# Richard H. Driehaus Foundation

Richard H. Driehaus Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in Chicago, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Chicago, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 50 E Erie St, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- **Founded:** 1983
- **Assets under management:** 363 (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** driehausfoundation.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/richard-h.-driehaus-foundation

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Richard H. Driehaus established the foundation in 1983 after building his career in investment management. The organization continues his emphasis on Chicago through structured grant programs in architecture, arts, and government accountability reporting. Grantmaking covers three primary areas with allocations to classical architecture preservation, museum operations, and journalism initiatives. The foundation maintains a 1.1 percent allocation to private equity alongside direct ownership of properties and collections. Activity remains concentrated in the Midwest with limited exposure outside the United States. The foundation employs nine professionals and operates from Chicago headquarters. It maintains the Richard H. Driehaus Museum and related lending vehicles for art and automobiles. May 2025: Sponsored the Beyond the Byline awards for investigative journalism. The foundation integrates grantmaking with permanent ownership of historic assets and a separate art exhibition lending entity established in 2024. This structure ties capital deployment directly to physical preservation and public access rather than purely financial returns.

## Sectors

- Arts
- Architecture
- Philanthropy

## People

- Anne Lazar — Executive Director and President
- Elizabeth Driehaus — Treasurer and Director
- Dorothy Mellin — Vice President and Board Member

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation?

Anne Lazar serves as Executive Director and President. Elizabeth Driehaus holds the role of Treasurer and Director. Day-to-day grant and asset decisions rest with this board and staff of nine.

### Does the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

The foundation holds a 1.1 percent allocation to private equity vehicles. The majority of activity occurs through direct ownership of real estate and art collections.

## Related profiles

- [Bentley University Endowment](https://altss.com/profile/bentley-university-endowment)
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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/richard-h-driehaus-foundation

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology