The Polsky Foundation
The Polsky Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 filing reports $7,770,395 in grants to 39 organizations, including recipients in health, education, arts, community service, and other fields.
The Polsky Foundation at a glance
In short: The Polsky Foundation gave $7.8M across 39 grants in 2024 (avg $199K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,770,395
- +78.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 39
- -15.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $199,241
- +110.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $63,458,565
- +1.1% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Illinois (96% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Polsky Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: One South Wacker Drive Suite 1810, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 582-1405
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Polsky Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was BRCA Research and Cure Alliance ($2.3M). Together the top 10 received $7.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
138 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 87 grants of 138 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 3% to recipients in Massachusetts. The filing reports 0% for recipients in Oregon, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 39 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Polsky Foundation gives
- 41% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 42% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 235% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $4.4M (2023) to $9.1M (2022). In 2024 it made 39 grants totaling $7.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BRCA Research and Cure Alliance Chicago, IL | Charity | $2,293,698 |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation Chicago, IL | Charity | $2,006,992 |
| University of Chicago 2016 Chicago, IL | Charity | $1,704,101 |
| Our Home Ukraine Chicago, IL | Charity | $968,283 |
| Voice Health Institute Boston, MA | General Fund | $200,000 |
| White Stork Winnetka, IL | General Fund | $150,000 |
| St Nicholas UK Catholic School Chicago, IL | General Fund | $50,000 |
| The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, IL | General Fund | $50,000 |
| Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, IL | Charity | $50,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Chicago Chicago, IL | General Fund | $31,568 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $63,458,565 | $3,326,501 | $8,196,597 | $7,770,395 | 39 | $8,060,567 | $3,225,290 | $3,429,485 |
| 2023 | $62,785,818 | $3,413,668 | $4,712,068 | $4,363,941 | 46 | $4,421,312 | $2,488,184 | $2,553,555 |
| 2022 | $68,739,918 | $13,432,580 | $9,182,513 | $9,059,259 | 36 | $9,059,259 | $12,330,590 | $2,620,947 |
| 2021 | $64,677,458 | $48,528,430 | $5,501,652 | $5,475,000 | 9 | $5,475,000 | $835,933 | $1,162,044 |
| 2020 | $21,378,246 | $16,629,255 | $5,379,344 | $5,327,375 | 8 | — | — | $1,037,241 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Polsky Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include organizations whose missions span different areas. For example, Voice Health Institute says it works to advance care for voice and airway disorders through awareness, education, and research. The Latin School of Chicago says its mission is to provide a rigorous, innovative education that embraces diversity and inspires students to lead lives of purpose and excellence. Chicago Cares says it mobilizes volunteers to build a stronger, more unified Chicago.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 39 grants totaling $7,770,395. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $2,293,698, with a median of $10,000. The largest awards included $2,293,698 to BRCA Research and Cure Alliance, $2,006,992 to Northwestern Memorial Foundation, $1,704,101 to University of Chicago 2016, and $968,283 to Our Home Ukraine. Other grants included $200,000 to Voice Health Institute and $25,000 to the Latin School of Chicago.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael P. Polsky as president and director, Jonathan Taiber as treasurer and director, and David Canmann as secretary and director.
The Polsky Foundation is led by Michael P. Polsky, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael P. Polsky
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
David Canmann
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jonathan Taiber
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Polsky Foundation
How much does The Polsky Foundation give each year?
The Polsky Foundation gave $7.8M across 39 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.4M across 46 grants.
What is The Polsky Foundation's typical grant size?
The Polsky Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $199,241, across 39 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Polsky Foundation give grants?
The Polsky Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (23 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Polsky Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 41% of The Polsky Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 39) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Charity" (23 grants).
Who are The Polsky Foundation's largest grantees?
The Polsky Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include BRCA Research and Cure Alliance ($2,293,698), Northwestern Memorial Foundation ($2,006,992) and University of Chicago 2016 ($1,704,101), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 77% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Polsky Foundation?
The Polsky Foundation reported $63.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Polsky Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include organizations whose missions span different areas. For example, Voice Health Institute says it works to advance care for voice and airway disorders through awareness, education, and research. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Polsky Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Polsky Foundation's EIN?
The Polsky Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-1164639. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Polsky 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Polsky Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-polsky-foundation-morg_34c86e58cfb1485797d9d471aee835fa
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_651164639_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Polsky Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-polsky-foundation-morg_34c86e58cfb1485797d9d471aee835fa},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Polsky 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.
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