Bellows Family Foundation
Bellows Family Foundation is a public charity based in Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1996. It makes grants to charitable organizations in support of charitable, educational, and religious purposes of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.
Bellows Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Bellows Family Foundation gave $1.1M across 25 grants in 2024 (avg $43K), mostly in Illinois. 52% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,066,000
- +13.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 25
- +47.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $42,640
- -22.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $12,500
- Total assets
- $5,738,192
- -6.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 52% first-time grantees (13 of 25, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (52% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Bellows Family Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 30 South Wells Street 4049, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 444-2814
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bellows Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Hebrew Theological College ($151K). Together the top 10 received $918K.
Grant Size Distribution
79 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 54 grants of 79 (68%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois (52%), New York (37%), and New Jersey (12%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Bellows Family Foundation open to new grantees?
52%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 13 of 25 grantees (52%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $31K; repeat grants $55K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $34K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $330K (2022) to $1.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 25 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hebrew Theological College Skokie, IL | General Operating Support | $150,500 |
| Project Extreme Lawrence, NY | General Operating Support | $150,000 |
| Yeshivat Ashreinu Teaneck, NJ | General Operating Support | $125,000 |
| Amit Children Inc Skokie, IL | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Yeshiva University New York City, NY | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Arie Crown Hebrew Day School Skokie, IL | General Operating Support | $93,750 |
| Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School Skokie, IL | General Operating Support | $75,000 |
| Camp Moshava of Wild Rose Inc Skokie, IL | General Operating Support | $50,000 |
| Manhattan Jewish Experience Synagogue New York, NY | General Operating Support | $50,000 |
| Friends of Yad Sarah Inc New York City, NY | General Operating Support | $23,750 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,738,192 | $4,939,385 | $1,133,112 | $1,066,000 | 25 | $4,759,385 |
| 2023 | $6,139,679 | $139,463 | $1,006,210 | $939,381 | 17 | $139,463 |
| 2022 | $6,151,393 | $265,830 | $394,108 | $329,820 | 12 | $118,538 |
| 2021 | $6,850,436 | $1,316,123 | $612,163 | $553,595 | 12 | $170,885 |
| 2020 | $4,791,602 | $816,391 | $423,681 | $363,929 | 13 | $211,576 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to foster, promote, support, develop, encourage, and maintain a charitable, educational, or religious purpose or function of, or authorized in the charter of, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. It says it makes grants to organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) and meet the guidelines of its bylaws and the Federation.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. Yeshivat Ashreinu describes its work as combining Torah study, community internships, and educational trips to build students’ commitment to Torah, the Jewish people, and Israel. AMIT Children says it educates young people in Israel through academic excellence, Jewish values, and Zionist ideals. Yeshiva University describes itself as providing undergraduate, graduate, professional, and postdoctoral education, training, research, and clinical programs. Other 2024 recipients include day schools, a religious summer camp, organizations providing services in Israel, and a Jewish community fund that raises and distributes assistance to people in poverty.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $1,066,000. Grants ranged from $5,500 to $150,500, with a median of $12,500. The listed grants were for general operating support.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $150,500 to Hebrew Theological College; $150,000 to Project Extreme; $125,000 to Yeshivat Ashreinu; $100,000 each to AMIT Children and Yeshiva University; $93,750 to Arie Crown Hebrew Day School; and $75,000 to Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School.
The foundation states that staff perform due diligence on organizations seeking grants and review grant compliance annually.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Joan Bellows as president. Other listed officers and directors are David S Rosen, vice president and treasurer; Eric Devir, vice president and secretary; Jonathan Bellows and Elliot Robinson, vice presidents; Jamie Pinkston, assistant treasurer; and Claire Peaceman, assistant secretary.
Bellows Family Foundation is led by Joan Bellows, President since 2024 (on filings since 2023); none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Joan Bellows
President
President - → President, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David S. Rosen
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elliot Robinson
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Devir
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Bellows
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Claire Peaceman
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jamie Pinkston
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Shael Bellows (2020–2023) — President -
- Former: James A Pinkston (2020–2022) — Assistant Treasurer
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 Bellows Family Foundation
How much does Bellows Family Foundation give each year?
Bellows Family Foundation gave $1.1M across 25 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $939K across 17 grants.
What is Bellows Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Bellows Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $12,500, and its average grant was $42,640, across 25 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bellows Family Foundation that year got $31K on average.
Where does Bellows Family Foundation give grants?
Bellows Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (37%) and New Jersey (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Skokie, IL (6 grants), Chicago, IL (4 grants), New York City, NY (3 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Bellows Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Bellows Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Who are Bellows Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Bellows Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Hebrew Theological College ($150,500), Project Extreme ($150,000) and Yeshivat Ashreinu ($125,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Bellows Family Foundation?
Bellows Family Foundation reported $5.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.9M.
What does Bellows Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to foster, promote, support, develop, encourage, and maintain a charitable, educational, or religious purpose or function of, or authorized in the charter of, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bellows Family Foundation?
Bellows Family Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Bellows Family Foundation's EIN?
Bellows Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3864415. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Bellows Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Bellows Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Funders that support many of the same organizations
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bellows Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bellows-family-foundation-morg_b29f3701c40e4fb6a77282ac4280fd43
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363864415_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bellows Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bellows-family-foundation-morg_b29f3701c40e4fb6a77282ac4280fd43},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Bellows 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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