Baskes Family Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Baskes Family Foundation is a philanthropic vehicle of veteran lawyer Robert Baskes, his wife, Julie, and their family. Baskes' Chicago grantmaking supports arts and culture with a focus on theater and opera.
IP TAKE: This foundation keeps a low profile and does not appear to accept unsolicited proposals. Networking is key for getting on this funder’s radar.
PROFILE: The Baskes Family Foundation is the foundation of Roger Baskes based in Chicago. A Harvard Law graduate, Roger Baskes practiced law in Chicago for 20 years and is an avid collector of atlases and other books with maps. He is a past chair of the board of trustees of The Newberry Library in Chicago, home to the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections. Baskes, his wife and their family move their philanthropy through the Baskes Family Foundation. Grantmaking areas of interest are arts and culture, education, health and human services, and Jewish causes.
In Chicago, the family's largest sums have gone to arts and culture organizations. The foundation often supports opera and theater organizations. Past grantees include the Goodman Theatre, the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Opera Theatre. Other grantees include the Newberry Library, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Chicago History Museum.
Baskes also supports his alma mater, the University of Chicago, home to the Julie and Roger Baskes Group Study, a research center to which they have also donated rare and historical books. Other education grantees in the Chicago area include the Merit School of Music, Chicago High School for Arts, Payton Prep Initiative for Education, and the Young Women’s Leadership Charter School. In the area of health, the Baskes have given large sums to Northwestern University's Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. Other health and human services grantees include the Chicago Women's Health Center, Metropolitan Family Services, the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness and Lakeview Food Pantry. The family also funds Jewish organizations in Chicago, including the Jewish United Fund and Chicago Sinai Congregation.
Many grants range from $1,000 to $25,000. In a recent tax year, the foundation gave away around $2.3 million. Grantseekers can learn more about this funder’s giving by examining its tax records. The family is based in the eastern half of the United States, and Chicagoland, in particular, serves as an important site of philanthropy.
The foundation does not have a website, and it does not appear to accept unsolicited grant requests from nonprofits. The foundation phone number is 312-642-3737, and its address is 980 N. Michigan Ave., No. 1380, Chicago, IL 60611. Roger and Julie Baskes also move philanthropy through a more modestly sized charity, the Julie and Roger Baskes Charitable Trust, supporting a similar collection of outfits.
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CONTACT:
The Baskes Family Foundation
980 N. Michigan Ave., No. 1380
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 642-3737
