The Canning Foundation
The Canning Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, established in 1993. The foundation supports a diverse range of philanthropic initiatives across the United States with a broad geographic reach and varied funding interests.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$8.6M
+17.8% YoY
Grant Count
65
-27.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$133K
+63.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary giving focuses on:
- Arts and education, including Roman Catholic education
- Human services
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
- K-12 education, including charter schools and Head Start programs
The foundation does not specify particular subject areas of focus in its formal documentation, instead maintaining a broad approach to grantmaking across multiple sectors.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on a preselected basis only, meaning it does not accept unsolicited grant applications. The foundation has limited staffing, with board members and key employees working without compensation.
Grant Range
$1,000–$3.1 million
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Canning Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds projects across a broad geographic reach, including:
- Primary focus areas: Illinois, New York, and District of Columbia
- Additional funding in 19 states and numerous cities across the United States
- Major urban centers supported include Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Giving:
- Total assets: $21,153,373 (most recent filing)
- Total giving: $8,627,571 (most recent fiscal year)
- Total expenses: Approximately $7.5 million
- Total revenue: Approximately $8.3 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
The foundation is led by:
- John A. Canning Jr. – Co-President and Director
- Rita J. Canning – Co-President and Director
- Robert J. Quinn – Executive Vice President, Treasurer, and Director
- Sharon J. Kulak – Secretary and Director
- Elizabeth Canning Lupo – Director
- John F. Podjasek III – Director
- Timothy Canning – Director
- Michael Canning – Director
- Jeff Podjasek – Director
- Steve Podjasek – Director
All board members serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN A CANNING JR | CO-PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | — | — |
| RITA J CANNING | CO-PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | — | — |
| SHARON J KULAK | SEC/DIRECTOR | — | — |
| ELIZABETH CANNING LUPO | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JOHN F PODJASEK III | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| ROBERT J QUINN | EXEC VP/TREASURER/DIRECTOR | — | — |
| TIMOTHY CANNING | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MICHAEL CANNING | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JEFF PODJASEK | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| STEVE PODJASEK | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: Co Rjc 70 W Madison 4600 Chicago, IL 60602 United States
Telephone: 312-895-1100
EIN: 36-3913323
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Green and Blue Foundation
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
—
Grants
3
Total Given
$51K
Above and Beyond Daycare Center
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, IL
Assets
—
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Primo Center for Women & Children
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$9.7M
Grants
1
Total Given
$35K
Rose Lafferty Educational Fund Xxxxx9006
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$3.4M
Grants
1
Total Given
$228K
The John Crerar Foundation
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$991K
Grants
1
Total Given
$35K
Fostering Success
WAYNE, IL
Assets
$38K
Grants
1
Total Given
$2K
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Canning Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities