Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal
The Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal is a private foundation based in Downers Grove, Illinois. Its 2024 grants included support for the Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy, animal law programs at universities and law schools, and other charitable organizations.
Key facts about Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal
In short: Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal gave $4.4M across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $398K), mostly in Illinois. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 47-7124844
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,381,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- Average grant
- $398,273
- Median grant
- $120,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (3 of 11, 2024)
- Total assets
- $49,094,364
- Primary geography
- Illinois (67% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The Trust 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
$49.1M
-0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.4M
+11.5% YoY
Grant Count
11
-31.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$398K
+62.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal reported a distributable amount of $2.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 11 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $47K; repeat grants $530K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $163K repeat.
- 55% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 67% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 161% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 available information does not state a separate mission for the Trust. Its 2024 grants show support for animal law and policy programs, educational institutions, and other charitable organizations. The Brooks Institute describes its own purpose as advancing animal law academics, scholarship, and practice; that is the Institute’s stated purpose, not a stated mission of the Trust.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Vermont Law School says it aims to educate students to serve as lawyers and leaders with professional skills and high ethical values. Our Hen House describes its mission as mainstreaming efforts to end animal exploitation and supporting people working for animals. The University of Denver describes its mission as promoting learning, scholarly inquiry, creative thought, and knowledge generation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Trust made 11 grants totaling $4,381,000. Grant amounts ranged from $17,000 to $2,900,000, with a median grant of $120,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 67% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 13% to Massachusetts, 6% to Vermont, 4% to Virginia, and 3% to Colorado. The listed grants also included recipients in Oregon, New York, California, and Alberta.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.4M (2020) to $13.2M (2021). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $4.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy Inc ($2.9M). Together the top 10 received $4.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 24 grants of 72 (33%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy Inc Naperville, IL | Annual grant of operating funds to related exempt private operating foundation. | $2,900,000 |
| Harvard Law School - Animal Law & Policy Program Cambridge, MA | For Charitable Purposes | $591,000 |
| Vermont Law School South Royalton, VT | For Charitable Purposes | $248,000 |
| Charities Aid Foundation of America Alexandria, VA | For Charitable Purposes | $190,000 |
| University of Denver Denver, CO | For Charitable Purposes | $135,000 |
| Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College Portland, OR | For Charitable Purposes | $120,000 |
| Stanford University Stanford, CT | For Charitable Purposes | $100,000 |
| University of Illinois Urbana, IL | For Charitable Purposes | $30,000 |
| Our Hen House New York, NY | For Charitable Purposes | $25,000 |
| University of California Santa Barbara, CA | For Charitable Purposes | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $49,094,364 | $4,604,700 | $4,909,401 | $4,381,000 | 11 |
| 2023 | $49,399,065 | $1,787,032 | $4,368,710 | $3,929,100 | 16 |
| 2022 | $51,980,743 | $2,342,512 | $4,249,851 | $3,728,000 | 10 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $49,094,364 | $49,399,065 | $51,980,743 |
| Revenue | $4,604,700 | $1,787,032 | $2,342,512 |
| Expenses | $4,909,401 | $4,368,710 | $4,249,851 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,636,740 | $4,127,749 | $3,936,530 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,239,448 | $1,559,954 | $2,057,283 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,871,614 | $2,815,047 | $2,956,139 |
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 Gregory W. Osko, Timothy S. Midura, and William M. Giffin as advisory committee members.
Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Gregory W. Osko
Advisory Committee Member
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$100K (2020) → $120K (2024)
Timothy S. Midura
Advisory Committee Member
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$100K (2020) → $120K (2024)
William M. Giffin
Advisory Committee Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $120K, to Gregory W Osko (Advisory Committee Member). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 1901 Butterfield Road 1000, Downers Grove, IL 60515-5673
Phone: (630) 545-2200
Website: https://thebrooksinstitute.org
Frequently asked questions about Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal
How much does Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal give each year?
Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal gave $4.4M across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.9M across 16 grants.
What is Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal's typical grant size?
Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal's median grant in 2024 was $120,000, and its average grant was $398,273, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal that year got $47K on average.
Where does Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal give grants?
Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal gives mostly in Illinois: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (13%) and Vermont (6%).
Who are Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal's largest grantees?
Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal's largest 2024 grantees include Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy Inc ($2,900,000), Harvard Law School - Animal Law & Policy Program ($591,000) and Vermont Law School ($248,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal?
Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal reported $49.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal fund?
The available information does not state a separate mission for the Trust. Its 2024 grants show support for animal law and policy programs, educational institutions, and other charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal?
The Trust 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 Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal's EIN?
Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-7124844. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Brooks McCormick Jr Trust for Animal 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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