The Jay Pritzker Foundation

HOUSTON, TX EIN: 02-0550210

The Jay Pritzker Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas, established in 2002. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a general fund structure that is utilized at the discretion of the director. The foundation has no employees and focuses its philanthropic efforts on grantmaking across multiple sectors and geographic regions.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$22.1M

+14.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$10.4M

-59.8% YoY

Grant Count

15

-34.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$691K

-38.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jay Pritzker Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation does not specify particular subject areas of focus in its formal documentation. However, based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation supports:

  • Education
  • Arts and Culture
  • Community Development
  • Human Services
  • Philanthropy and Voluntarism

Grantmaking

No specific application process information is available in the sources provided.

Average Grant

amount: approximately $1.1 million per grant

How to Apply

**

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds organizations across numerous U.S. states and cities, including:

  • California (primary focus area with multiple grants to San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Sacramento, and other cities)
  • New Mexico (Santa Fe)
  • Oregon (Portland)
  • Illinois
  • Alaska (Fairbanks)
  • Pennsylvania
  • New York
  • Washington, D.C.

The foundation demonstrates broad geographic reach across the United States.

Grant Distribution by State

19states
+11 more states

Cities

AlexandriaBerkeleyBrunswickChicagoConcordCopemishCotatiDenverEvanstonFairbanksFairfieldGreenbraeHoustonKentfieldKnoxvilleMiddletonMiddletownMill ValleyNew OrleansNew York

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Fiscal Year Ending December 2023:

  • Total Assets: $19,290,307
  • Total Revenues: $9,950,464
  • Total Expenses: $25,910,081
  • Number of Employees: 0

As of Fiscal Year Ending December 2024:

  • Total Assets: $22,082,657
  • Total Giving: $10,360,000

Financial Notes: The foundation's expenses exceed its annual revenues, indicating it draws from its asset base to support its grantmaking activities. The expense ratio is approximately 260.4% of total revenue.

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$11M$23M$34M$45M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$22,082,657$19,290,307$32,198,407
Revenue$11,402,282$9,950,464$17,221,301
Expenses$10,527,138$25,910,081$12,597,361
Qualifying Distributions$10,490,112$25,883,134$12,508,497
Net Investment Income$2,580,582$2,178,517$409,403
Distributable Amount$1,196,149$1,394,112$1,779,916

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$6M$13M$19M$26M57 grants202037 grants202122 grants202223 grants202315 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

FOUNDATION FOR CALIFORNI…$5.0MST JOHNS COLLEGE$3.5MPORTLAND ART MUSEUM$500KCOLLEGE OF MARIN FOUNDAT…$250KEMPOWER - THE EMERGING M…$250KSAN FRANCISCO CONSERVATO…$200KNORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY$188KUNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FOU…$183KPROVIDENCE ST MEL SCHOOL$75KTHE HARPSWELL FOUNDATION$75K

Grant Size Distribution

147 grants across all recorded years

87<$50K12$50–100K17$100–250K11$250–500K7$500K–1M6$1–5M7$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Foundation for California Community Colleges ($5,000,000), St Johns College ($3,500,000), Portland Art Museum ($500,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
CLYFFORD STILL MUSEUM DENVER, COSUPPORT OF ITS FORWARD TO 15 FUND$25,000
COLLEGE OF MARIN FOUNDATION KENTFIELD, CATO LEVERAGE THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ENSURE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO BUILD THE COLLEGE OF MARIN'S BOLINAS FIELD STATION$250,000
EMPOWER - THE EMERGING MARKETS FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NYTO ESTABLISH AN ENDOWMENT IN SUPPORT OF ITS ONGOING MISSION$250,000
FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO, CASUPPORT OF THE SYMPOSIUM AND SCHOLARS' STUDY DAY AT THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM$25,000
FOUNDATION FOR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES SACRAMENTO, CAFINANCIAL SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AT PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN LOW-INCOME, UNDER-SERVICED REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA TO INCREASE STUDENT SUCCESS AND HELP ELIMINATE REGIONAL ACHIEVEMENT GAPS$5,000,000
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY EVANSTON, ILFOR FOIA PRACTICUM FUND FOR PRITZKER SCHOOL OF LAW$187,500
PORTLAND ART MUSEUM PORTLAND, ORTO SUPPORT EXHIBITION OF ART$500,000
PROVIDENCE ST MEL SCHOOL CHICAGO, ILFOR GENERAL FUND$75,000
SAN FRANCISCO & MARIN FOOD BANK SAN FRANCISCO, CAFOR GENERAL FUND$20,000
SAN FRANCISCO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC SAN FRANCISCO, CATO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR THE BENEFIT OF BLACK STUDENTS$200,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
DANIEL F PRITZKERPRESIDENT/DIRECTOR0.25
ZACHARY A PRITZKERVICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR0.25
KAREN M PRITZKERSECRETARY/DIRECTOR0.25
MICHELE TAYLERTREASURER/DIRECTOR0.25
NANCY P BERGMANDIRECTOR0.25

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The Jay Pritzker Foundation has been recognized for its significant philanthropic contributions:

Pritzker Traubert Foundation Awards First-Ever $5 Million Chicago Talent
2021

The foundation was honored as the 2021 Bernard Osher Philanthropist of the Year by the Foundation for California Community Colleges

SBVC Foundation Receives $150,000 for Finish Line Scholars Grant ...

The foundation made a major commitment to St Johns College in Santa Fe to improve the collegewide student experience through philanthropy

The Jay Pritzker Foundation Makes a Major Commitment to Improving the Collegewide

The foundation committed $100 million to the Foundation for California Community Colleges to help students finish college

SBVC Foundation Receives $150,000 for Finish Line Scholars Grant ...

Contact Information

Address: 3737 Buffalo Speedway, Suite 300 Houston, TX 77098

Phone: (713) 624-5500

Fiscal Year End: December

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Jay Pritzker Foundation fund?

The foundation does not specify particular subject areas of focus in its formal documentation. However, based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation supports: • Education • Arts and Culture • Community Development • Human Services • Philanthropy and Voluntarism

How do I apply for a grant from The Jay Pritzker Foundation?

**Grant Activity & Amounts:** • The foundation awarded 23-27 grants in recent years, with total annual giving ranging from approximately $10.3 million to $25.8 million • Typical grant awards range from $2,500 to $18,500,000 • Average grant amount: approximately $1.1 million per grant • Recent major grants include: • $18,500,000 to St Johns College in Santa Fe for infrastructure improvements and general support • $5,000,000 to Foundation for California Community Colleges for financial support to…

Where does The Jay Pritzker Foundation make grants?

The foundation funds organizations across numerous U.S. states and cities, including: • California (primary focus area with multiple grants to San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Sacramento, and other cities) • New Mexico (Santa Fe) • Oregon (Portland) • Illinois • Alaska (Fairbanks) • Pennsylvania • New York • Washington, D.C. The foundation demonstrates broad geographic reach across the United States.

What size grants does The Jay Pritzker Foundation award?

In 2024, The Jay Pritzker Foundation awarded 15 grants totaling $10.4M — an average of about $691K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Jay Pritzker Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Jay Pritzker Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Jay Pritzker Foundation's EIN?

The Jay Pritzker Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 02-0550210. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in The Jay Pritzker Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

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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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