Berry Family Charitable Trust
The organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting various charitable causes. Its mission encompasses a commitment to community service, education, youth development, and social services, as evidenced by its funding of organizations that provide support to children and families, educational institutions, food banks, and cultural organizations. The foundation serves a diverse range of recipients, including community service clubs, arts and culture nonprofits, and social service organizations. While it primarily focuses its efforts in Illinois, it also supports initiatives in neighboring states.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Small-to-midsize local or regional nonprofits (often Illinois-based) working in education, youth development, food security, community services, or arts and culture with existing local ties or prior contact with trustees or intermediary organizations.
Good Fit
- • Organizational presence or programs in the foundation's home state or nearby states.
- • Work in education, youth development, food banks, community service, or arts and culture.
- • Established local relationships, trustee connections, or nominated by a community intermediary.
- • Ability to manage relatively small grants (many awards under $5K to $10K).
- • Membership or alumni ties to regional educational institutions.
Geography
Grants are spread across seven states in the latest year but are heavily concentrated in the foundation's home state, which received roughly 72% of the dollars.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows 28 distinct grantees with 22 new recipients that year, indicating a broad and diverse recipient set rather than a tiny closed circle.
New Applicants
Behavior shows many new grantees in the latest year, but the foundation explicitly says it funds only preselected applicants and no public submission route is visible, so direct access for unfamiliar applicants is unclear.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
