Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Lincolnwood, IL EIN: 36-4316434

AJ & SL Stern Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Lincolnwood, Illinois. Its 2024 filing lists a contribution for a recipient’s general operating budget; the foundation states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.

Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation at a glance

In short: Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation gave $1.3M across 1 grant in 2024 (avg $1.3M), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$1,273,695
+36.4% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
1
-99.4% vs 2023
Average grant
$1,273,695
+22812.7% vs 2023
Median grant
$1,273,695
Total assets
$18,928,290
-1.5% vs 2023
Primary geography
Illinois (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.

How to apply to Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: 3701 W Lunt, Lincolnwood, IL 60712
Phone: (312) 307-1695

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top recipient in 2024

Details of the Contributions Are Available for Inspection Upon Request: $1.3MDetails of the ContributionsAre Available for Inspection…$1.3M

The largest 2024 recipient was Details of the Contributions Are Available for Inspection Upon Request ($1.3M).

Grant Size Distribution

555 grants across all recorded years

537<$50K9$50–100K6$100–250K1$250–500K1$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 537 grants of 555 (97%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Illinois accounted for 100% of grant dollars in filing year 2024.

Grant Distribution by State

14states

Share of the 2024 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.

Cities

BrooklynChicagoSkokieLakewoodLincolnwoodMonseyNew YorkFar RockawayBaltimoreFlushingNorthbrookPikesvilleScrantonSilver SpringSpring ValleyAirmontCedarhurstCliftonDes PlainesFresh Meadows

How Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation gives

  • Giving grew 38% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 135% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M1 grant2020 188 grants2021 197 grants2022 168 grants2023 1 grant2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $639K (2020) to $1.4M (2022). In 2024 it made 1 grant totaling $1.3M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Details of the Contributions Are Available for Inspection Upon Request Lincolnwood, ILGeneral Operating Budget$1,273,695
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$18,928,290$1,117,420$1,335,104$1,273,6951$1,277,575$625,991$946,572
2023$19,213,926$951,293$976,480$933,897168$934,061$611,094$802,248
2022$19,259,540$171,485$1,450,216$1,415,810197$1,419,967$169,372$941,797
2021$20,536,030$2,614,413$927,365$923,764188$923,764$763,632$952,905
2020$19,030,997$18,538,255$642,979$639,4561——$109,560

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $947K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2024, the foundation reported one grant totaling $1,273,695. The sole itemized grant was $1,273,695 to “DETAILS OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION UPON REQUEST” in Lincolnwood, Illinois, for a general operating budget. In 2023, it reported 168 grants totaling $933,897; in 2022, it reported 197 grants totaling $1,415,810.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Abraham J Stern as president, Susan L Stern as vice president, and Todd A Stern as director.

Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation is led by Abraham J. Stern, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Abraham J. Stern

    President

    On filings since 2020

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Todd A. Stern

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Susan L. Stern

    Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation

How much does Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation give each year?

Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation gave $1.3M across 1 grant in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $934K across 168 grants.

How large is Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation?

Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation reported $18.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $947K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

How do I apply for a grant from Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

Where does Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation make grants?

Illinois accounted for 100% of grant dollars in filing year 2024.

What is Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation's EIN?

Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4316434. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(6)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 10, 2022)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 1, 2023)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 17, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 4, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Aj & SL Stern Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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