Grant funders / Illinois / Libraries & Literacy
Libraries & Literacy Grant Funders in Illinois
152 foundations with a documented libraries & literacy focus have made grants to Illinois nonprofits in recent years, together directing $86.5M to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a full giving profile, and Bespoke Grants will match all 152 against your nonprofit's specific mission, for free.
152
Libraries & literacy funders
$86.5M
Given to Illinois nonprofits
1,485
Grants on record
2025
Most recent giving
Most active libraries & literacy funders in Illinois
| # | Funder | Based in | Total Illinois giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | Washington | $12.7M | 4 | 2018 |
| 2 | The Chicago Community Trust | Illinois | $11.1M | 18 | 2023 |
| 3 | Danville Area Community College | Illinois | $8.9M | 5 | 2024 |
| 4 | Fulk Family Foundation Inc | Illinois | $5.4M | 5 | 2024 |
| 5 | John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation (consolidated) | Illinois | $5.2M | 3 | 2020 |
| 6 | Iaa Foundation | Illinois | $4.4M | 491 | 2024 |
| 7 | Sacks Family Foundation | Illinois | $4.0M | 4 | 2022 |
| 8 | The Andrew W Mellon Foundation | New York | $3.5M | 6 | 2024 |
| 9 | Robert R Mccormick Foundation | Illinois | $2.4M | 5 | 2024 |
| 10 | Dollar General Literacy Foundation | Tennessee | $2.3M | 245 | 2025 |
| 11 | Wk Kellogg Foundation | Michigan | $1.9M | 7 | 2023 |
| 12 | Walgreens Foundation | Illinois | $1.5M | 2 | 2024 |
| 13 | United Way of Rock River Valley | Illinois | $1.4M | 32 | 2025 |
| 14 | Sigma Alpha Epsilon Foundation | Illinois | $1.2M | 18 | 2023 |
| 15 | Southern Illinois University | Illinois | $1.1M | 4 | 2019 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest libraries & literacy funders in Illinois — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 152 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. Free, no credit card.
Rank these funders for my nonprofit →Libraries & Literacy funders in other states
Other causes funded in Illinois
How this list is built. Bespoke Grants indexes 13M+ grants from public IRS Form 990 filings. This page shows foundations whose giving carries a documented libraries & literacy focus and that have funded Illinois nonprofits. Giving figures reflect each funder's total recent grants to Illinois recipients. IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag; figures are current through the most recent available filings.