Coleman Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Coleman Foundation was built upon the Fannie May Candies fortune and primarily supports Chicago-area nonprofits working to improve cancer care, independence initiatives for people with developmental disabilities and entrepreneurship education.

IP TAKE: The Coleman Foundation is a funder on the move and has been “implementing takeaways from a recent strategic planning exercise, such as embracing some of the principles of trust-based philanthropy and grappling with systemic inequities that impact the communities it serves.” With the exception of a few entrepreneurship education grants, almost all of Coleman’s grantmaking takes place within the city of Chicago and its suburbs. Although the foundation’s education and developmental disabilities focus areas are very specific, various types of cancer care and support programs are also considered for funding. Letters of inquiry are accepted at any time.

PROFILE: Established in 1951, the Coleman Foundation was created by Dorothy W. and J.D. Stetson Coleman, who were successful entrepreneurs in the Chicago area and owners of the Fannie May Candies company. Today, the foundation supports “educational institutions offering entrepreneurship education, organizations providing cancer treatment, education and support, and agencies providing services for individuals with developmental disabilities only in the Chicago Metropolitan area - its primary geographical focus.”

Grants for Public Health and Access, Diseases, and Brain and Cell Research

The Coleman Foundation advocates for raising the standard of cancer care in the Midwest through treatment, education, and support services. The cancer care focus area is fairly broad and encompasses treatment programs, education initiatives for patients and personnel, collaborations for psychosocial support and palliative care, and initiatives to better communicate treatment options with patients.

It also supports programs aimed at helping people with developmental disabilities, empowering them to be determined and achieve a higher quality of life. Past grantees have included residential and vocational programs for this population.

Grants for Work and Economic Opportunity

With its roots in entrepreneurship, the foundation also supports programs that develop and encourage new generations of business owners through entrepreneurship education programs.

Important Grant Details

Most grants have been between $2,000 and $250,000 each, and Coleman typically awards over a hundred of them each year. The Chicago metropolitan area is Coleman’s primary geographic focus, and although select parts of the Midwest receive support, only a limited number of grants leave the city limits.

To apply for a Coleman grant, nonprofits must submit letters of inquiry, which are accepted throughout the year; however, this is paused for the moment. Grantseekers should direct general inquiries to the staff at info@colemanfoundation.org or call 312-902-7120 to learn more about the foundation.

PEOPLE:

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