The primary focus of the Foundation is programs that work with populations of need particularly children, youth, and families in underserved Chicago communities. Very few awards are made to organizations located outside the city of Chicago. Grants are made for both new and ongoing initiatives in four program areas: social service, education, culture and health care. In all areas, proposals should address increased access to services and improvement of the quality of life for area residents. Grants are seldom made for capital support.

Areas of particular interest to the Foundation include teacher development and professional support to improve teaching in the Chicago public schools; programs that provide long-term support for and interaction with clients, including permanent supportive housing and job training programs with comprehensive post-placement tracking and interaction; and health initiatives that make services available to children and families in their communities.

There are no deadlines for the submission of proposals to the Polk Bros. Foundation.  Applications are accepted year-round, scheduled in the order in which they are received, and considered at quarterly Board meetings of the Foundation Board. Proposals for health-related services are reviewed at the spring and fall board meetings only.

The Foundation also has a small grants program that makes grants of up to $15,000 and is open to organizations with limited funding histories and annual expenses of $75,000 or more.  We The Foundation will not review more than three consecutive requests from an organization through the small grants program.

 Applicants to the Polk Bros. Foundation must have received a 501(c)(3) ruling from the Internal Revenue  Service. The Foundation will not consider more than one request from an organization or its affiliates in a 12-month period, nor will it generally fund more than eight percent of an organizations operating budget.

 The Polk Bros. Foundation will not support:

 An organization that has not previously received a grant from the Foundation should first call our office or complete the pre-application form available on this website. The Foundation will then mail an application form or contact the organization with further questions.

The application form, together with the required supporting materials it requests, constitutes the application for a grant. A site visit or interview may be scheduled by a program officer as part of the review process.

Questions regarding the Polk Bros. Foundation should be directed to: