Van Nice Foundation
Van Nice Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. It makes direct grants to charitable organizations, and states that it contributes only to preselected organizations.
Van Nice Foundation at a glance
In short: Van Nice Foundation gave $89K across 40 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), top state Illinois. 15% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $89,400
- -0.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 40
- -9.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,235
- +9.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,478,070
- -2.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (6 of 40, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (47% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Van Nice Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1209 N Astor Street, Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 961-7071
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Van Nice Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Deerfield Academy ($21K). Together the top 10 received $66K.
Grant Size Distribution
259 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 259 grants of 259 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to organizations in Illinois (47%), Massachusetts (25%), and Oregon (13%). Other reported shares were Connecticut (3%) and Michigan (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 40 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Van Nice Foundation open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 40 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 83% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 28% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 110% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 $89K (2024) to $131K (2022). In 2024 it made 40 grants totaling $89K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Deerfield Academy Deerfield, MA | General Support | $21,400 |
| Chicago Botanic Garden Member and Donor Service Glencoe, IL | General Support | $12,500 |
| Lyric Opera of Chicago Annual Fund Chicago, IL | General Support | $10,000 |
| Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chicago, IL | General Support | $5,000 |
| St Francis School Annual Gifting Sherwood, OR | General Support | $5,000 |
| Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, IL | General Support | $3,000 |
| Lewis and Clark College Portland, OR | General Support | $2,500 |
| Valley Catholic School Beaverton, OR | General Support | $2,500 |
| Choate Rosemary Hall Wallingford, CT | General Support | $2,000 |
| Dickinson College General Endowment Fund Carlisle, PA | General Support | $2,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,478,070 | $91,242 | $127,423 | $89,400 | 40 | $104,110 | $69,944 | $94,339 |
| 2023 | $1,514,274 | $111,458 | $108,009 | $89,900 | 44 | $90,028 | $93,477 | $88,539 |
| 2022 | $1,511,624 | $79,636 | $160,830 | $131,000 | 56 | $134,410 | $57,832 | $93,168 |
| 2021 | $1,593,923 | $155,069 | $158,043 | $123,500 | 64 | $130,100 | $127,126 | $109,082 |
| 2020 | $1,595,269 | $101,994 | $132,076 | $110,000 | 55 | — | $83,228 | $96,669 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Van Nice Foundation reported a distributable amount of $94K for 2024 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, and other charitable organizations. For example, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra describes its mission as enriching, inspiring, and transforming lives through music, community engagement, and education. HIGH JUMP describes its work as providing academic enrichment and support to Chicago middle school students with academic potential and limited economic means. Chikaming Open Lands says it works to preserve open space and the natural character of Berrien County.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 40 grants totaling $89,400. Grants ranged from $250 to $21,400, with a median of $1,000. Its largest grants included $21,400 to Deerfield Academy, $12,500 to Chicago Botanic Garden Member and Donor Service, $10,000 to Lyric Opera of Chicago Annual Fund, and $5,000 each to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and St Francis School Annual Gifting. These grants were listed for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jeanette Hunt Van Nice as president, Peter Errett Van Nice as treasurer, and Anthony H Van Nice as secretary.
Van Nice Foundation is led by Jeanette Hunt Van Nice, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jeanette Hunt Van Nice
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Anthony H. Van Nice
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Peter Errett Van Nice
Treasurer
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 Van Nice Foundation
How much does Van Nice Foundation give each year?
Van Nice Foundation gave $89K across 40 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $90K across 44 grants.
What is Van Nice Foundation's typical grant size?
Van Nice Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $2,235, across 40 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Van Nice Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Van Nice Foundation give grants?
Van Nice Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (25%) and Oregon (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (15 grants) and Portland, OR (2 grants).
Does Van Nice Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Van Nice Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (40 of 40) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Van Nice Foundation's largest grantees?
Van Nice Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Deerfield Academy ($21,400), Chicago Botanic Garden Member and Donor Service ($12,500) and Lyric Opera of Chicago Annual Fund ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Van Nice Foundation?
Van Nice Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $104K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $94K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Van Nice Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, and other charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Van Nice Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Van Nice Foundation's EIN?
Van Nice Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1604783. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Van Nice 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
(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). Van Nice Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/van-nice-foundation-morg_24e4f518c711480a898303e2d584d005
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311604783_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Van Nice Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/van-nice-foundation-morg_24e4f518c711480a898303e2d584d005},
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 Van Nice 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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