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Filing year 2024

JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION

Chicago, Illinois·EIN 23-7093598·NTEE T20Z · Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations·501(c)(3)
Total revenue
$890.9M
Total assets
$9.3B
Total expenses
$414.7M
Reported officers
20

Executive compensation

Form 990-PF · Part VIII · 20 reported individuals · Filing year 2024

Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking organizations in Illinois.

VP / Chief Investment Officer
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$2.5M
$2.7M
Director / President
Board President
Above 90th percentile
$1.1M
$1.2M
VP / General Counsel / Secretary
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$737k
$789k
Senior VP / Chief Operating Officer
Above 90th percentilevs Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking peers nationwide
$713k
$763k
Board Chair
Median to 75th percentilevs Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking peers nationwide
$45k
$48k
Board Trustee
Board Member
Median to 75th percentile
$28k
$30k
Board Trustee
Board Member
Median to 75th percentile
$28k
$29k
Board Trustee
Board Member
Median to 75th percentile
$27k
$29k
Board Trustee
Board Member
Median to 75th percentile
$27k
$29k
Board Trustee
Board Member
Median to 75th percentile
$27k
$28k
Board Trustee
Board Member
Median to 75th percentile
$26k
$28k
Board Trustee
Board Member
Median to 75th percentile
$26k
$28k
Board Trustee
Board Member
Median to 75th percentile
$26k
$27k
Board Trustee
Board Member
25th percentile to median
$14k
$15k
Board Trustee
Board Member
25th percentile to median
$14k
$15k
Board Trustee
Board Member
25th percentile to median
$14k
$15k
Arc Board Trustee
Board Member
25th percentile to median
$10k
$11k
Arc Board Trustee
Board Member
25th percentile to median
$10k
$11k
Board Trustee
Board Member
25th percentile to median
$10k
$11k
Board Trustee
Board Member
25th percentile to median
$9k
$10k

Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.

Estimated with Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.

Browse compensation in Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Pay in context

Top pay as a share of expenses

In 2024, the highest total compensation at JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION equaled 0.6% of the organization's total expenses. The median for philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking organizations is 15%.

This organization (2024)
0.6%
Sector median
15%
Middle half of sector
5% to 24%

Based on 35,946 philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking organizations, each measured at its most recent filing year with reported expenses and compensation.

Grants paid

Itemized grants reported on this foundation's 2024 Form 990-PF, Part XV.

Total granted

$356.1M

Itemized grants

1,086

Median grant

$160k

RecipientLocationPurposeAmount
COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL INCNEW YORK, NYTO BRING THE MOVEMENT TO END HOMELESSNESS IN THE U.S. TO A TIPPING POINT$21M
ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS INCNEW YORK, NYIN SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNANCE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST$10M
RF CATALYTIC CAPITAL INCNEW YORK, NYIN SUPPORT OF INVEST IN OUR FUTURE$7.5M
RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORKNEW YORK, NYFOR DATA AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND THE COORDINATION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT FOR THE SAFETY AND JUSTICE CHALLENGE NETWORK$6.5M
WINDWARD FUNDWASHINGTON, DCIN SUPPORT OF THE METHANE HUB$5M
RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORKNEW YORK, NYTO SUPPORT THE SAFETY AND JUSTICE CHALLENGE RESEARCH CONSORTIUM, A MECHANISM TO ADMINISTER AND MANAGE RESEARCH PROJECTS UNDER THE INITIATIVE$4.5M
EMMETT TILL AND MAMIE TILL-MOBLEY INSTITUTESUMMIT, ILIN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS$4M
URBAN INSTITUTEWASHINGTON, DCTO SERVE AS THE COORDINATOR AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDER FOR THE JUST HOME PROJECT TO ADVANCE TARGETED HOUSING SOLUTIONS TO BREAK THE LINK BETWEEN HOUSING INSTABILITY AND INCARCERATION UNDER THE SAFETY AND JUSTICE CHALLENGE$4M
UNITED STATES ENERGY FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CAIN SUPPORT OF STATE-LEVEL ADVOCACY FOR CLEAN ENERGY POLICIES$3M
AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INCNEWARK, DEEMPLOYEE MATCHING GIFTS PROGRAM$3M
THE FIELD FOUNDATION OF ILLINOIS INCCHICAGO, ILIN SUPPORT OF "A ROAD TOGETHER (ART), AN INITIATIVE OF THE FIELD FOUNDATION SUPPORTED BY THE MACARTHUR FOUNDATION"$2.8M
THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUSTCHICAGO, ILIN SUPPORT OF PRESS FORWARD CHICAGO'S LEADERSHIP IN ENGAGING PHILANTHROPISTS AND THE LOCAL JOURNALISM COMMUNITY TO STRENGTHEN AND SUSTAIN THE MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS AND OUTLETS THAT SERVE THIS REGION'S DIVERSE AUDIENCES$2.5M
JUSTICE INNOVATION INC DBA CENTER FOR JUSTICE INNOVATIONNEW YORK, NYTO PROVIDE PROJECT COORDINATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS SEEKING TO SAFELY REDUCE JAIL USE AND ADDRESS RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES AS PART OF THE SAFETY AND JUSTICE CHALLENGE$2.1M
ACENTO ACCION LOCAL ASOCIACION CIVILDISTRITO FEDERAL, MXTO STRENGTHEN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISM IN MEXICO THROUGH DIVERSIFYING PHILANTHROPIC STRATEGIES AND INCREASING EQUITY IN ACCESS TO FUNDS AND RESOURCES FOR THE MEXICAN STATES$2M
CLIMATE AND CLEAN ENERGY EQUITY FUNDWASHINGTON, DCIN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS$2M
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS EDUCATION FUNDWASHINGTON, DCTO SUPPORT LOCAL AND STATEWIDE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS ABOUT CLEAN ENERGY BENEFITS$2M
LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INCHAVERTOWN, PAIN SUPPORT OF ACTIVITIES AND GRANTS TO SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS ORGANIZATIONS TO BE FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE$2M
TRACE MEDIA INCBROOKLYN, NYIN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS$2M
VOLCKER ALLIANCE INCNEW YORK, NYIN SUPPORT OF DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP PATHWAYS FOR DIVERSE INDIVIDUALS FOCUSED ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND ADVANCING RACIAL EQUITY AS PART OF THE SAFETY AND JUSTICE CHALLENGE$2M
NDN COLLECTIVE INCRAPID CITY, SDIN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS$1.6M
JUSTICE SYSTEM PARTNERSSALEM, ORFOR PROJECT COORDINATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS SEEKING TO REDUCE JAIL USE SAFELY AND ADDRESS RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES AS PART OF THE SAFETY AND JUSTICE CHALLENGE$1.6M
HUMBOLDT AREA FOUNDATIONBAYSIDE, CAIN SUPPORT OF THE KLAMATH RIVER FUND$1.5M
INTERNEWS NETWORKARCATA, CAIN SUPPORT OF ACTIVITIES AND GRANTS TO SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS ORGANIZATIONS IN COMMUNITIES WITH LOW CIVIC INFORMATION SCORES$1.5M
LEVER FOR CHANGECHICAGO, ILIN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS$1.5M
NEO PHILANTHROPY INCNEW YORK, NYIN SUPPORT OF THE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE FUND$1.5M
Compare this foundation's grantees

Up 11%
from 2023

From $2.3M in 2023 to $2.5M in 2024.

$2.3M
2023
$2.5M
2024
In today's dollarsEst.
Up 7% in real terms$2.5M to $2.7M

Estimated with Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.

Pay for the position

Board Vice President pay rose 11% from 2023 to 2024, while revenue rose 45%.

$2.3M in 2023 to $2.5M in 2024.
  • Board President pay fell 14% from 2023 to 2024.
  • Chief Operating Officer pay rose 4% from 2023 to 2024.

Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2023 and 2024.

Highest reported compensation in each year. Volunteer board members and partial-year payouts are filtered out.
Financial trend

Revenue and expenses over time

JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION reported revenue and expenses across 2 filing years.

RevenueExpenses
$613.8M
$415.3M
2023
$890.9M
$414.7M
2024
Total revenue and total expenses from IRS Form 990 filings.

This is a private foundation. Peers are foundations of similar asset size ($1B+), because foundation pay scales with assets under management, not revenue.

Sector benchmark

What Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking executives earn in Illinois

Comparable philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking organizations in Illinois pay their highest-earning executive a median of $20,738.

25th percentile
$7k
Median
$20,738
75th percentile
$60k
90th percentile
$148k

These are philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking sector-wide figures, not this organization's reported pay. Based on 2,342 organizations across 2,342 filings (2021 – 2024).

See full Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking pay data for Illinois
FAQ

Common questions about JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION

What does the Board Vice President of JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION earn?

In 2024, the Board Vice President of JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION received $2,536,511 in total compensation. This pay is in the top 10% for Board Vice President roles among Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking organizations in Illinois: at least 9 in 10 comparable filings report less. Based on IRS Form 990 data.

How does Board Vice President pay at JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION compare with similar nonprofits?

Compared with the same role at Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking organizations in Illinois, the 2024 pay of the Board Vice President at JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION falls in the top 10%. In 2024, the highest total compensation at JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION equaled 0.6% of the organization's total expenses. The median for philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking organizations is 15%.

What are JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION's revenue and expenses?

In 2024, JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION reported $890.9M in total revenue and $414.7M in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.

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This is a private foundation. Peers are foundations of similar asset size ($1B+), because foundation pay scales with assets under management, not revenue.