OVERVIEW: The Brinson Foundation funds a variety of educational, scientific and medical research causes in Chicago.
IP TAKE: While this funder has big ambitions related to research, it hasn't forgotten about its home town. This funder accepts inquiries from organizations working in its areas of interest.
PROFILE: The Brinson Foundation is the foundation of Gary Brinson. A leading investment banker, Brinson became the CIO of the First National Bank of Chicago in 1979. He was one of the first proponents of investing pension funds in global investments like international stocks and real estate. Later in his career, he established Brinson Partners, Inc., which was purchased by the Swiss Bank Corporation in 1994. He was considered to be one of the world’s most influential investment managers and managed over $1 trillion in assets at one point. Brinson retired in 2000 and established his foundation, which began making grants in 2001. The foundation’s goals are “encouraging personal initiative, advancing individual freedoms and liberties, and positively contributing to society in the areas of education and scientific research.”
Brinson’s education funding aims to help students reach their full potential and to make quality education available to everyone. Specific areas of interest include STEM, literacy, college readiness, health education and civics education that is geared toward “liberty, citizenship and free enterprise.” The science research program prioritizes early-career investigators at top universities and institutes whose research areas are not generally supported by government funding. Scientific areas of interest include astrophysics, cosmology, evolutionary developmental biology, geophysics and medical research that addresses the treatment of chronic conditions. In addition to its work in science and education, Brinson supports arts and culture grantees in Chicagoland.
Recent Brinson grants have been between $25,000 and $100,000, and most funding remains in the Chicago area. Yearly giving totals about $4 million. Past grantees include La Rabida Children’s Hospital, the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, Northwestern University, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Joffrey Ballet and the Art Institute of Chicago. Recent grantees may be further explored on the funder’s past grants page.
While this funder does not accept unsolicted applications, it does accept inquiries from nonprofits, schools and other institutions and provides an form for this purpose on its website. Grantseekers may also contact Brinson’s staff at mail@brinsonfoundation.org or by phone at 312-799-4500 with general inquiries.
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