Bernard Heerey Family Foundation
The Bernard Heerey Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. It files Form 990-PF and makes grants to tax-exempt public charities; its 2024 filing reports no direct charitable activity.
Key facts about Bernard Heerey Family Foundation
In short: Bernard Heerey Family Foundation gave $3.7M across 26 grants in 2024 (avg $142K), mostly in Illinois. 4% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 14-1840613
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,692,958
- Grants made (2024)
- 26
- Average grant
- $142,037
- Median grant
- $126,098
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (1 of 23, 2024)
- Total assets
- $56,333,520
- Primary geography
- Illinois (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$56.3M
+0.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.7M
+21.1% YoY
Grant Count
26
-3.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$142K
+25.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bernard Heerey Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Bernard Heerey Family Foundation open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 23 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $479K; repeat grants $146K. How we count
Medians: $479K first-time, $126K repeat.
- 96% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not state a mission in the information available. Its 2024 grant purposes include assistance to the elderly and scholarships to worthy students.
Grantees describe a range of services. Little Sisters of the Poor says its U.S. province provides financial assistance to homes serving elderly people. The Ark says it helps Chicagoland Jews facing adversity move toward self-reliance through free, comprehensive services. HighSight says it provides academic and social support, scholarships, mentors, and tutors to inner-city Chicago high school students. These are grantee-described missions, not stated missions of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $3,692,958. Grants ranged from $24,000 to $334,931, with a median of $126,098.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 1% to recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.0M (2023) to $3.8M (2022). In 2024 it made 26 grants totaling $3.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Cje Senior Life ($479K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
124 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 72 grants of 124 (58%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cje Senior Life Chicago, IL | Assistance to the Elderly | $334,931 |
| Little Sisters of the Poor Chicago, IL | Assistance to the Elderly | $260,400 |
| Ida Crown Jewish Academy Skokie, IL | Scholarships to Worthy Students | $241,000 |
| The Ark Chicago, IL | Assistance to the Elderly | $240,000 |
| Ida Crown Jewish Academy Skokie, IL | Scholarships to Worthy Students | $212,200 |
| Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School Skokie, IL | Scholarships to Worthy Students | $200,000 |
| Solomon Schechter Day School Northbrook, IL | Scholarships to Worthy Students | $177,500 |
| Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Chicago, IL | Scholarships to Worthy Students | $176,700 |
| Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School Chicago, IL | Scholarships to Worthy Students | $164,860 |
| Benedictine Sisters of Chicago Chicago, IL | Assistance to the Elderly | $150,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $56,333,520 | $6,583,032 | $6,194,940 | $3,692,958 |
| 2023 | $55,929,029 | $5,905,492 | $5,321,293 | $3,049,927 |
| 2022 | $55,359,202 | $6,195,165 | $6,195,559 | $3,836,250 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $56,333,520 | $55,929,029 | $55,359,202 |
| Revenue | $6,583,032 | $5,905,492 | $6,195,165 |
| Expenses | $6,194,940 | $5,321,293 | $6,195,559 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,925,409 | $3,328,837 | $4,149,436 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,374,304 | $3,968,194 | $4,207,527 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,228,772 | $3,794,356 | $3,996,659 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Nathaniel I Grey as Managing Trustee, Director, and President; Charles E Dobrusin and Martin D Kerpel as Directors; Jordan A Grey as Senior Vice President and Assistant Treasurer; Thomas E Baltz as Vice President and Assistant Secretary; and Lillian T Licheniak as Secretary and Treasurer.
Bernard Heerey Family Foundation is led by Nathaniel I. Grey, Managing Trustee, Director & President on every filing since 2022; 3 of 6 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Nathaniel I. Grey
Managing Trustee, Director & President
On filings since 2022
7.2 hrs/week
$210K (2022) → $185K (2024)
Charles E. Dobrusin
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Martin D. Kerpel
Director
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jordan A. Grey
Senior Vice President & Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2022
30.7 hrs/week
$589K (2022) → $631K (2024)
Thomas E. Baltz
Vice President & Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2022
30 hrs/week
$607K (2022) → $617K (2024)
Lillian T. Licheniak
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2022
21.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Grey Grey Baltz Pc (2020–2021) — Not Applicable
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $631K, to Jordan a Grey (Senior Vice President, Asst Treasurer). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 1 N Lasalle Street Suite 1100, Chicago, IL 60602-3904
Phone: (312) 782-2610
Frequently asked questions about Bernard Heerey Family Foundation
How much does Bernard Heerey Family Foundation give each year?
Bernard Heerey Family Foundation gave $3.7M across 26 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.0M across 27 grants.
What is Bernard Heerey Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Bernard Heerey Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $126,098, and its average grant was $142,037, across 26 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bernard Heerey Family Foundation that year got $479K on average.
Where does Bernard Heerey Family Foundation give grants?
Bernard Heerey Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (14 grants), Skokie, IL (4 grants), Champaign, IL (2 grants) and Wilmette, IL (2 grants).
Does Bernard Heerey Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 26 grants with a stated purpose on Bernard Heerey Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarships to Worthy Students" (16 grants) and "Assistance to the Elderly" (8 grants).
Who are Bernard Heerey Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Bernard Heerey Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Cje Senior Life ($478,567 across 2 grants), Ida Crown Jewish Academy ($453,200 across 2 grants) and Little Sisters of the Poor ($260,400), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Bernard Heerey Family Foundation?
Bernard Heerey Family Foundation reported $56.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Bernard Heerey Family Foundation fund?
The foundation does not state a mission in the information available. Its 2024 grant purposes include assistance to the elderly and scholarships to worthy students. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bernard Heerey Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Bernard Heerey Family Foundation's EIN?
Bernard Heerey Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 14-1840613. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Bernard Heerey Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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