Grant funders / Illinois / Scientific Research
Scientific Research Grant Funders in Illinois
398 foundations with a documented scientific research focus have made grants to Illinois nonprofits in recent years, together directing $385.7M to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a full giving profile, and Bespoke Grants will match all 398 against your nonprofit's specific mission, for free.
398
Scientific research funders
$385.7M
Given to Illinois nonprofits
2,315
Grants on record
2025
Most recent giving
Most active scientific research funders in Illinois
| # | Funder | Based in | Total Illinois giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle Children's Hospital | Washington | $58.9M | 51 | 2024 |
| 2 | Crown Family Foundation | Illinois | $29.4M | 4 | 2022 |
| 3 | American Cancer Society Inc | Georgia | $20.0M | 20 | 2023 |
| 4 | The Chicago Community Trust | Illinois | $16.1M | 17 | 2023 |
| 5 | Circle of Service Foundation | Illinois | $13.6M | 63 | 2024 |
| 6 | Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Inc | California | $10.8M | 6 | 2024 |
| 7 | The Breast Cancer Research Foundation Inc | New York | $10.4M | 32 | 2024 |
| 8 | Association of Universities for Research | District of Columbia | $10.0M | 25 | 2024 |
| 9 | Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason | Washington | $9.9M | 25 | 2022 |
| 10 | Abbvie Foundation | Illinois | $8.0M | 4 | 2024 |
| 11 | The Leukemia & Lymphoma Societyinc | New York | $7.5M | 35 | 2025 |
| 12 | Advocate Charitable Foundation | Illinois | $7.1M | 11 | 2024 |
| 13 | University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation | Illinois | $7.1M | 3 | 2023 |
| 14 | Idp Foundation Inc | Illinois | $6.3M | 5 | 2024 |
| 15 | Skin of Color Society Foundation | Illinois | $6.0M | 4 | 2024 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest scientific research funders in Illinois — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 398 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 →Scientific Research 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 scientific research 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.