The John P Calamos Foundation
The John P Calamos Foundation is a corporate foundation established in 2004 and based in Naperville, Illinois. The foundation is located at 2020 Calamos Court, Suite 200, Naperville, IL 60563. It operates as a private independent foundation with a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$44.9M
+23.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$13.2M
+716.0% YoY
Grant Count
8
-38.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.6M
+1226.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John P Calamos Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports charitable missions across several key areas including education, philanthropy and voluntarism, human services, and historic preservation. The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 13 grants in 2024, with total giving of $13,154,278. Grant sizes range from $50,000 to $12,500,000, with typical awards between $500 and $12,500,000.
Grant Range
s range from $50,000 to $12,500,000, with typical awards between $500 and $12,500,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, New York, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $44,851,372
- Total Revenues: $14,594,494
- Total Expenses: $13,159,457
- Total Giving: $13,154,278
- Number of Employees: 0
Revenue Growth: Total grants and contributions increased significantly from $250,000 in 2023 to $12,600,000 in 2024, representing a 4,940% increase year-over-year.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $44,851,372 | $36,343,979 | $28,753,287 |
| Revenue | $14,594,494 | $1,036,214 | $5,053,747 |
| Expenses | $13,159,457 | $1,616,571 | $792,306 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $13,158,118 | $1,615,515 | $711,716 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,926,609 | $755,279 | $47,380 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,030,259 | $1,628,697 | $1,403,825 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
53 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Illinois Institute of Technology ($12,500,000), National Hellenic Museum ($456,278), Helenic Initiative ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HELENIC INITIATIVE NEW YORK, NY | TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE CHARITY | $50,000 |
| ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CHICAGO, IL | TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE CHARITY | $12,500,000 |
| MARMION ACADEMY AURORA, IL | TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE CHARITY | $20,000 |
| NATIONAL HELLENIC MUSEUM CHICAGO, IL | TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE CHARITY | $456,278 |
| ORDER OF ST ANDREW NEW YORK, NY | TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE CHARITY | $3,000 |
| ST NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH NEW YORK, NY | TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE CHARITY | $25,000 |
| WASHINGTON OXI DAY FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE CHARITY | $50,000 |
| YORKVILLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL YORKVILLE, IL | TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE CHARITY | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation was founded by John P. Calamos Sr., who serves as Founder, Chairman, and Global Chief Investment Officer of Calamos Investments. Calamos founded Calamos Investments in 1977, which has grown into a global asset management firm. He is a graduate of Illinois Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in business and economics (1963) and an MBA (1970), and currently serves on the IIT Board of Trustees. He also serves as Chairman of the National Hellenic Museum.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN P CALAMOS SR | CO-TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MAE CALAMOS | CO-TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LAURA CALAMOS | CO-TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JAMES R ADAMS | CO-TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KENNETH S WITKOWSKI | CO-TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation made a substantial $12,500,000 grant to Illinois Institute of Technology in December 2024, representing the largest single grant in the foundation's recent activity. This grant aligns with the founder's educational background and ongoing involvement with the institution through his board service.
John and Mae Calamos Donate $10 Million to Illinois Institute of TechnologyThe foundation also provided $456,278 to the National Hellenic Museum in 2024, reflecting the founder's involvement as Chairman of that organization and his Greek heritage.
The Hellenic Initiative Honors John P. Calamos Sr. in Chicago as Greek DiasporaSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The John P Calamos Foundation fund?
The foundation supports charitable missions across several key areas including education, philanthropy and voluntarism, human services, and historic preservation. The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement.
How do I apply for a grant from The John P Calamos Foundation?
The foundation made 13 grants in 2024, with total giving of $13,154,278. Grant sizes range from $50,000 to $12,500,000, with typical awards between $500 and $12,500,000. **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • Illinois Institute of Technology: $12,500,000 • National Hellenic Museum: $456,278 • Washington Oxi Day Foundation: $50,000 The foundation also made four additional grants in 2024 beyond those listed above.
Where does The John P Calamos Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, New York, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does The John P Calamos Foundation award?
In 2024, The John P Calamos Foundation awarded 8 grants totaling $13.2M — an average of about $1.6M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The John P Calamos Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The John P Calamos Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The John P Calamos 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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