Getting to Know the Gust Foundation's Grantmaking in Chicago

Editor's note: This article was revised and updated on 8/20/2021.

A Chicago-based philanthropic couple that some local nonprofits are unfamiliar with is Christopher and Susan Gust. While the Wolverine Asset Management CEO/CIO and his wife maintain a low profile with their donations, they haven’t gone completely unnoticed around town.

Here are a few important things to know about the Christopher and Susan Gust Foundation and its locally focused work in Chicago.

A Focus on Inclusive Education

When we first started covering the Gust Foundation at IP, the funder did not have a website. Today, the foundation has a bare-bones website that provides some basic information and way to get in touch with the operations manager. Transparency about Gust’s grantmaking activities is still limited, but we know that there are four main categories that Gust grants fall into: education, health, mental health and human services. Mental health is a newer and emerging category for Gust grantmaking. However, the biggest of these priorities is education, and the Gust couple is mostly interested in supporting inclusive educational opportunities for Chicago-area students.

With inclusivity at the heart of Gust’s education funding, the couple regularly supports both public and private schools. Gust grants go toward helping students with disabilities, financing through scholarships, and teacher training and support. Numerous grants have funded inclusivity efforts for young students with special needs at elementary schools, such as Ravenswood Elementary School and Jahn Elementary School. This funder has also supported educational conferences that help educators learn about and embrace inclusivity.

Grantmaking is Limited so Far

Christopher and Susan Gust established their foundation in 2004, but Chris Gust is still very much involved in business with Wolverine Asset Management. Thus far, the couple, via their foundation, has been awarding modest grants each year.

In a recemt year, the foundation’s total for contributions, gifts, and grants paid was over $748,000. This is up a few hundred thousand dollars from years in the past. Most of these grants have been in the $1,000 to $40,000 range; previous Chicago grantees include the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Chicago branch of the Special Olympics, and Lakeview Food Pantry. The Gusts regularly provide grantees with general operating funds, teacher training and support, athletic scholarships (Gust used to be a professional baseball player for the Oakland Athletics), food supplies, and equipment funding.

Gust Accepts Unsolicited Requests

While the Gust Foundation is not the most accessible funder for local Chicago nonprofits, it is still very much within reach. The Gusts are typically open to unsolicited grant applications with virtually no restrictions, deadlines, specific forms, or set guidelines. Chicago nonprofits should contact the foundation’s operations manager by phone or email to find out more about current procedures.

Learn more about the Gust Foundation and other foundations that give locally in this region in IP's Chicago and Great Lakes funding guide.