders in Illinois
The 21st Century Institute down — hundreds of funders to go?