C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation

CHICAGO, IL EIN: 36-3403692

The C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, established in 1986. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a grantmaking foundation supporting charitable causes across multiple sectors.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.6M

-6.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$336K

+22.2% YoY

Grant Count

+10.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$10K

+11.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation reported a distributable amount of $163K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding focuses include:

Support for the Arts
Education
Public Charity Support
Conservation
Public Media Support
Medical Research
Veteran Support
Philanthropy and Voluntarism
Human Services

Grantmaking

The foundation makes grants across a diverse range of organizations and causes. Recent grant activity includes:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, Colorado, and Virginia, with a particular concentration in the Chicago area.

Grant Distribution by State

Illinois $1.2M (74%)

Virginia $216K (13%)

Colorado $116K (7%)

District of Columbia $43K (3%)

Nebraska $20K (1%)

Massachusetts $18K (1%)

Kentucky $5K (0%)

New York $2K (0%)

+2 more states

States

Colorado District of Columbia Georgia Illinois Kentucky Massachusetts Michigan Nebraska New York Virginia

Cities

ArlingtonArlington VaAspenAtlantaAuroraBasaltBloomfield HillsChicagoColorado SpringsDeerfieldGlencoeLewistownLincolnLouisvilleNew YorkSkokieWashingtonWinnetka

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $2,616,767
Total Revenues: $259,203
Total Expenses: $427,260
Total Liabilities: $0

As of 2023:

Total Assets: $2,780,000
Total Revenues: $84,400
Total Expenses: $353,000

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$2,616,767	$2,784,824	$3,053,380
Revenue	$259,203	$84,417	$205,408
Expenses	$427,260	$352,973	$297,668
Qualifying Distributions	$336,096	$274,965	$199,050
Net Investment Income	$168,039	$19,366	$106,790
Distributable Amount	$163,043	$156,406	$176,231

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

172 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Numbers USA Education and Research foundation ($75,000), Chicago Shakespeare Theatre ($53,000), Court Theater ($50,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
626 Landmark Foundation Chicago, IL	Public Charity Support	$626
Active Transportation Alliance Chicago, IL	Public Charity Support	$200
Aspen Historical Society Aspen, CO	Public Charity Support	$300
Aspen Music Festival and School Aspen, CO	Support for Arts Education	$5,000
Aspen Public Radio Aspen, CO	Public Media Support	$10,000
Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation Aspen, CO	Medical Research	$2,500
Center For Immigration Studies Washington, DC	Public Charity Support	$10,000
Chicago Architecture Foundation Chicago, IL	Public Charity Support	$5,000
Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe, IL	Public Charity Support	$300
Chicago History Museum Chicago, IL	Support for the Arts	$120

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Cornelius Gary Gerst	President, Director	1	—
Virginia C Gerst	Secretary, Treasurer	1	—
C Graham Gerst	Director	1	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation fund?

The foundation's primary funding focuses include: • Support for the Arts • Education • Public Charity Support • Conservation • Public Media Support • Medical Research • Veteran Support • Philanthropy and Voluntarism • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation?

The foundation makes grants across a diverse range of organizations and causes. Recent grant activity includes: • **Chicago Shakespeare Theater**: $53,000 (2024) • **Lyric Opera of Chicago**: $35,000 (2024) • **Metropolitan Family Services**: $26,500 (2024) In 2024, the foundation made 48 grants totaling $336,096. Typical grant awards range from $95 to $75,000.

Where does C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, Colorado, and Virginia, with a particular concentration in the Chicago area.

What size grants does C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation award?

In 2024, C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation awarded 33 grants totaling $336K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation reported a distributable amount of $163K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation's EIN?

C Gary and Virginia Gerst Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3403692. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.