Mazza Foundation
Chicago, IL · EIN 36-6054751. Reported 183 grants totalling $9,784,500 to 81 recipients across tax years 2020-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Mazza Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $10,000 and $40,000; the smallest was $5,000 and the largest $300,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Shoulders Fund | Chicago, IL | $1,500,000 | 5 | 5 | 2024 |
| Misericordia Foundation | Chicago, IL | $1,200,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Depaul University | Chicago, IL | $1,050,000 | 5 | 5 | 2024 |
| Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $900,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation | Chicago, IL | $750,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Lurie Children's Hospital | Chicago, IL | $600,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Lyric Opera of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $300,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, IL | $250,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Loyola University Chicago - Arrupe College | Chicago, IL | $250,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Lumen Christi Institute | Chicago, IL | $230,000 | 5 | 5 | 2024 |
| Archdiocese of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Grant Park Music Festival | Chicago, IL | $165,000 | 5 | 5 | 2024 |
| Little Sisters of the Poor | Chicago, IL | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Little Sisters of the Poor - St Mary's Home | Chicago, IL | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Lincoln Park Zoo | Chicago, IL | $140,000 | 5 | 5 | 2024 |
| Loyola University Arrupe College | Chicago, IL | $125,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly | Chicago, IL | $105,000 | 5 | 5 | 2024 |
| Chicago Shakespeare Theater | Chicago, IL | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2023 |
| Misericordia Heart of Mercy | Chicago, IL | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Red Cloud Indian School | Pine Ridge, SD | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Lyric Opera | Chicago, IL | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Museum of Science and Industry | Chicago, IL | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Chicago Lighthouse | Chicago, IL | $70,000 | 5 | 5 | 2024 |
| Loyola Press | Chicago, IL | $70,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Christ the King Jesuit College Prep | Chicago, IL | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Cristo Rey St Martin College Prep | Waukegan, IL | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Griffin Museum of Science and Industry | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Mercy Home for Boys and Girls | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 5 | 5 | 2024 |
| Ravinia Festival Association | Highland Park, IL | $50,000 | 5 | 5 | 2024 |
| Red Cloud Indian School Pine Ridge South Dakota | Pine Ridge, SD | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum | Chicago, IL | $35,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Allendale Association | Lake Villa, IL | $32,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Gilda's Club Chicago | Chicago, IL | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Gregorian University Foundation | Washington DC, DC | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Inspiration Corporation | Chicago, IL | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Mother Mcauley High School | Chicago, IL | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Amate House | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2024 |
| Catholic Extension Society | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Catholic Relief Services Baltimore MD | Baltimore, MD | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Joffrey Ballet | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2024 |
| Northwestern University Settlement Association | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Sinai Hospital Baltimore MD | Baltimore, MD | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Catholic Extension | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Chicago Botanic Garden | Glencoe, IL | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe Il | Glencoe, IL | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Evans Scholars Foundation | Golf, IL | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Hadley School for the Blind | Winnetka, IL | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Highsight | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Horizons for Youth | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Newberry Library - Chicago Il | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| St Leonard's Ministries | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Cristo Rey St Martin College Prep Waukegan Il | Waukegan, IL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly | Chicago, IL | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Ignatian Spirituality Project | Chicago, IL | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Night Ministry | Chicago, IL | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Alexian Brothers Bonaventure House | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Alexian Brothers Housing & Health Alliance | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ascension Alexian Brothers | Elk Grove Village, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Alexian Brother Housing and Alliance | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Boys Hope Girls Hope | Wilmette, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Chicago Academy of Sciencesnotebaert Nature Museum | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Chicago Academy of Sciencespeggy Notebaert Nature | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Evans Scholars Foundation Golf Il | Golf, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Gilda's Club | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Gregorian University Foundation Washington DC | Washington DC, DC | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Mother Mcauley Liberal Arts High School | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| National Museum of Mexican Art | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Northwestern University Settlement House | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| St Leonard Ministries | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| St Leonard's Ministriesgrace House | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Uniting Voices Chicago (chicago Children's Choir) | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Women's Care Center Foundation Inc | Mishawaka, IN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Illinois Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums | Chicago, IL | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Calvert House | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Chicago Children's Choir | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Chicago Help Initiative | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hadley School for the Blind Winnetka Il | Winnetka, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly (home) | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elde | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Math Circles of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
47 of 81 (58%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 62%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Big Shoulders Fund
SCHOLARSHIPS, HIGH SCHOOL SUPPORT - Archdiocese of Chicago
GENERATION TO GENERATION CAMPAIGN - Loyola University Chicago
ARRUPE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS - Lyric Opera of Chicago
OPERA IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS - Lyric Opera
LEARNING & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT - Loyola Press
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS PROGRAM
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 84 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 34 | $1,720,000 | $10,000 |
| 2021 | 42 | $1,960,000 | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 36 | $1,825,000 | $15,000 |
| 2023 | 35 | $2,092,500 | $15,000 |
| 2024 | 36 | $2,187,000 | $13,500 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
97% of its giving went to organizations in Illinois. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $10,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Illinois.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Mazza Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2020-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 120 S Riverside 1700, Chicago, IL, 60606. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 36-6054751 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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