The Pritzker Traubert Foundation is a Chicago-based left-of-center private grantmaking foundation belonging to Obama administration Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and her husband Bryan Traubert.

In 2021, the foundation donated $200,000 to the New Venture Fund. ¹ The New Venture Fund is a part of the “dark money” network belonging to the left-of-center for-profit company Arabella Advisors. ² The foundation also supports left-of-center think tanks such as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Brookings Institution, the Urban Institute, and the Aspen Institute. ³ The foundation supports pro-abortion groups such as the Chicago Abortion Fund and two Planned Parenthood chapters. ⁴

Background

Penny Pritzker, a member of the prominent Pritzker political and business family, and her husband Bryan Traubert founded the Pritzker Traubert Foundation in 2000 to support causes mostly in and around Chicago. The couple moved back to Chicago in 2016 after Prizker served in the Obama administration and Traubert served a fellowship at Stanford University. After moving back to Chicago, the group shifted its focus to helping low-income families in Chicago. ⁵

Grantmaking

New Venture Fund

In 2021, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation donated $200,000 to the New Venture Fund, which is a part of the left-of-center “dark money” network run by the for-profit company Arabella Advisors. ⁶

The New Venture Fund serves as the fundraising arm for “pop up” groups that appear to support or oppose legislation. The groups are called “pop up” groups because they are often nothing more than a website. The New Venture Fund works with Arabella sister group Sixteen Thirty Fund, which hosts the “pop up” groups’ advocacy arm. The New Venture Fund allows donors to conceal which groups they are supporting because it serves as the host and fiscal sponsor for the groups. ⁷

Left-of-Center Think Tanks

In 2021, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation donated to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace ($2,000,000), the Aspen Institute ($200,000), the Brookings Institution ($140,000), and the Urban Institute ($62,160). ⁸

Abortion

In 2021, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation supported the Chicago Abortion Fund ($6,000), Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas ($11,000), and Planned Parenthood of Illinois ($5,000). ⁹

Among the stances of the Chicago Abortion Fund are opposition to parental notice of minors’ abortions and support for taxpayer-funded abortions. ¹⁰

Other Donations

In 2021, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation supported the Noble Network of Charter Schools ($700,928), the education advocacy group Advance Illinois ($25,000), the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation ($250,000), the Better Government Association ($150,000), the Chicago Media Project ($10,000), Chicago Public Media ($1,426,000), the Equal Justice Initiative ($10,000), Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights ($35,000), Inner-City Muslim Action Network ($500,000), National Iranian American Council ($5,000), Obama Foundation ($10,000), Partnership for Public Service ($50,000), and Teach For America ($10,000). ¹¹

Leadership

The Pritzker Traubert Foundation chairman is Bryan Traubert. He is also vice chairman of the executive committee of the Chicago Community Trust. ¹²

Penny Pritzker is a director and co-founder. She was Secretary of Commerce in the Obama administration and sits on the boards of Microsoft and Icertis, is chair of the board of trustees at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and is a member of President Joe Biden’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. She is the founder and chairman of PSP Partners. ¹³

Kevin Poorman is the vice president of the foundation, and he is the chairman of the Pritzker Realty Group. ¹⁴

Cindy Moelis is the president. Previously, she worked as the Director of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships under President Barack Obama. ¹⁵

Financials

According to the Pritzker Traubert Foundation’s 2022 tax return, the group had $29,381,457 in revenue, $23,857,238 in expenses, and $381,773,620 in assets. ¹⁶

1. “Pritzker Traubert Foundation 2021 Form 990.” Internal Revenue Service. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/364347781_202112_990PF_2023050521160233.pdf.
2. Ludwig, Hayden. “Big Money In Dark Shadows.” Capital Research Center. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://capitalresearch.org/app/uploads/CRC_BigMoneyInDarkShadows_v15_FINAL-1.pdf.
3. “Pritzker Traubert Foundation 2021 Form 990.” Internal Revenue Service. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/364347781_202112_990PF_2023050521160233.pdf.
4. “Pritzker Traubert Foundation 2021 Form 990.” Internal Revenue Service. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/364347781_202112_990PF_2023050521160233.pdf.
5.  “Our History.” Pritzker Traubert Foundation. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://www.ptfound.org/our-history.
6.  “Pritzker Traubert Foundation 2021 Form 990.” Internal Revenue Service. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/364347781_202112_990PF_2023050521160233.pdf.
7. Ludwig, Hayden. “Big Money In Dark Shadows.” Capital Research Center. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://capitalresearch.org/app/uploads/CRC_BigMoneyInDarkShadows_v15_FINAL-1.pdf.
8. “Pritzker Traubert Foundation 2021 Form 990.” Internal Revenue Service. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/364347781_202112_990PF_2023050521160233.pdf.
9. “Pritzker Traubert Foundation 2021 Form 990.” Internal Revenue Service. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/364347781_202112_990PF_2023050521160233.pdf.
10. “Every Caller, Every Need: A Year since Dobbs.” Chicago Abortion Fund. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://www.chicagoabortionfund.org/everycaller.
11. “Pritzker Traubert Foundation 2021 Form 990.” Internal Revenue Service. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/364347781_202112_990PF_2023050521160233.pdf.
12. “Our Team.” Pritzker Traubert Foundation. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://www.ptfound.org/our-team.
13. [1] “Our Team.” Pritzker Traubert Foundation. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://www.ptfound.org/our-team.
14. “Our Team.” Pritzker Traubert Foundation. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://www.ptfound.org/our-team.
15. “Our Team.” Pritzker Traubert Foundation. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://www.ptfound.org/our-team.
16. “Pritzker Traubert Foundation, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/364347781/202343199349102594/full.