For Release: January 26, 20256
Contact: Kelly Landis, kelly@gddf.org/312-977-2705
Chicago, IL and Charleston, SC — The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation (GDDF) awarded $7,538,880 in grants to 128 organizations in the Chicago region and the Lowcountry of South Carolina in 2025.
“This has been a challenging year for many of our grantee partners, including the loss of significant sources of funding,” said Arnold Randall, executive director of the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. “GDDF remains steadfast in our commitment to our mission, values, and program areas, and in our support for the work of our grantees.”
“We also strive to offer support in ways grounded in trust and shared values,” Randall added. “Most of our grants are multiyear general operating support. Beyond funding, we create opportunities to convene and collaborate, and we connect grantees with training and other capacity-building resources. Now more than ever it is vital to champion the power of art, conserve and protect our land, and share the stories that tell us who we are.”
The Foundation supports more than 300 organizations across our two regions and three program areas: Artistic Vitality, Broadening Narratives, and Land Conservation. GDDF makes grants twice a year and prioritizes multiyear general operating support. In 2025, more than 68% of grants were for general operating support. GDDF also provides project, planning, technical assistance, and cash reserve funding. Program staff made more than 400 personal connections with grantees this year through calls, meetings, field visits, and attendance at performances.
2025 Grants By the Numbers
$7,538,880 to 128 Organizations
Artistic Vitality: $3,196,880
Broadening Narratives: $1,240,000
Land Conservation: $3,102,000
Chicago Region
$4,781,000 to 88 organizations
Artistic Vitality: $2,489,000
Broadening Narratives: $690,000
Land Conservation: $1,602,000
Lowcountry of South Carolina
$2,757,880 to 40 organizations
Artistic Vitality: $707,880.00
Broadening Narratives: $550,000
Land Conservation: $1,500,000
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The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation supports land conservation, artistic vitality, and collections for the people of the Chicago region and the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The Foundation seeks to sustain and build resilient, vital, engaged, and equitable communities in these two regions by supporting conservation, arts, and collecting organizations that broaden narratives. For more information, visit gddf.org.