Perkins Hunter Foundation

Perkins Hunter Foundation is a private foundation that primarily makes grants to left-of-center, youth-focused, and education-oriented organizations. 1 Thomas Perkins, Alec Perkins, and Jamel Perkins are the Perkins Hunter Foundation’s directors. 2

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3), Private Foundation
Formation:

1987

Executive Director:

Thomas Perkins

Location: Lombard, IL View on map
Tax ID: 36-3486609
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2025): Assets: $9,199,399 Revenue: $990,045 Expenses: $1,238,540

Contents

    During the 2020 election cycle, the Perkins Hunter Foundation made grants to various organizations including $400,000 to the San Francisco Foundation, $100,000 to Tipping Point Community, $75,000 to Freedom Forward, $25,000 to the Voter Registration Project, $15,000 to New Venture Fund, and 15,000 to pro-abortion organization NARAL Pro-Choice America. 3

    History and Leadership

    Perkins Hunter Foundation was founded in 1987. 4 The foundation was given nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service that same year. 5 Thomas Perkins, Alec Perkins, and Jamel Perkins are the Perkins Hunter Foundation’s directors. 2

    Previously, Jamel Perkins was the president of the board of the San Francisco Education Fund. In 2016, she co-founded Freedom Forward, an organization that aims to stop sex trafficking. Jamel Perkins’ son Alec is the former board chair of Tipping Point, 6 an organization that received six-figure grants from the Perkins Hunter Foundation at several points between 2012 and 2021. 7

    Activities and Funding

    Perkins Hunter Foundation is a private foundation whose primary activity is making grants to left-of-center, youth-focused, and education-oriented organizations. 1 The foundation is also a partner of the Green Light Fund, 8 which is in partnership with the left-of-center Network for Good donation platform. 9

    In 2021, Perkins Hunter Foundation issued grants of $350,000 to Tipping Point Community, $150,000 to Freedom Forward, $25,000 to the San Francisco Educational Fund, $25,000 to Greenbelt Alliance, and others. 10

    In 2020, Perkins Hunter Foundation issued grants to various groups including $400,000 to the San Francisco Foundation, $100,000 to Tipping Point Community, $75,000 to Freedom Forward, $25,000 to the Voter Registration Project, $15,000 to America Votes, $15,000 to pro-abortion NARAL Pro-Choice America, $15,000 to Voto Latino, $15,000 to New Venture Fund, $10,000 to Accelerate Change, $10,000 to Foundation for Social Impact, $10,000 to Turnout Activism, $5,000 to Feel Good Voting, $10,000 to Hopewell Fund, $10,000 to left-leaning Count Every Vote, and $7,000 to All Americans Vote. 3

    Perkins Hunter Foundation has also supported children’s programs and youth sports activities 11 by making grants to the Erikson Institute, 12 the Boys and Girls Club of America and other youth-focused organizations. 13

    In 2019, the Perkins Hunter Foundation made financial contributions supporting the left-of-center Chicago Community Trust (CCT). 14 Within CCT, there is a Perkins Hunter Foundation Fund. 15

    Perkins Hunter Foundation has also made grants to the left-of-center Tides Foundation, 16 Ofxam America, Teach For America, National Public Radio (NPR), and others. 17

    Funding

    Perkins Hunter Foundation is a private foundation whose main source of funding is capital gains from and sales of the foundation’s investments. In 2021, Perkins Hunter Foundation reported revenue of $1,684,000 and expenses of $673,411. That year, the foundation reported that $1,292,805 of its total income came from capital gain net income from its securities holdings. 18

    Previously, the Perkins Hunter Foundation received funding from the Perkins Revocable Trust. 19

    In 2020, Perkins Hunter Foundation reported revenue of $580,858 and expenses of $892,400. 20

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2025 $9,199,399 $990,045 $1,238,540
    2024 $8,326,922 $976,731 $458,548 View
    2023 $9,680,327 $63,519 $628,826 View
    2022 $10,301,952 $221,334 $555,521 View
    2021 $12,406,995 $1,684,000 $673,411 View
    2020 $11,412,256 $580,858 $892,400 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010

    Expenses Detail

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $6,513,085
    • Number of Grants: 224
    • Number of Recipients: 135

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $400,0002020 San Francisco FoundationGENERAL USE
    $350,0002021 Tipping Point CommunityGENERAL USE
    $300,0002022 Tipping Point CommunityGENERAL USE
    $200,0002023 Tipping Point CommunityGENERAL USE
    $150,0002021 Freedom FWDGENERAL USE
    $125,0002025 San Francisco University High SchoolGENERAL USE
    $125,0002025 Tipping Point CommunityGENERAL USE
    $125,0002024 Tipping Point CommunityGENERAL USE
    $100,0002020 Tipping Point CommunityGENERAL USE
    $75,0002023 Freedom FWDGENERAL USE
    $75,0002023 RemakeGENERAL USE
    $75,0002020 Freedom FWDGENERAL USE
    $65,0002025 La Luz CenterGENERAL USE
    $65,0002023 San Francisco University High SchoolGENERAL USE
    $60,0002025 San Francisco Education FundGENERAL USE
    $50,1002023 San Francisco Education FundGENERAL USE
    $50,0002024 Vote.orgGENERAL USE
    $50,0002020 San Francisco General Hospital FoundationGENERAL USE
    $40,0002025 Technoserve, Inc.GENERAL USE
    $35,0002025 KQED Inc.GENERAL USE
    $35,0002025 Teach for AmericaGENERAL USE
    $35,0002024 Tides FoundationGENERAL USE
    $35,0002024 Ucsf FoundationGENERAL USE
    $30,0002025 Battery FoundationGENERAL USE
    $30,0002025 San Francisco General HospitalGENERAL USE

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF). 2020. Part XV. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363486609/202211369349105381/full.
    2.  “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF). 2021. Part VII. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363486609/202211369349105381/full.
    3. “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF). 2020. Part XV. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363486609/202132539349100518/full.
    4. “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” CauseIQ. Accessed June 17, 2023. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/perkins-hunter-foundation,363486609/.
    5. “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” Candid. GuideStar. Accessed June 16, 2023. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/36-3486609.
    6.  Schifrin, Dan. “Using ‘Whatever Leverage’ She Has to Help Vulnerable Youth.” The Giving List. November 1, 2021. Accessed June 17, 2023. https://www.givinglistbayarea.com/2021/11/01/using-whatever-leverage-she-has-to-help-vulnerable-youth/.
    7. “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF). 2011. Part XV. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/363486609/2014_01_PF%2F36-3486609_990PF_201212.
    8. “Partners.” Green Light Fund Bay Area. Accessed June 17, 2023. https://greenlightfund.org/sites/bay-area/partners/.
    9. “Donate Now.” Green Light Fund/Network for Good. Accessed June 17, 2023. https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1428440.
    10. “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990). 2021. Part XIV. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363486609/202211369349105381/full.
    11. “Harlem & Newark 2017 Annual Report.” Street Squash. Accessed Jun3 17, 2023. https://streetsquash.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/StreetSquash_AR_2017.pdf.
    12. “Erikson on Children.” Fall 2016. Accessed June 17, 2023. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-10.18.2016-OnChildren.pdf.
    13. “Ready for Life.” Boys and Girls Club 2014 Annual Report. 2014. Accessed June 17, 2023. https://www.avilacreativeinc.com/wp-content/uploads/BGCC_AR_R5.pdf.
    14. “Donors and Contributors.” Chicago Community Trust. Accessed June 17, 2023. https://2019annualreport.cct.org/donors-contributors/.
    15. “Our Team.” New Schools Venture Fund. Accessed via Web Archive April 13, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210413201548/https://www.newschools.org/team/perkins-hunter-foundation-fund-at-the-chicago-community-trust-2/.
    16. “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2006. Part XV. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/363486609/2008_05_PF%2F36-3486609_990PF_200612.
    17. “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF). 2013. Part XV. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363486609/201401349349102710/full.
    18. “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF). Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363486609/202211369349105381/full.
    19. “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF). 2011. Schedule B. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/363486609/2012_06_PF%2F36-3486609_990PF_201112.
    20. “Perkins Hunter Foundation.” Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF). 2020. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363486609/202132539349100518/full.