The Sidley Austin Foundation is a corporate foundation established in 2005 as the philanthropic arm of the multinational law firm Sidley Austin. Based in Chicago, Illinois, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private grantmaking foundation with no employees.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.2M
+15.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.8M
-11.1% YoY
Grant Count
310
-15.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
+4.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sidley Austin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $224K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation broadly supports the empowerment of women, girls, and disadvantaged youth. It also funds universities and law schools through its foundation and corporate responsibility program, and supports disease-related organizations and anti-crime and anti-violence organizations across the United States.
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Legal aid and civil and human rights
- Higher education and law schools
- Human services
- Art museums and performing arts
- Hospitals and health-related organizations
- Judaism
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains a proactive funding approach and deliberately funds a wide range of grantmaking to "make meaningful progress toward the continued growth and success of the diverse communities" in which employees live and work.
Grant Range
is approximately $5,000
Average Grant
is approximately $12,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Illinois
- New York
- District of Columbia
The foundation's global reach reflects Sidley Austin's office locations in cities including Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $7,236,276
- Total Revenue: $4,733,239
- Total Expenses: $3,776,647
- Total Liabilities: $0
Revenue Breakdown (2024):
- Grants and contributions: $4,500,000
- Investment income and dividends: $233,239
Historical Asset Trend:
- Assets have fluctuated from $9.8 million in 2011 to $6.3 million in 2023, reaching $7.2 million in 2024
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,236,276 | $6,279,684 | $5,662,053 |
| Revenue | $4,733,239 | $4,904,634 | $48,097 |
| Expenses | $3,776,647 | $4,254,437 | $2,881,916 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,766,508 | $4,247,628 | $2,873,009 |
| Net Investment Income | $232,880 | $401,415 | $123,088 |
| Distributable Amount | $224,058 | $174,439 | $331,172 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Legal Aid Society ($357,750), Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia ($90,000), Chicago Council on Global Affairs ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CROHN'S & COLITIS FOUNDATION INC MIAMI, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| SECOND LOOK PROJECT WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $500 |
| BACK 2 SCHOOL ILLINOIS CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CHICAGO COUNCIL ON GLOBAL AFFAIRS CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| DALLAS CASA DALLAS, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $600 |
| INSTITUTE FOR INCLUSION IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| RISE PARTNERSHIP INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| CENTER FOR DISABILITY AND ELDER LAW INC CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $90,000 |
| CROSSROADS COMMUNITY SERVICES INC DALLAS, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Timothy F. Bergen is listed as the principal officer of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARK D HOPSON | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| MICHAEL J SCHMIDTBERGER | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| TIMOTHY F BERGEN | SECRETARY | 0.1 | — |
| MICHAEL S MORK | TREASURER | 0.1 | — |
| NANCY KEVIN | ASSISTANT TREASURER | 1 | — |
| YVETTE OSTOLAZA | PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The University of Miami School of Law received an endowed gift from the Sidley Austin Foundation to establish a Law Review scholarship. The foundation also made a contribution to the American Law Institute, as noted in their 2023-2024 Annual Report.
University of Miami School of Law receives endowed gift from Sidley AustinSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Sidley Austin Foundation fund?
The foundation broadly supports the empowerment of women, girls, and disadvantaged youth. It also funds universities and law schools through its foundation and corporate responsibility program, and supports disease-related organizations and anti-crime and anti-violence organizations across the United States. The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Legal aid and civil and human rights • Higher education and law schools • Human services • Art museums and performing arts • Hospitals …
How do I apply for a grant from The Sidley Austin Foundation?
The foundation maintains a proactive funding approach and deliberately funds a wide range of grantmaking to "make meaningful progress toward the continued growth and success of the diverse communities" in which employees live and work. **Grant Activity:** • Made 360 grants in 2024 totaling approximately $3.9 million • Made 360 grants in 2023 totaling approximately $3.3 million • Typical grant awards range from $40,000 to $305,000 • Median grant size is approximately $5,000 • Average grant size …
Where does The Sidley Austin Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Illinois • New York • District of Columbia The foundation's global reach reflects Sidley Austin's office locations in cities including Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.
What size grants does The Sidley Austin Foundation award?
In 2024, The Sidley Austin Foundation awarded 310 grants totaling $3.8M — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Sidley Austin Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Sidley Austin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $224K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Sidley Austin Foundation's EIN?
The Sidley Austin Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3980527. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Sidley Austin 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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