Rice Foundation

The Rice Foundation is the philanthropic legacy of Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice, two prominent Chicago civic figures who built significant wealth and community standing in the mid-20th century. Since at least the 2010s, the Nolan family has stewarded the foundation: President Peter Nolan receives compensation of $286,775–$290,010 annually, and Vice President Christine Nolan receives $108,150–$111,395. The board includes Marshall Field V — a scion of Chicago's most prominent retail and cultural dynasty — and Dr. David J. Winchester, a noted oncologist and Northwestern Medicine physician. These connections signal deep roots in Chicago's North Shore civic and institutional elite.

The foundation is fundamentally relationship-driven. While it technically publishes application instructions, its own profile flags it as "preselected only," meaning virtually all grants flow to organizations already known to board members and the Nolan family. The top three grantees — Field Museum ($3.4M across 3 grants), Glenview Club Scholarship Foundation ($3.05M across 3 grants), and Chicago Botanic Garden ($2.94M across 4 grants) — collectively received approximately 50% of all documented giving, each maintaining a multiyear relationship spanning 3–4 grant cycles. First-time applicants without a board connection face long odds.

Organizations that do break through share several traits: they are established Illinois nonprofits with 10+ years of operations; they serve the North Shore or greater Chicago metro area; they align with at least one of the foundation's clear focus areas — natural history and cultural institutions, environmental conservation, health and medical research, youth education and scholarships, animal welfare, and human services; and they have demonstrated capacity to steward five- or six-figure gifts.

The most viable entry path for new organizations is relationship cultivation. Seek introductions through current grantees (Field Museum, Chicago Botanic Garden, Rush University Medical Center, Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago), through North Shore civic networks (the Glenview Club is itself a major grantee), or through Northwestern Medicine's physician networks (Dr. Winchester's connection). A warm introduction from a current grantee substantially increases the likelihood of a solicitation invitation. Organizations should view Rice as a 2–3 year cultivation project, not a cold-application target.

The Rice Foundation has maintained a relatively stable asset base of $66–77M over the past decade, declining modestly from $76.7M in FY2012 to $67.3M in FY2024 — a 12% erosion driven by cumulative grantmaking slightly outpacing investment returns in lean market years. The foundation operates exclusively on investment income (zero contributions received in any reported year), generating $2.1–5.0M annually depending on market performance.

Annual grantmaking (grants paid) has ranged from $3.18M (FY2019) to $5.77M (FY2022, a market-driven peak). Total giving including program expenses has ranged from $4.43M (FY2014) to $6.99M (FY2022). The more sustainable baseline appears to be $3.5–5.0M in annual grants paid, with FY2024 at approximately $3.98M across 61 grants.

From the 235-grant multi-year dataset: - Median grant: $12,700 - Average grant: ~$62,000–$80,000 - Range: $200 to $1,500,000 - FY2024 snapshot: 61 grants, ~$3.98M total, average ~$65,000 per grant

Giving is dramatically top-heavy. The top 10 grantees absorbed approximately $13.6M of $18.8M in total documented giving — 72% of the portfolio. The top 3 alone account for ~49%.

Estimated program area breakdown based on grantee analysis: - Cultural institutions and arts: ~35% (Field Museum, Chicago Botanic Garden, Lincoln Park Zoo, North Shore Center for Performing Arts, Ravinia, Chicago History Museum, Morton Arboretum) - Education and scholarships: ~20% (Glenview Club Scholarship Foundation, Marine Military Academy, Midtown Educational Foundation, LEAP, Camp Manito-Wish YMCA) - Environmental and wildlife conservation: ~15% (Ducks Unlimited, Illinois Conservation Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Wetlands Initiative, Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, Delta Waterfowl Foundation) - Health and medical: ~15% (Rush University Medical Center, Northshore University Health System) - Youth, animal welfare, and human services: ~15% (Operation North Pole, By The Hand Club, GiGi's Playhouse, Equestrian Connection, Boys and Girls Clubs, Night Ministry, Lakeview Pantry, Meals on Wheels)

Geographic split: Illinois 95.7% of grants by count (225 of 235), Wisconsin 2.1% (5 grants, including Camp Manito-Wish YMCA and Wisconsin DNR), Texas 1.7% (4 grants, primarily Marine Military Academy).

The table below compares the Rice Foundation to three Illinois-focused private foundations of comparable size and orientation, plus one larger Chicago-area funder for scale context. Peer figures are estimates derived from publicly available 990-PF filings and may lag by one to two fiscal years.

The Rice Foundation occupies a distinctive niche among Chicago-area private foundations: mid-sized assets, family-controlled governance, and a curated grantee portfolio anchored in North Shore institutions. Compared to the Donnelley Foundation — a natural peer in terms of Illinois focus and environmental interest — Rice gives at a similar absolute level but maintains a far more concentrated beneficiary list with less transparency about selection criteria. Unlike the Field Foundation of Illinois, which runs a structured LOI-to-proposal process genuinely open to new applicants, Rice's family governance structure means relationship access is effectively the only reliable entry point. Grant seekers who receive funding from the Donnelley Foundation or Field Foundation should use those relationships as credibility signals when approaching Rice board members.

The most current reported activity (April 27, 2026) is the Rice Foundation's co-sponsorship of the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Program administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Jointly funded with the D.F. and M.T. Grohne Family Foundation, the program awarded more than $101,000 to support 108 school field trips reaching nearly 7,000 students across 34 Illinois counties, with individual school grants ranging from $250 to $4,080. This initiative reinforces the foundation's long-standing interest in environmental education and access to natural spaces — a theme visible in its sustained support of the Chicago Botanic Garden ($2.94M across 4 grants) and Illinois Conservation Foundation ($305K across 4 grants).

The FY2024 Form 990-PF, filed October 29, 2025, confirmed 61 grants totaling approximately $3.98M. The largest single disclosed grant was $500,000 to GiGi's Playhouse — a Down syndrome achievement center network — the most substantial single-year award to that organization and the strongest signal yet of the Nolan family's personal commitment to disability services. Marine Military Academy received $350,000 and Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation $250,000.

Peter Nolan has served as President continuously through at least FY2024, with no reported leadership transitions. Christine Nolan continues as Vice President. Officer compensation increased modestly: Peter Nolan received $290,010 in FY2024 (up from $281,563 in FY2023), and Christine Nolan received $111,395 (up from $108,150). No new public-facing grant programs, RFPs, or application portals have been announced.

Calibrate expectations first: The Rice Foundation is not a conventional open-grants funder. Its preselected posture means that relationships are prerequisites, not advantages. Organizations receiving an invitation or establishing a board-level introduction should follow these specifics:

Timing and cycles: The foundation operates on a calendar fiscal year. Based on 990 filing patterns, grant decisions appear to be made in one or two annual cycles. There is no published deadline, which means relationships must be maintained year-round rather than activated only at application windows. Budget planning should account for a 6–18 month runway from first introduction to award.

Required submission elements: The published instructions specify exactly three required items — (1) a statement describing the organization and its activities, (2) the specific grant purpose and dollar amount requested, and (3) a copy of the IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter. There is no online portal or standardized form. Submission is by mail or direct contact to 8600 Gross Point Rd, Skokie, IL 60077, phone (847) 581-9999.

Dollar amount strategy: The median grant in the dataset is $12,700 and the average is $62,000–$80,000. First-time applicants should request conservatively: $15,000–$50,000 is a realistic entry range that aligns with the foundation's smaller-grant recipients. Requests above $100,000 are reserved for longstanding grantees with 3+ funding cycles (Field Museum, Chicago Botanic Garden, Rush University Medical Center received $250K–$1.1M+ individually).

Alignment language to use: Reference Illinois community benefit explicitly. Emphasize measurable, programmatic outcomes rather than general capacity building. For environmental asks, cite specific species, habitats, or Illinois ecosystem benefits. For health asks, reference Northwestern Medicine or Rush University networks if applicable. For youth education, quantify student reach in Illinois counties.

Common mistakes to avoid: - Applying cold without a board introduction - Requesting an amount disproportionate to your organization's scale or the foundation's entry-level giving history - Omitting the IRS determination letter — it is an explicit, non-negotiable requirement - Submitting a vague dollar range rather than a specific amount - Emphasizing national or out-of-state impact — geographic fit to Illinois is essential

Board cultivation approach: Prioritize introductions through Northwestern Medicine physician networks (Dr. David J. Winchester, oncologist), the Glenview Club (a top grantee), Chicago Botanic Garden leadership, Field Museum board, or Rush University Medical Center's philanthropic circles.