Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet
Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports 28 grants totaling $510,240, with listed recipients working in areas including local news, arts, higher education, child-abuse prevention, and community services.
Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet at a glance
In short: Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet gave $510K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $18K), mostly in Illinois. 43% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $510,240
- +17.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- +7.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $18,223
- +9.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,322,799
- -10.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (12 of 28, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (68% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 20 North Wacker Drive 2027, Chicago, IL 60606-2906
Phone: (312) 580-0900
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Local Independent Online News Publishers Inc ($100K). Together the top 10 received $360K.
Grant Size Distribution
89 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 84 grants of 89 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 68% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 20% to Delaware, 6% to Michigan, 4% to New York, and 2% to Kentucky.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 28 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 281% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 257% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $134K (2022) to $510K (2025). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $510K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Local Independent Online News Publishers Inc Wilmington, DE | General Charitable Purposes | $100,000 |
| Primo Center Chicago, IL | General Charitable Purposes | $52,500 |
| The Digs Chicago Chicago, IL | General Charitable Purposes | $35,150 |
| Southern Illinois University Foundation Carbondale, IL | General Charitable Purposes | $32,590 |
| Chicago Defender Charities Chicago, IL | General Charitable Purposes | $30,000 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | General Charitable Purposes | $30,000 |
| Block Club Chicago Chicago, IL | General Charitable Purposes | $20,000 |
| Building Better Futures Foundation Hicksville, NY | General Charitable Purposes | $20,000 |
| Guarneri Chicago, IL | General Charitable Purposes | $20,000 |
| Heph Foundation Oak Park, IL | General Charitable Purposes | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet?
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 | $3,322,799 | $151,556 | $552,243 | $510,240 | 28 | $530,320 | $116,049 | $206,660 |
| 2024 | $3,723,486 | $157,645 | $479,934 | $434,325 | 26 | $457,702 | $122,505 | $210,316 |
| 2023 | $4,045,775 | $382,991 | $318,088 | $282,420 | 25 | $298,341 | $97,602 | $201,132 |
| 2022 | $3,980,872 | $4,035,722 | $154,683 | $134,000 | 10 | $148,966 | $31,004 | $81,403 |
| 2021 | $99,833 | $100,005 | $172 | — | — | — | — | $3,075 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet reported a distributable amount of $207K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Local Independent Online News Publishers Inc says its mission is to help independent local news publishers build sustainable businesses. The Digs Chicago describes its work as supporting Chicago artists through knowledge-sharing and connection. Southern Illinois University Foundation says it provides private support for the university’s academic, research, and public-service mission. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 28 grants totaling $510,240. Awards ranged from $1,750 to $100,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Among the largest grants were $100,000 to Local Independent Online News Publishers Inc; $52,500 to Primo Center; $35,150 to The Digs Chicago; $32,590 to Southern Illinois University Foundation; and $30,000 each to Chicago Defender Charities and the University of Michigan. The filing lists the purposes of these grants as general charitable purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Peter D Gottlieb as president; Lisa Newman and Kathleen Walsh as directors; and Terry G Chapman as assistant secretary.
Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet is led by Peter D. Gottlieb, President on every filing since 2021; 2 of 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Peter D. Gottlieb
President
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Newman
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$6K (2022) → $4K (2025)
Kathleen Walsh
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$5K (2023) → $5K (2025)
Terry G. Chapman
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Katy Walsh (2021–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $5K, to Kathleen Walsh (Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet
How much does Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet give each year?
Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet gave $510K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $434K across 26 grants.
What is Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet's typical grant size?
Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $18,223, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet that year got $17K on average.
Where does Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet give grants?
Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet gives mostly in Illinois: 68% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Delaware (20%) and Michigan (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (19 grants).
Does Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet give general operating support?
Yes: 96% of Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 28) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet's largest grantees?
Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet's largest 2025 grantees include Local Independent Online News Publishers Inc ($100,000), Primo Center ($52,500) and The Digs Chicago ($35,150), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet?
Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet reported $3.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $530K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $207K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Local Independent Online News Publishers Inc says its mission is to help independent local news publishers build sustainable businesses. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet's EIN?
Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-3914311. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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 July 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/carol-oppenheim-and-jerome-s-lamet-morg_45b7ec243a524807aa262bcc9863e09c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_863914311_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/carol-oppenheim-and-jerome-s-lamet-morg_45b7ec243a524807aa262bcc9863e09c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Carol Oppenheim and Jerome S Lamet's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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