Bernard Heerey Family Foundation
The Bernard Heerey Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 2005 and based in Chicago, Illinois. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) exempt private foundation with a primary focus on providing funding for scholarships and support to charitable organizations.
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation provides funding for scholarships to worthy students. All grants are paid to tax-exempt section 501(c)(3) public charities, with no direct programming conducted by the foundation itself.
Primary funding interests include:
- Education and scholarships
- Assistance to the elderly
- Human services
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation made 22 grants in 2024. Recent grant recipients and amounts include:
Grant Range
** Typical awards range from $24,000 to $541,809
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Illinois and Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $56,333,520
- Total Revenue: $6,583,032
- Total Expenses: $6,194,940
- Total Liabilities: $73,900
As of 2023:
- Fair Market Value of Assets: $81,693,333
| 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 |
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
124 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cje Senior Life ($334,931), Little Sisters of the Poor ($260,400), Ida Crown Jewish Academy ($241,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AKIBA-SCHECHTER JEWISH DAY SCHOOL CHICAGO, IL | SCHOLARSHIPS TO WORTHY STUDENTS | $164,860 |
| ARIE CROWN HEBREW DAY SCHOOL SKOKIE, IL | SCHOLARSHIPS TO WORTHY STUDENTS | $85,580 |
| THE ARK CHICAGO, IL | ASSISTANCE TO THE ELDERLY | $240,000 |
| BENEDICTINE SISTERS OF CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | ASSISTANCE TO THE ELDERLY | $150,000 |
| CHEDER LUBAVITCH HEBREW DAY SCHOOL CHICAGO, IL | SCHOLARSHIPS TO WORTHY STUDENTS | $80,000 |
| CHICAGO CENTER FOR TORAH & CHESED INC LINCOLNWOOD, IL | ASSISTANCE TO THE ELDERLY | $115,000 |
| CHICAGO JEWISH DAY SCHOOL CHICAGO, IL | SCHOLARSHIPS TO WORTHY STUDENTS | $122,195 |
| CJE SENIOR LIFE CHICAGO, IL | ASSISTANCE TO THE ELDERLY | $143,636 |
| CJE SENIOR LIFE CHICAGO, IL | ASSISTANCE TO THE ELDERLY | $334,931 |
| CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL CHICAGO, IL | SCHOLARSHIPS TO WORTHY STUDENTS | $176,700 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Jordan A Grey, Senior Vice President
- Thomas E Baltz, Vice President and Assistant Secretary
- Charles E Dobrusin, Trustee
- Martin D Kerpel, Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NATHANIEL I GREY | MANAGING TRUSTEE, DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT | 7.18 | $184,759 |
| CHARLES E DOBRUSIN | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| MARTIN D KERPEL | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| JORDAN A GREY | SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, ASST TREASURER | 30.67 | $630,997 |
| THOMAS E BALTZ | VICE PRESIDENT, ASST. SECRETARY | 30.02 | $617,089 |
| LILLIAN T LICHENIAK | SECRETARY, TREASURER | 21.2 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bernard Heerey Family Foundation fund?
The foundation provides funding for scholarships to worthy students. All grants are paid to tax-exempt section 501(c)(3) public charities, with no direct programming conducted by the foundation itself. Primary funding interests include: • Education and scholarships • Assistance to the elderly • Human services • Philanthropy and grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from Bernard Heerey Family Foundation?
The foundation made 22 grants in 2024. Recent grant recipients and amounts include: • Little Sisters of the Poor of Chicago: $260,400 (Assistance to the Elderly) • Ida Crown Jewish Academy: $241,000 (Scholarships to Worthy Students) • The Ark: $240,000 (Assistance to the Elderly) • HighSight: $100,000 (Scholarships to Worthy Students) **Grant Range:** Typical awards range from $24,000 to $541,809 **Total Giving (2024):** $3,692,958
Where does Bernard Heerey Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Illinois and Michigan.
What size grants does Bernard Heerey Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Bernard Heerey Family Foundation awarded 26 grants totaling $3.7M — an average of about $142K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Bernard Heerey Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Bernard Heerey Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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