Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation
The Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1982 and located in Glencoe, Illinois. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with tax-exempt status granted in November 1983.
Key facts about Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation
- EIN
- 36-3219529
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,701,258
- Grants made (2024)
- 45
- Average grant
- $60,028
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $15,087,943
- Primary geography
- Illinois (86% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026.
Who Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation's 45 itemized 2024 grants were Illinois (86%) and New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (20 grants), Des Moines, IA (6 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Glencoe, IL (2 grants). 98% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$15.1M
-9.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.7M
+48.8% YoY
Grant Count
45
+7.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$60K
+38.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation reported a distributable amount of $940K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Illinois
- Iowa
- New York
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $16,740,350
- Total Giving: $1,815,400
- Total Revenues: $1,400,018
- Total Expenses: $1,990,683
Revenue Composition (2023):
- Investment income and dividends: $487,127
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $912,891
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $15,087,943
- Revenue: $1,224,518
- Expenses: $2,876,925
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $15,087,943 | $16,740,350 | $17,331,015 |
| Revenue | $1,224,518 | $1,400,018 | $1,416,818 |
| Expenses | $2,876,925 | $1,990,683 | $2,103,908 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,701,258 | $1,815,400 | $1,894,366 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,058,879 | $1,244,760 | $1,227,301 |
| Distributable Amount | $940,271 | $934,895 | $1,039,112 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
223 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Timeline Theatre Company ($910,000), Writers Theatre ($210,000), Anti-defamation League ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $910,000 |
| WRITERS THEATRE GLENCOE, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $210,000 |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $150,000 |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $100,118 |
| ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM SKOKIE, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $100,000 |
| NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED | $100,000 |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF IL CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $100,000 |
| ROGER BALDWIN FOUNDATION ACLU IL CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $100,000 |
| US HOLOCAUST MUSEUM WASHINGTON, DC | UNRESTRICTED | $100,000 |
| EQUALITY ILLINOIS EDUCATION PROJECT CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $75,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Arthur Callistein (Trustee)
- Bartholomew O'Toole (Trustee)
- Fern Callistein (Trustee)
- Fred Cooper (In Care of Name)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARTHUR CALLISTEIN | ASST SECY/DI | 2 | — |
| BARTHOLOMEW O'TOOLE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| STEVEN J CALLISTEIN | PRESIDENT/DI | 10 | $25,000 |
| SHEILA MOSS | ASST SECY/DI | 10 | $25,000 |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: PO Box 48 Glencoe, IL 60022-0048
Telephone: 847-971-5004
EIN: 36-3219529
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation fund?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $96,000–$210,000 • Recent annual grantmaking: $1,815,400 (2023) • Number of grants: 37 grants awarded in 2023 **Recent Grant Examples (2023):** • Writers Theatre: $210,000 (unrestricted) • Chicago Public Media: $100,000 (unrestricted) • Greater Chicago Food Depository: $100,000 (unrestricted)
Where does Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Illinois • Iowa • New York
What size grants does Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation award?
In 2024, Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation awarded 45 grants totaling $2.7M — an average of about $60K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation reported a distributable amount of $940K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation's EIN?
Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3219529. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.