The Christopher L & M Susan Gust
THE CHRISTOPHER L & M SUSAN GUST is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. It supports school communities working toward school-wide inclusive and equitable practices, and its 2025 grants also went to organizations working in areas including health, food assistance, housing, sports, and disability services.
Key facts about The Christopher L & M Susan Gust
In short: The Christopher L & M Susan Gust gave $2.1M across 37 grants in 2025 (avg $55K), mostly in Illinois. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 61-1405669
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,050,906
- Grants made (2025)
- 37
- Average grant
- $55,430
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (14 of 37, 2025)
- Total assets
- $88,001,679
- Primary geography
- Illinois (67% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$88.0M
+38.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.1M
+32.3% YoY
Grant Count
37
+15.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$55K
+14.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Christopher L & M Susan Gust reported a distributable amount of $5.9M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Christopher L & M Susan Gust open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 37 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $76K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 57% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 81% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 51% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to partner with school leaders and communities committed to improving school-wide inclusive and equitable practices for all students. It supports school leadership and staff in developing an inclusive vision and structures to sustain it, with the goal of “Access for All.”
Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Team Impact describes its mission as addressing the emotional trauma and social isolation experienced by children with serious and chronic illnesses by matching them with college athletic teams. The Greater Chicago Food Depository says its mission is to end hunger, while The Night Ministry describes providing human connection, housing support, and health care to people who are unhoused or experiencing poverty. Have Dreams says it helps people with autism spectrum disorder learn, function independently, and socialize. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the Foundation’s.
Grantmaking
The Foundation awarded 37 grants totaling $2,050,906 in 2025. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $525,000, with a median grant of $20,000. Among the largest awards were $525,000 to St. Ignatius College Prep for general purposes and its baseball and hockey programs; $300,000 to Team Impact for general purposes; and $265,529 to Concussion Legacy Foundation for general purposes. Other notable grants included $164,539 to Mission of Our Lady of Angels Church, $138,040 to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and $100,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Review Cycle
or restrictions on awards. **How to apply:** The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests or proposals. Its website directs interested school administrators to explore the partnership process and submit a partnership application.
Ready to take the next step with The Christopher L & M Susan Gust?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 67% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 28% to recipients in Massachusetts. The remaining reported shares went to Colorado (2%), New York (1%), and Michigan (0%). The Foundation’s website describes its school-partnership work, and its 2025 filing reports a continuing partnership with Chicago Public Schools.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 37 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
189 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP Chicago, IL | GENERAL PURPOSE/BASEBALL & HOCKEY PROGRAM | $525,000 |
| TEAM IMPACT Quincy, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $300,000 |
| CONCUSSION LEGACY FOUNDATION Boston, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $265,529 |
| MISSION OF OUR LADY OF ANGELS CHURCH Chicago, IL | GENERAL PURPOSE/SUPPLIES FOR CHURCH | $164,539 |
| SHIRLEY RYAN ABILITYLAB (FKA REHAB INSTIUTE OF CHICAGO) Chicago, IL | GENERAL PURPOSE | $138,040 |
| GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY Chicago, IL | GENERAL PURPOSE | $100,000 |
| CHICAGO MISSION HOCKEY Chicago, IL | GENERAL PURPOSE | $52,500 |
| INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CORP Chicago, IL | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| NOURISHING HOPE (FKA LAKEVIEW FOOD PANTRY) Chicago, IL | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| THE NIGHT MINISTRY Chicago, IL | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,050,906 | 37 |
| 2024 | $1,549,945 | 32 |
| 2023 | $1,704,335 | 40 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $88,001,679 | $63,499,877 | $13,655,238 |
| Revenue | $27,565,226 | $52,378,714 | $2,433,375 |
| Expenses | $3,063,424 | $2,534,075 | $2,838,903 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,028,355 | $2,379,185 | $2,706,517 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,562,081 | $2,234,212 | $2,306,237 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,947,358 | $3,098,102 | $2,396,161 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 18, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 3, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 18, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 26, 2024)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Christopher L. Gust, M. Susan Gust, and Diane Edmundson as directors. The Foundation’s team page identifies Susan Gust as Founding Director and Lindsay Kovarik and Jennifer Larry as Co-Directors.
The Christopher L & M Susan Gust's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christopher L. Gust
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane Edmundson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
M. Susan Gust
Director
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Application contact: Christopher L Or Susan Gust The Chr
Mailing address: 141 W Jackson Blvd Ste 1310, Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (312) 391-6354
Website: https://gustfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Christopher L & M Susan Gust
How much does The Christopher L & M Susan Gust give each year?
The Christopher L & M Susan Gust gave $2.1M across 37 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.5M across 32 grants.
What is The Christopher L & M Susan Gust's typical grant size?
The Christopher L & M Susan Gust's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $55,430, across 37 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Christopher L & M Susan Gust that year got $21K on average.
Where does The Christopher L & M Susan Gust give grants?
The Christopher L & M Susan Gust gives mostly in Illinois: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (28%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (21 grants) and Evanston, IL (2 grants).
Does The Christopher L & M Susan Gust give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of The Christopher L & M Susan Gust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (35 of 37) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Christopher L & M Susan Gust's largest grantees?
The Christopher L & M Susan Gust's largest 2025 grantees include St Ignatius College Prep ($525,000), Team Impact ($300,000) and Concussion Legacy Foundation ($265,529), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Christopher L & M Susan Gust?
The Christopher L & M Susan Gust reported $88.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Christopher L & M Susan Gust fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to partner with school leaders and communities committed to improving school-wide inclusive and equitable practices for all students. It supports school leadership and staff in developing an inclusive vision and structures to sustain it, with the goal of “Access for All.” Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Team Impact describes its mission as addressing the emotional trauma and social isolation experienced by children with …
How do I apply for a grant from The Christopher L & M Susan Gust?
The Foundation awarded 37 grants totaling $2,050,906 in 2025. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $525,000, with a median grant of $20,000. Among the largest awards were $525,000 to St. Ignatius College Prep for general purposes and its baseball and hockey programs; $300,000 to Team Impact for general purposes; and $265,529 to Concussion Legacy Foundation for general purposes. Other notable grants included $164,539 to Mission of Our Lady of Angels Church, $138,040 to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and …
What is The Christopher L & M Susan Gust's EIN?
The Christopher L & M Susan Gust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-1405669. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Christopher L & M Susan Gust accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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