Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation
Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation is a private foundation, based in Chicago, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $139K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $24K.
Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation gave $24K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $23,500
- -21.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- -18.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,611
- -4.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $138,950
- -15.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Logan Square Improv ($5K). Together the top 9 received $24K.
Grant Size Distribution
55 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 55 grants of 55 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
Cities
How Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation gives
- Giving grew 24% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 516% 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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $19K (2022) to $30K (2024). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $24K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Logan Square Improv Chicago, IL | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Cedille Records Chicago, IL | Charitable | $3,000 |
| Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras Chicago, IL | Charitable | $3,000 |
| Misericordia Chicago, IL | Charitable | $3,000 |
| WFMT 987WTTW Chicago, IL | Charitable | $3,000 |
| Alternatives Inc Chicago, IL | Charitable | $2,000 |
| Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival Chicago, IL | Charitable | $1,500 |
| Hibernian Transmedia River Forest, IL | Charitable | $1,500 |
| Josephinum Academy Chicago, IL | Charitable | $1,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $138,950 | $9,884 | $33,699 | $23,500 | 9 | $93,639 | — | $18,153 |
| 2024 | $164,289 | $10,160 | $40,584 | $30,000 | 11 | $37,408 | $6,984 | $18,335 |
| 2023 | $193,713 | $26,361 | $30,256 | $20,000 | 12 | $27,179 | $23,284 | $16,345 |
| 2022 | $225,078 | $9,643 | $29,301 | $19,000 | 12 | $26,210 | $6,552 | $18,449 |
| 2021 | $238,445 | $13,551 | $30,147 | $20,000 | 11 | $27,097 | $10,501 | $19,750 |
| 2020 | $257,541 | $9,735 | $35,002 | $20,000 | 14 | — | $5,511 | $18,856 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $18K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation is led by Maureen J Kelly, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Maureen J Kelly
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Pope
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Walter Robinson
Treasurer
Treasurer → Vice President & Director, 2021
Vice President & Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Benjamin K Ivory (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Ryun Ivory (2020–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation
How much does Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation give each year?
Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation gave $24K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $30K across 11 grants.
What is Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $2,611, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation give grants?
Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (8 grants).
Does Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (9 grants).
Who are Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Logan Square Improv ($5,000), Cedille Records ($3,000) and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation?
Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation reported $139K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $94K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $18K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 03-0564464. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Benjamin & Bettina Van Cleave Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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