The Brinson Foundation
Chicago, Illinois · EIN 680656415 · Private foundation
The Brinson Foundation is a Illinois-based grantmaker. In its latest 990-PF filing it reported $4.8M in annual giving against $106.6M in assets. This page documents the 504 grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for The Brinson Foundation — who they fund, what they prioritize, and what to know before reaching out.
What The Brinson Foundation funds
The Brinson Foundation's giving carries a documented focus on adult education, early childhood education, education, health care, higher education, and related causes.
Populations it has supported include black communities, children, families, youth pop.
Grant history
The largest grants Bespoke Grants has on record for The Brinson Foundation, by amount:
| Recipient | Location | Grant | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology BRINSON EXPLORATION HUB | Pasadena, CA | $100.0M | 2023 |
| St John's Health Foundation HITCHING POST WORKFORCE HOUSING REDEVELOPMENT | Jackson, WY | $600K | 2024 |
| Chicago Community Foundation Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities SCALING COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION FOR A SAFER CHICAGO | Chicago, IL | $200K | 2024 |
| Eisenhower Health CARDIOVASCULAR INSTITUTE | Rancho Mirage, CA | $200K | 2024 |
| University of Chicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics Edward H Lev BRINSON ASTROPHYSICS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, BRINSON LECTURE, AND PDTA | Chicago, IL | $142K | 2024 |
| University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign - National Center for Supercomputi CIVIC SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP HOSTED BY THE ADVANCED VISUALIZATION LAB AND PDTA | Urbana, IL | $123K | 2022 |
| Carnegie Institution for Science Carnegie Observatories Instrumentation Pro CARNEGIE-CALTECH BRINSON POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP IN OBSERVATIONAL ASTRONOMY | Pasadena, CA | $120K | 2024 |
| University of Chicago Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics BRINSON PRIZE FELLOWSHIP IN OBSERVATIONAL COSMOLOGY | Chicago, IL | $120K | 2024 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology BRINSON PRIZE FELLOWSHIP IN OBSERVATIONAL COSMOLOGY | Cambridge, MA | $120K | 2024 |
| University of Chicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics Edward H Lev BRINSON PRIZE FELLOWSHIP IN OBSERVATIONAL COSMOLOGY | Chicago, IL | $120K | 2024 |
| Northwestern University NU-UCHICAGO BRINSON POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP IN ASTROPHYSICS | Evanston, IL | $120K | 2024 |
| Princeton University Department of Astrophysical Sciences BRINSON PRIZE FELLOWSHIP IN OBSERVATIONAL COSMOLOGY | Princeton, NJ | $120K | 2024 |
| Princeton University Department of BRINSON PRIZE FELLOWSHIP IN OBSERVATIONAL COSMOLOGY | Princeton, NJ | $120K | 2023 |
| University of Chicago Department of BRINSON PRIZE FELLOWSHIP IN OBSERVATIONAL COSMOLOGY | Chicago, IL | $120K | 2023 |
| University of California Davis BRINSON PRIZE FELLOWSHIP - EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS, DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY AND PDTA | Davis, CA | $118K | 2022 |
The Brinson Foundation giving by year
Total grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for each filing year:
How to apply for funding from The Brinson Foundation
The Brinson Foundation's public IRS filing does not spell out a formal application process. Foundations of this size often give primarily to organizations they already know, so a concise letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first contact — not a full proposal. You can review the foundation directly at brinsonfoundation.org.
Is The Brinson Foundation the right funder for your nonprofit?
This page shows what The Brinson Foundation has funded. Bespoke Grants tells you whether it fits your mission — and finds every other foundation that does. Free, no credit card.
Match my nonprofit to funders →Frequently asked questions about The Brinson Foundation
- Does The Brinson Foundation accept grant applications?
- The Brinson Foundation's public filing does not specify an application process. A brief letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first step with a private foundation of this size.
- What does The Brinson Foundation fund?
- The Brinson Foundation's grants focus on adult education. Recent recipients include California Institute of Technology, St John's Health Foundation, Chicago Community Foundation Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities. Its full grant history is listed above.
- How much does The Brinson Foundation give in grants?
- The Brinson Foundation reported $4.8M in grants in its most recent IRS filing (FY2020). Across all years in our data it has awarded $125.0M over 504 grants.
- Where is The Brinson Foundation located?
- The Brinson Foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois. Its IRS employer identification number (EIN) is 680656415.
- How can I find foundations similar to The Brinson Foundation?
- Bespoke Grants matches your nonprofit against 225,000+ foundations like The Brinson Foundation, ranking each by how well it fits your mission, location, and budget — with the reasoning shown. It is free to search.
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