Sports & Recreation Grant Funders in Illinois
191 foundations with a documented sports & recreation focus have made grants to Illinois nonprofits in recent years, together directing $82.2M to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a public funder overview, and Bespoke Grants will match all 191 against your nonprofit's specific mission. One lifetime free search includes up to three sourced matches; further searches and the full workflow are $19/month. No credit card is needed for the preview.
Most active sports & recreation funders in Illinois
| # | Funder | Based in | Total Illinois giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big East Conference Inc | New York | $23.9M | 6 | 2023 |
| 2 | Academy for Urban School Leadership | Illinois | $4.1M | 4 | 2023 |
| 3 | Chicago Cubs Charities | Illinois | $4.1M | 6 | 2024 |
| 4 | Robert R Mccormick Foundation | Illinois | $3.7M | 10 | 2024 |
| 5 | The Missouri Valley Conference | Missouri | $3.3M | 20 | 2023 |
| 6 | Gator Bowl Sports Inc | Florida | $3.2M | 2 | 2022 |
| 7 | Ohio Valley Conference | Tennessee | $3.1M | 16 | 2025 |
| 8 | Quad Cities Golf Classic Charitable | Illinois | $2.5M | 11 | 2022 |
| 9 | The Chicago Community Trust | Illinois | $2.3M | 12 | 2023 |
| 10 | Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation | Illinois | $2.2M | 3 | 2024 |
| 11 | William Howard Charitable Trust | Illinois | $1.2M | 23 | 2024 |
| 12 | New Trier Booster Club | Illinois | $1.0M | 7 | 2025 |
| 13 | Midway USA Foundation Inc | Missouri | $954K | 75 | 2024 |
| 14 | Chicago White Sox Charities Inc | Illinois | $920K | 4 | 2023 |
| 15 | Shear Family Foundation Inc | Pennsylvania | $915K | 6 | 2024 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest sports & recreation funders in Illinois — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 191 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. One lifetime free search includes up to three sourced matches; further searches and the full workflow are $19/month. No credit card is needed for the preview.
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