Start Early

Chicago, IL ·EIN 36-3186328 ·Grant funding profile from IRS 990 filings

Start Early also makes grants — see its funder profile →

$82.7M received 88 funders 200 grants · 2022–2025

Who funds Start Early?

Start Early is funded by 88 grantmakers, led by Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund ($16.6M), Buffett Early Childhood Fund ($12.2M), The Chicago Community Trust ($10.7M). In total, IRS Form 990 filings record $82.7M in grants to Start Early between 2022–2025.

FunderTotal givenGrantsYears
Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund$16,552,00032022–2024
Buffett Early Childhood Fund$12,227,30832022–2024
The Chicago Community Trust$10,693,50032022–2024
Comic Relief Inc Dba Comic Relief Us$5,600,00032022–2024
Blue Meridian Partners Inc$4,000,00012022
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial$3,200,00052022–2024
National Philanthropic Trust$2,562,80022023–2024
Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation$2,325,00032022–2024
Zell Family Foundation$2,050,00032023–2024
Rauner Family Foundation$2,000,00022023–2024
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation$1,725,00042022–2024
Klaff Family Foundation$1,676,66642023–2024
Valhalla Foundation$1,600,00042023–2024
The Heising-simons Foundation$1,575,00062022–2024
George Kaiser Family Foundation$1,350,00032022–2024
The Irving Harris Foundation$1,125,00062022–2024
The Roots and Wings Foundation Inc$1,000,37562022–2024
Children's Defense Fund$948,00022023–2024
Robert R Mccormick Foundation$919,50022023–2024
Richard W Goldman Family Foundation$900,00032022–2024
Pritzker Family Foundation$815,00032022
The William Penn Foundation$750,00032022–2024
Circle of Service Foundation$550,00032022–2024
Perigee Fund$500,00022022–2024
Vivo Foundation$450,00032022–2024

Showing top 25 of 88 funders by total given.

What grants has Start Early received?

Individual grants from IRS Form 990 filings, newest first

YearFunderPurposeAmount
2025Foundation for Child DevelopmentYSP$152,000
2025Alliance for Early Success FkaADVOCACY$40,000
2025United Way of Metropolitan Chicago IncPROGRAM SUPPORT$30,000
2024Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy FundCOMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES$5,575,000
2024Buffett Early Childhood FundEDUCARE LEARNING NETWORK SUPPORT, FIRST FIVE YEARS FUND SUPPORT, AND ANNUAL LUNCHEON SUPPORT$4,709,763
2024Zell Family FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT$1,000,000
2024Rauner Family FoundationGENERAL$1,000,000
2024Klaff Family FoundationGeneral$833,333
2024Klaff Family FoundationGeneral$833,333
2024Children's Defense FundPROGRAM SUPPORTS$648,000
2024Robert R Mccormick FoundationILLINOIS POLICY GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT AND SPONSORSHIP$610,000
2024Comic Relief Inc Dba Comic Relief UsPROGRAM SUPPORT$600,000
2024Arie and Ida Crown MemorialPROGRAM$500,000
2024George Kaiser Family FoundationFirst Five Years Fund, Start Early General Operations, Educare Learning Network$450,000
2024Valhalla FoundationFIRST FIVE YEARS FUND, AN EARLY CHILDHOOD POLICY INITIATIVE$400,000
2024The Roots and Wings Foundation IncUNRESTRICTED FUNDS FOR START EARLY WASHINGTON & NATIONAL$400,000
2024Valhalla FoundationFIRST FIVE YEARS FUND, AN EARLY CHILDHOOD POLICY INITIATIVE$400,000
2024The David and Lucile Packard FoundationFamilies and Communities$350,000
2024Richard W Goldman Family FoundationSUPPORT EDUCARE LEARNING NETWORK, ESSENTIALS OF HOME VISITING, AND THE FIRST FIVE YEARS FUND$300,000
2024The Irving Harris FoundationGENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT AND ILLINOIS POLICY TEAM WORK$300,000
2024The Heising-simons FoundationFOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS FUND$250,000
2024The Heising-simons FoundationTO STRENGTHEN AND CONNECT THE HOME VISITING FIELD$250,000
2024The Chicago Community TrustGeneral support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes$239,000
2024Education Development Center IncEd R & D$229,895
2024Perigee FundNEAR IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM SUPPORT$200,000
2024Saul Zaentz Charitable FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT$200,000
2024The Roots and Wings Foundation IncUNRESTRICTED FUNDS FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS FUND$200,000
2024The William Penn FoundationEXPANSION OF THE PARENT INNOVATION INSTITUTE$187,300
2024Circle of Service FoundationEDUCATION$175,000
2024Stolte Family FoundationFUNDING FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE OPERATIONS$150,000

Showing 30 most recent of 200 recorded grants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who funds Start Early?

Start Early is funded by 88 grantmakers, led by Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund ($16.6M), Buffett Early Childhood Fund ($12.2M), The Chicago Community Trust ($10.7M). In total, IRS Form 990 filings record $82.7M in grants to Start Early between 2022–2025.

Who is Start Early's largest funder?

Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund is the largest recorded funder of Start Early, with $16.6M across 3 grants (2022–2024).

How much grant funding has Start Early received?

IRS 990 filings record $82.7M in grants to Start Early across 200 grants from 88 funders between 2022–2025. Filings are published on a delay, so recent grants may not appear yet.

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Grant data is drawn from IRS Form 990 filings via Grantable's GrantGraph™. Filings are published on a delay; recent grants may not appear yet.