The Experimental Station
The Experimental Station is a public charity based in Chicago, Illinois, organized to foster innovative educational and cultural initiatives. Its programs address food access, youth education, arts and culture, and community wellbeing, with activities that include supporting farmers markets and food businesses, offering food education, and providing youth bicycle education.
The Experimental Station at a glance
In short: The Experimental Station gave $1.3M across 30 grants in 2024 (avg $42K), mostly in Illinois. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,267,324
- -15.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 30
- -43.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $42,244
- +49.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $18,681
- Total assets
- $1,560,262
- -22.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (6 of 30, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (93% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Experimental Station
- Contact
Mailing address: 6100 S Blackstone, Chicago, IL 60637
Phone: (773) 241-6044
Website: https://experimentalstation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Experimental Station funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Green City Market ($178K). Together the top 10 received $982K.
Grant Size Distribution
211 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 174 grants of 211 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant-dollar distribution was reported as 93% to Illinois, 5% to California, and 1% to Ohio. The organization’s own programs include the 61st Street Farmers Market in Woodlawn and Link Up Illinois, which works with participating venues in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Experimental Station open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 30 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $47K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $21K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $720K (2021) to $1.6M (2022). In 2024 it made 30 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Green City Market Chicago, IL | Support for Local Famer's Market | $177,500 |
| Cermak Produce No 7 Inc Chicago, IL | Support for Local Famer's Market | $173,175 |
| One Stop Foods & Liquor Inc Chicago, IL | Support for Local Famer's Market | $134,287 |
| A&S Supermercado Inc Aka Mi Mexico Chicago, IL | Support for Local Famer's Market | $109,000 |
| The Land Connection Champaign, IL | Support for Local Famer's Market | $83,950 |
| Common Ground Food Co-Op Urbana, IL | Support for Local Famer's Market | $75,738 |
| Albertson's Company Inc Los Angelea, CA | Support for Local Famer's Market | $68,324 |
| Neighborhood Co-Op Grocery Carbondale, IL | Support for Local Famer's Market | $64,525 |
| Sugar Beet Food Co-Op Oak Park, IL | Support for Local Famer's Market | $63,867 |
| Uptown Farmers Market NFP Chicago, IL | Support for Local Famer's Market | $32,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,560,262 | $3,071,505 | $3,261,695 | $1,267,324 | 30 | $8,948 |
| 2023 | $2,011,911 | $3,197,963 | $3,073,469 | $1,494,942 | 53 | $230 |
| 2022 | $1,500,794 | $3,208,325 | $3,305,824 | $1,582,877 | 56 | $1,753 |
| 2021 | $1,624,397 | $2,920,468 | $2,164,971 | $720,213 | 30 | $131 |
| 2020 | $888,026 | $2,377,855 | $2,427,289 | $966,969 | 42 | — |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to promote and foster innovative educational and cultural initiatives, including art and design, educational models, food, and alternative media and journalism.
Its programs include Link Up Illinois, which provides funding, training, and technical support to venues implementing Link Match, a program that matches eligible SNAP/Link purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables. The 61st Street Farmers Market serves the Woodlawn community with healthy food and food education. Blackstone Bicycle Works provides youth education in a bike-shop setting, including mechanic training, bicycles, internships, advising, and scholarships. The organization also describes programs in arts and cultural events and small-business incubation.
Among its 2024 grantees, Inner-City Muslim Action Network received $11,482; the grantee describes its mission as fostering health, wellness, and healing in the inner city through social change organizing, arts, and a holistic health center. Batavia MainStreet received $7,000; it describes its mission as enhancing downtown Batavia’s identity as the heart of the community through volunteer efforts.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Experimental Station reported 30 grants totaling $1,267,324. Grant amounts ranged from $5,375 to $177,500, with a median of $18,681. The largest reported grants included $177,500 to Green City Market, $173,175 to Cermak Produce No 7 Inc, $134,287 to One Stop Foods & Liquor Inc, and $109,000 to A&S Supermercado Inc aka Mi Mexico. Each was listed for “support for local famer’s market.” The Land Connection received $83,950 for the same stated purpose.
The filing also listed grants to Common Ground Food Co-op ($75,738), Albertson’s Company Inc ($68,324), Neighborhood Co-op Grocery ($64,525), Sugar Beet Food Co-op ($63,867), Uptown Farmers Market NFP ($32,000), Village of Skokie ($30,761), and Chicago Botanic Garden ($22,000), each for “support for local famer’s market.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Martin Friedman as president, Emmitt House as vice president, Mulubwa Munkanta as treasurer, and Constance Spreen as executive director. Directors listed are Beth Loeb, Steve Wiesenthal, Corliss King, Jill Ingrassia, Richard Wright, and Dan Peterman.
The Experimental Station is led by Constance Spreen, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 1 of 10 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Constance Spreen
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$90K (2021) → $109K (2024)
Martin Friedman
President
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Beth Loeb
Director
Director → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Corliss King
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dan Peterman
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Wiesenthal
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jill Ingrassia
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Wright
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emmitt House
Vice President
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mulubwa Munkanta
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Mea Konopasek (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Connie Spreen PhD (2020) — Executive Director
- Former: Janis Kanter (2020) — Director
- Former: Michelle Holland (2020) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $109K, to Constance Spreen (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Experimental Station
How much does The Experimental Station give each year?
The Experimental Station gave $1.3M across 30 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.5M across 53 grants.
What is The Experimental Station's typical grant size?
The Experimental Station's median grant in 2024 was $18,681, and its average grant was $42,244, across 30 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Experimental Station that year got $22K on average.
Where does The Experimental Station give grants?
The Experimental Station gives mostly in Illinois: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (12 grants), Carbondale, IL (2 grants) and Springfield, IL (2 grants).
Does The Experimental Station give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on The Experimental Station's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support for Local Famer's Market" (30 grants).
Who are The Experimental Station's largest grantees?
The Experimental Station's largest 2024 grantees include Green City Market ($177,500), Cermak Produce No 7 Inc ($173,175) and One Stop Foods & Liquor Inc ($134,287), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Experimental Station?
The Experimental Station reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.1M.
What does The Experimental Station fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to promote and foster innovative educational and cultural initiatives, including art and design, educational models, food, and alternative media and journalism. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Experimental Station?
The Experimental Station has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check experimentalstation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Experimental Station's EIN?
The Experimental Station's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 32-0017985. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Experimental Station's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Experimental Station funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-experimental-station-morg_f94a915a4d2344fd90f5166124e2b253
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_320017985_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Experimental Station funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-experimental-station-morg_f94a915a4d2344fd90f5166124e2b253},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Experimental Station's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
The Experimental Station down — hundreds of funders to go?