The Potter's Clay Foundation
The Potter's Clay Foundation is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Winnetka, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.4M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $170K. Net investment income was $357K.
The Potter's Clay Foundation at a glance
In short: The Potter's Clay Foundation gave $170K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $170,000
- +3.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- +12.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $18,889
- -8.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $1,436,582
- -19.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (85% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Potter's Clay Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Night Ministry ($30K). Together the top 9 received $170K.
Grant Size Distribution
39 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 39 grants of 39 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Potter's Clay Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 122% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $150K (2019) to $183K (2020). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $170K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Night Ministry Chicago, IL | Housing/Health Care | $30,000 |
| Connections for the Homeless Evanston, IL | Health Care &Educational Svcs | $30,000 |
| Howard Brown Health Center Chicago, IL | Health Care & Socialsrv for Young | $25,000 |
| Greater Chic Food Chicago, IL | Food Distributionprogram | $25,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Chicago, IL | Health Care &Educational Sevcs | $25,000 |
| Opening Doors Dubuque, IA | Emergencytransitional Housing | $10,000 |
| Grand Avenue Club Milwaukee, WI | Support services for adultsexpriencing mental illnessemploymenmt educ & enrichment | $10,000 |
| Open Communities Evanstaon, IL | Program to Supportfair Housing | $10,000 |
| Kinship Community Foor Center Milwaukee, WI | Serivce including food pantryindividuals & familystruggling with food insecurity | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,436,582 | $358,429 | $171,215 | $170,000 | 9 | $170,000 | $357,214 | $138,952 |
| 2024 | $1,787,266 | $46,320 | $166,215 | $165,000 | 8 | $165,000 | $45,105 | $128,088 |
| 2023 | $1,613,477 | $-3,610 | $156,215 | $155,000 | 7 | $155,000 | $20,502 | $123,298 |
| 2022 | $1,773,302 | $96,519 | $156,130 | $155,000 | 7 | $155,000 | $95,389 | $125,494 |
| 2021 | $1,832,913 | $142,149 | $158,965 | $157,500 | 8 | $157,500 | $140,684 | $138,325 |
| 2020 | $1,849,729 | $266,222 | $184,201 | $182,500 | 8 | — | $263,447 | $124,047 |
| 2019 | $1,767,708 | $83,845 | $160,028 | $150,000 | 9 | — | $76,066 | $113,181 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Potter's Clay Foundation reported a distributable amount of $139K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Potter's Clay Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Geralyn K. Lu
Trustee
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Philip Y. Lu
Trustee
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Potter's Clay Foundation
How much does The Potter's Clay Foundation give each year?
The Potter's Clay Foundation gave $170K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $165K across 8 grants.
What is The Potter's Clay Foundation's typical grant size?
The Potter's Clay Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $18,889, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Potter's Clay Foundation give grants?
The Potter's Clay Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wisconsin (9%) and Iowa (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (4 grants) and Milwaukee, WI (2 grants).
Does The Potter's Clay Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on The Potter's Clay Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Potter's Clay Foundation's largest grantees?
The Potter's Clay Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Night Ministry ($30,000), Connections for the Homeless ($30,000) and Howard Brown Health Center ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Potter's Clay Foundation?
The Potter's Clay Foundation reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $170K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $139K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is The Potter's Clay Foundation?
The Potter's Clay Foundation is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Winnetka, IL. It holds $1.4M in total assets as of 2025.
What is The Potter's Clay Foundation's EIN?
The Potter's Clay Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7014358. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 29, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 2, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Potter's Clay Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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