With JOY, GRATITUDE, and HOPE, we introduce the 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Awards Winners and celebrate the remarkable work they do every day to strengthen families, empower communities, and create lasting change.
Rigorously vetted by our panel of experts, these 43 nonprofits set the highest standards of excellence, leadership, scalability, and impact.
Our goal is to supercharge smart philanthropy and help make the world a better place faster.
That’s why we’re investing $1.25 million and a year of collaborative storytelling in their work.
2026 Philanthropy Awards
$100,000+ Award Winners
Joffrey Ballet
Changent
Metropolitan Family Services
$50,000 Award Winners
A Safe Haven Foundation
Alzheimer’s Association
Cradles to Crayons
Goodman Theatre
Harris Theater for Music and Dance
Project Zero
Road Home Program at Rush
$25,000 Award Winners
2Blades
After School Matters
Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago Philharmonic
Chicago International Film Festival
ExtraFood
The Family Institute at Northwestern University
George Mark Children’s House
Greater Good Science Center
Ignatian Spirituality Project
KIPP Chicago Public Schools
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Marine Trades Institute
Nourishing Hope
Share Our Spare
Siena Retreat Center
Watts of Love
Writers Theatre
$10,000 Award Winners
Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods
Care for Real
Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education
Community Youth Network Counseling Center
Conservation Nation
Defy Ventures
Richard H. Driehaus Museum
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Math Circles of Chicago
Mothers Trust Foundation
Trees That Feed Foundation
Ukraine Freedom Company
Urban Gateways
Vital Impacts
Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
Special Thanks to Award Sponsors and Academy of Judges
The Make It Better Foundation gratefully thanks following award sponsors and Academy of Judges for their generosity and leadership in making the 2026 Philanthropy Awards possible.
Award Sponsors
Akris
CBS Chicago
Chicago Sky
Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres
deGiulio Design
JP Morgan
Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management
Morgan Stanley
North Shore Convention & Visitors Bureau
Thierer Family Foundation
William Blair
Academy of Judges
Mary Fran Riley, Allies for Community Business
Elizabeth Dunn, Mercy Housing Lakefront
Ric Estrada, Metropolitan Family Services
Ellen Winner, Project Zero
Greg Cameron, Joffrey Ballet
Laura Coy, William Blair
Sandy Tsuchida, Make It Better
Mindy Fauntleroy, Make It Better
Michelle Walby, Make It Better
Kathy Roeser, Morgan Stanley
Francia E. Harrington, Burston Astor Advisors
Jeanne Bishop, author and public speaker
Sharon Krone, Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House
Connie Duckworth, civic and philanthropic leader
Brian Provost, Yahoo
Blyth McGarvie, global business leader and investor
Chris Beer, Kenilworth Union Church
Kelsey DeForest, Changent
Join Us in Supporting These Remarkable Winners!
As we spend the year sharing the powerful work of these organizations, we invite you to stay connected by subscribing to our e-newsletter, the Better Letter, where we will share the winners’ stories and ways to support them, plus many more tips, trends, and resources to help you live, love, work, and play with greater purpose and joy.
