The John P Calamos Foundation logo

The John P Calamos Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Naperville, IL EIN: 20-1383344 Website

The John P Calamos Foundation is a private foundation based in Naperville, Illinois. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations, including the National Hellenic Museum, Greek Orthodox churches, and other organizations.

The John P Calamos Foundation at a glance

In short: The John P Calamos Foundation gave $1000K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $77K), mostly in Illinois. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$999,600
-92.4% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
13
+62.5% vs 2024
Average grant
$76,892
-95.3% vs 2024
Median grant
$10,000
Total assets
$56,507,546
+26.0% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
38% first-time grantees (5 of 13, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Illinois (77% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to The John P Calamos Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Contact

Mailing address: 2020 Calamos Court 200, Naperville, IL 60563-2793
Phone: (630) 245-7260
Website: https://calamos.com

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The John P Calamos Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

National Hellenic Museum: $650KNational Hellenic Museum$650KAssumption Greek Orthodox Church: $100KAssumption Greek OrthodoxChurch$100KSt Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church: $100KSt Nicholas Greek OrthodoxChurch$100KHellenic Initiative Inc: $50KHellenic Initiative Inc$50KWashington OXI Day Foundation: $50KWashington OXI Day Foundation$50KLoukoumi Make a Difference Foundation: $25KLoukoumi Make a DifferenceFoundation$25KGift of Adoption: $10KGift of Adoption$10KSt Iakovos Retreat Center: $5KSt Iakovos Retreat Center$5KOrder of St Andrew: $4KOrder of St Andrew$4KHellenic American Academy: $3KHellenic American Academy$3K

The largest 2025 recipient was National Hellenic Museum ($650K). Together the top 10 received $997K.

Grant Size Distribution

53 grants across all recorded years

33<$50K11$50–100K5$100–250K1$250–500K1$500K–1M1$1–5M1$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 33 grants of 53 (62%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In filing year 2025, 77% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 18% to recipients in New York, and 5% to recipients in the District of Columbia. The filing also reports shares of 0% for Massachusetts and Michigan.

Grant Distribution by State

8states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.

Cities

ChicagoNew YorkWashingtonNapervilleHomer GlenAuroraHillsdaleOshkoshKankakeeLemontLos AngelesLowellNorthbrookPlant CitySan DiegoSanta BarbaraSugar GroveTuckahoeVambridgeYorkville

Is The John P Calamos Foundation open to new grantees?

38%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 5 of 13 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $120K. How we count

Medians: $3K first-time, $50K repeat.

  • 31% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 62% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 43% 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 (2020–2025). 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

$0$5M$10M$15M13 grants2020 6 grants2021 13 grants2022 13 grants2023 8 grants2024 13 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $175K (2021) to $13.2M (2024). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $1000K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
National Hellenic Museum Chicago, ILTo Support the Mission of the Charity$650,000
Assumption Greek Orthodox Church Homer Glen, ILTo Support the Mission of the Charity$100,000
St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church New York, NYTo Support the Mission of the Charity$100,000
Hellenic Initiative Inc New York, NYTo Support the Mission of the Charity$50,000
Washington OXI Day Foundation Washington, DCTo Support the Mission of the Charity$50,000
Loukoumi Make a Difference Foundation Tuckahoe, NYTo Support the Mission of the Charity$25,000
Gift of Adoption Northbrook, ILTo Support the Mission of the Charity$10,000
St Iakovos Retreat Center Chicago, ILTo Support the Mission of the Charity$5,000
Order of St Andrew New York, NYTo Support the Mission of the Charity$4,000
Hellenic American Academy Lowell, MATo Support the Mission of the Charity$2,500
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with The John P Calamos Foundation?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$56,507,546$8,211,123$1,042,567$999,60013$1,003,489$3,210,321$2,322,373
2024$44,851,372$14,594,494$13,159,457$13,154,2788$13,158,118$1,926,609$2,030,259
2023$36,343,979$1,036,214$1,616,571$1,612,00013$1,615,515$755,279$1,628,697
2022$28,753,287$5,053,747$792,306$617,50013$711,716$47,380$1,403,825
2021$40,706,023$13,631,819$281,389$175,0006$250,400$3,798,338$1,596,452
2020$29,634,729$1,982,251$696,729$510,00013—$1,833,039$1,194,257

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John P Calamos Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. The National Hellenic Museum says its educational programs use its exhibitions to encourage experiential learning and offer new ways of thinking about Greek history and culture. The Hellenic Initiative describes itself as a nonpartisan, secular organization undertaking charitable and humanitarian acts and services in Greece, with a commitment to the country’s relief, recovery, and renewal.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $999,600. Awards ranged from $100 to $650,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest reported awards were $650,000 to the National Hellenic Museum in Chicago, $100,000 to Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Homer Glen, Illinois, and $100,000 to St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in New York. Other reported grants included $50,000 to the Hellenic Initiative and $50,000 to the Washington Oxi Day Foundation. The listed grant purposes were to support each charity’s mission.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists John P Calamos Sr, Mae Calamos, Laura Calamos, James R Adams, and Kenneth S Witkowski as co-trustees.

The John P Calamos Foundation's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • John P. Calamos Sr.

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Laura Calamos

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mae Calamos

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • James R. Adams

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kenneth S. Witkowski

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about The John P Calamos Foundation

How much does The John P Calamos Foundation give each year?

The John P Calamos Foundation gave $1000K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $13.2M across 8 grants.

What is The John P Calamos Foundation's typical grant size?

The John P Calamos Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $76,892, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The John P Calamos Foundation that year got $8K on average.

Where does The John P Calamos Foundation give grants?

The John P Calamos Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (18%) and District of Columbia (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants), Chicago, IL (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).

Does The John P Calamos Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on The John P Calamos Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support the Mission of the Charity" (13 grants).

Who are The John P Calamos Foundation's largest grantees?

The John P Calamos Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include National Hellenic Museum ($650,000), Assumption Greek Orthodox Church ($100,000) and St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The John P Calamos Foundation?

The John P Calamos Foundation reported $56.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.3M (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 does The John P Calamos Foundation fund?

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. The National Hellenic Museum says its educational programs use its exhibitions to encourage experiential learning and offer new ways of thinking about Greek history and culture. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The John P Calamos Foundation?

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is The John P Calamos Foundation's EIN?

The John P Calamos Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1383344. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does The John P Calamos Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in The John P Calamos Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Illinois

The Dupage Community Foundation

Downers Grove, IL

The DuPage Community Foundation funds nonprofits and community collaborations working in health and human services, youth education, workforce development, the environment, animal welfare, arts and culture, and early childhood education, primarily serving DuPage County residents. Its 2025 median grant was $20,000; 2026 Community Impact grants are capped at $5,000 for Seed grants and generally $10,000–$25,000 for Sustain grants, depending on the focus area. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$161.8M

Grants

241

Total Given

$16.9M

The Chicago Community Trust

Chicago, IL

The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Assets

$7.1B

Grants

4,316

Total Given

$1.2B

The Allstate Foundation

Northbrook, IL

The Allstate Foundation funds youth empowerment, efforts to prevent and address relationship abuse, nonprofit leadership, and related economic opportunity and equity work. Its 2024 grants ranged from $250 to $2 million, with a median of $1,000, and awards must support work in the United States. It accepts proposals from organizations beyond a preselected list; proposals are reviewed as received.

Assets

$89.3M

Grants

2,010

Total Given

$38.0M

Elks National Foundation Inc

Chicago, IL

The Elks National Foundation funds scholarships, youth programs, veterans’ services, and charitable projects through Elks Lodges and state associations across the United States. Its 2026 grants had a median size of $10,000, though awards varied widely; the profile describes application routes for specific Lodge and scholarship programs but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$954.1M

Grants

1,536

Total Given

$36.5M

John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation

Chicago, IL

The MacArthur Foundation funds work advancing a more just, verdant, and peaceful world, including climate solutions, criminal justice, journalism, technology, and Chicago. In 2024, its grants had a median of $160,000, though awards ranged widely; it generally does not accept unsolicited requests, with possible exceptions for specific open calls or proposals that meet program guidelines.

Assets

$9.3B

Grants

1,086

Total Given

$356.1M

Arie and Ida Crown Memorial

Chicago, IL

Arie and Ida Crown Memorial supports education, the environment, health and human services, gun violence prevention, homelessness prevention, and Jewish community and Israel initiatives, with a strong focus on Chicago and giving across the U.S. and internationally. In 2024, its grants ranged from $500 to $3 million, with a median of $55,000. It uses an invitation-only process and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$1.4B

Grants

897

Total Given

$115.2M

More similar funders

More Funders in Illinois

Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). The John P Calamos Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-p-calamos-foundation-morg_d2e916b4728f47ae9a31b2e65f083654

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201383344_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{The John P Calamos Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-p-calamos-foundation-morg_d2e916b4728f47ae9a31b2e65f083654},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 John P Calamos Foundation'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 John P Calamos Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?