Greer Foundation

The Greer Foundation is a strictly invitation-only private foundation established in October 2007 by Carl C. Greer, PhD, PsyD — a retired clinical psychologist, Jungian analyst, businessman, and shamanic practitioner based in the Chicago area. With $32.1 million in assets as of FY2024, the foundation operates as a highly personal, relationship-driven grantmaker that supports a concentrated circle of preselected partners rather than running open grant competitions.

The defining feature of this funder: the foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations" and "does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." There is no portal, no RFP cycle, and no submission window. This is the foundation's permanent operating model, reflecting Trustee Carl Greer's preference for deep, sustained relationships over competitive award processes.

Organizations in the Greer Foundation's grantee circle fall into two primary categories. First are universities and scholarship-administering nonprofits executing STEM-focused awards for underrepresented students — UIC ($915,000 cumulative), Loyola ($530,000), DePaul ($463,334), Northwestern ($440,000), and Lehigh University (Chicago affiliate, $753,000+ across years) anchor this category. Second are Chicago-area community organizations addressing domestic violence, disadvantaged youth, and basic needs — Chicago Lights, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, Curt's Cafe, and Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation represent this thread.

For first-time grant seekers, the practical path to engagement runs through people and networks, not applications. The small staff — Executive Director Donald Waterlander (compensation: $88,200 in FY2022) and CFO Lisa Sanchez ($66,000) — manage operations, while Trustee Carl Greer makes all grant decisions. Reaching Waterlander through a trusted intermediary already in the grantee network is the most viable cold entry point.

Carl Greer's personal intellectual interests — Jungian psychology, shamanic practice, alternative and integrative medicine, and systemic social justice — suggest that genuine ideological alignment matters more than polished proposal writing. His authored books (100% of proceeds benefit charitable causes through the foundation) reveal a worldview emphasizing inner transformation alongside structural change. First-time applicants should invest time understanding this philosophical frame before any outreach.

Education and scholarships dominate the Greer Foundation's grantmaking, representing the majority of cumulative dollars distributed. Analysis of 63 tracked grants from available 990 filings reveals a bimodal distribution: large university scholarship tranches and smaller community organization program grants.

University scholarship grants account for the highest dollar concentrations. Individual scholarship tranches to top partners run $100,000–$318,000 per cycle: UIC ($915,000 across 3 grants), Loyola ($530,000 across 2), DePaul ($463,334 across 4), Northwestern ($440,000 across 3), and Lehigh University/Chicago affiliate ($435,000 across 2 plus $318,000 in FY2024). Big Shoulders Fund received $387,250 across 3 grants. Red Cloud Indian School ($232,500) and Turtle Mountain Community College ($186,000) represent a consistent Native American education thread. These scholarship partnerships are multi-year, with the same institutions receiving 2–4 grants across the available data period.

Community organization grants cluster in a lower band: Mercy Home for Boys & Girls ($150,000 unrestricted), Curt's Cafe ($105,608 unrestricted), Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation ($100,000), and Anew ($100,000). Faith-based organizations — Lighthouse Church of All Nations ($267,000 across 3 grants combining scholarships and unrestricted gifts) and The Fourth Presbyterian Church/Replogle Center ($40,000 across 2 grants) — occupy a middle tier.

Key metrics across tracked grants: Median grant $73,500; average grant $79,978; range $1,000–$318,000. Total tracked giving across available years: $5,504,566 across 63 grants.

Year-over-year giving shows significant volatility: - FY2022: $2,634,961 (27 grants — peak disbursement year) - FY2021: $918,825 - FY2020: $1,934,427 - FY2019: $809,625 - FY2023: $734,923 ($401,000 directly as grants paid) - FY2024 (est.): ~$514,000 (6 grants)

This oscillation likely reflects multi-year scholarship commitments disbursed in annual installments rather than discrete grant cycles. A university receiving a 3-year cohort commitment shows concentrated payments in disbursement years. The FY2024 contraction to 6 grants may indicate existing multi-year commitments winding down before new cycles are authorized.

Geographic distribution: Illinois receives ~79% of grants by count (50 of 63). South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Missouri, New York, and North Dakota account for the remainder, each reflecting specific long-standing institutional partnerships.

The following table compares the Greer Foundation to four asset-size peers identified from IRS data, all classified under NTEE T20 (Private Grantmaking Foundations) with assets in the $32.1M–$32.2M range.

What distinguishes Greer from its asset-size peers is the unusual specificity of programmatic identity: where most comparable private foundations operate with broad "general philanthropy" missions, Greer's grantmaking is tightly organized around founder Carl Greer's personal priorities — STEM scholarships for underrepresented Chicago youth, psychological health and alternative medicine, and structural social justice. At a payout rate that ranged from roughly 1.6% (FY2023) to 10.3% (FY2022) against the standard 5% private foundation minimum, the high-variation years suggest multi-year commitment cycles rather than annual budgeting. The invitation-only policy combined with a founder-as-trustee structure also sets Greer apart: most $30M+ family foundations at this stage have begun transitioning toward more formal application processes, but Greer retains full discretionary control.

The most current available data (FY2024 990) shows the Greer Foundation awarded approximately 6 grants totaling ~$514,000, with an average award of ~$86,000. The largest single FY2024 grant was $318,000 to Lehigh University Chicago — the largest single-year award in the tracked dataset. Chicago Lights received $85,000, National Philanthropic Trust $75,000 (a pass-through donor-advised vehicle for Greer's broader charitable giving), The Fourth Presbyterian Church $20,000 for its Replogle Center programs, and Columbia University a nominal $1,000.

Asset growth has been substantial: from $24.9M (FY2021) to $32.1M (FY2024), driven primarily by a $4,023,061 contribution infusion in FY2023 and net investment income of $1,578,748 that same year. This capital growth amid reduced grantmaking activity suggests the foundation is in a deliberate accumulation phase, likely building reserves before a new multi-year scholarship cycle.

No public press releases, program announcements, or leadership changes were found for 2025 or 2026. The foundation maintains a low public profile consistent with its invitation-only model. Executive Director Donald Waterlander has held his role continuously across all years of available data, with compensation growing from $65,961 (FY2019) to $88,200 (FY2022). Lisa Sanchez serves as CFO at $66,000. The greercharities.com website had an expired SSL certificate as of June 2026, indicating minimal attention to external communications. Trustee Carl C. Greer continues as the sole governance authority with no additional trustees listed in any filing year reviewed.

Because the Greer Foundation funds only preselected organizations, traditional grant-writing advice is largely beside the point. The following tips address the actual path to funding: building a relationship that results in an invitation.

Enter through existing grantee networks. The foundation's anchor partners — UIC, Loyola, DePaul, Northwestern, Chicago Lights, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, The Fourth Presbyterian Church, and Red Cloud Indian School — are potential introduction points. Co-programming with these organizations or hiring staff with prior relationships there creates natural connectivity to foundation leadership. A warm introduction from an existing grantee carries far more weight than any cold outreach.

Position as a STEM scholarship delivery partner. Roughly 70%+ of cumulative Greer dollars funds scholarship programs for underrepresented students in STEM. Organizations that can partner with existing scholarship cohorts — through tutoring, mentorship, career readiness, or wraparound support — align with the foundation's primary investment thesis.

Speak Carl Greer's intellectual language. Dr. Greer's background as a Jungian analyst and shamanic practitioner is not decorative — it shapes what resonates. Proposals or introductory conversations that reference systemic root causes, psychological transformation, indigenous wisdom traditions, or integrative healthcare will land differently than conventional social service framing. Reading his books (Change Your Story, Change Your Life; Heal the Body, Heal the Mind) is genuine preparation, not flattery.

Target Chicago's underserved communities with specificity. Community grantees — Curt's Cafe, Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, Youth Guidance — concentrate in specific Chicago neighborhoods. Geographic precision within the city signals operational authenticity.

Native American education is a distinct and undercompeted thread. Red Cloud Indian School and Turtle Mountain Community College receive consistent multi-grant funding. Organizations serving Native American students in higher education or STEM access — even outside Illinois — have a real pathway.

Keep initial outreach brief and relational. Contact Lisa Sanchez at (708) 385-6500 or the Alsip office with a 2-3 sentence organizational introduction and a simple question about whether an exploratory conversation would be appropriate. Never send an unsolicited full proposal — it signals unfamiliarity with how the foundation works, which is itself disqualifying.