Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation
CARYLON JULIUS AND MARCIE is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its filings report grants to organizations working in areas including health, reproductive health, education, religious and Jewish community life, and charitable services.
Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation at a glance
In short: Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation gave $1.3M across 69 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), mostly in Illinois. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,312,000
- +8.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 69
- +3.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $19,014
- +4.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $25,484,964
- +3.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (9 of 69, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (57% 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 Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation
- Contact
Application contact: Rebecca Mervis
Mailing address: 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (312) 500-4319
Email: rmervis@hemmelstein.org
Website: https://www.hemmelstein.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mishkan Chicago ($105K). Together the top 10 received $670K.
Grant Size Distribution
321 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 270 grants of 321 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 57% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 14% to New York, 8% to Michigan, 6% to Massachusetts, and 5% to Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 69 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 69 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 87% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 89% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2023) to $1.4M (2021). In 2025 it made 69 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mishkan Chicago Chicago, IL | Religious | $105,000 |
| Jewish Federation of Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | Charity | $100,000 |
| Rush University Medical Center Chicago, IL | Charity | $100,000 |
| Chicago Abortion Fund Chicago, IL | Charity | $60,000 |
| John Howard Association Chicago, IL | Education | $55,000 |
| Equal Hope Chicago, IL | Charity | $50,000 |
| Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance New York, NY | Charity | $50,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Chicago, IL | Charity | $50,000 |
| Rashi School Dedham, MA | Education | $50,000 |
| US Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington, DC | Charity | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation?
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 | $25,484,964 | $2,425,851 | $1,527,285 | $1,312,000 | 69 | $1,312,000 | $1,199,204 | $1,476,372 |
| 2024 | $24,591,584 | $1,526,408 | $1,412,090 | $1,214,500 | 67 | $1,214,500 | $553,818 | $1,314,073 |
| 2023 | $24,477,266 | $1,110,550 | $1,352,473 | $1,184,500 | 66 | $1,184,627 | $270,642 | $1,221,611 |
| 2022 | $24,720,750 | $1,342,706 | $1,441,172 | $1,367,000 | 61 | $1,370,500 | $229,534 | $1,269,456 |
| 2021 | $24,813,216 | $1,280,773 | $1,448,526 | $1,375,500 | 58 | — | $307,747 | $1,276,462 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M 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 organizations. For example, Rush University Medical Center describes its mission as improving health through patient care, education, research, and community partnerships. Planned Parenthood of Illinois describes its work as providing and promoting reproductive health care, education, and rights. Mishkan Chicago received a grant listed with the purpose “religious,” while the John Howard Association and Rashi School received grants listed with the purpose “education.”
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 69 grants totaling $1,312,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $105,000, with a median of $10,000. Recent larger grants included $105,000 to Mishkan Chicago, $100,000 each to Jewish Federation of Ann Arbor and Rush University Medical Center, and $60,000 to Chicago Abortion Fund. Other notable grants were $55,000 to John Howard Association and $50,000 each to Equal Hope, Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, Planned Parenthood, Rashi School, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The 2024 filing states that applicants should contact Rebecca Mervis in writing and include the purpose of the contribution. It lists no deadlines and no restrictions on awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rebecca Mervis as president and director, Jonathan Mervis as secretary and director, and Ari Mervis as treasurer and director.
Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation is led by Rebecca Mervis, President & Director on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rebecca Mervis
President & Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ari Mervis
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Mervis
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation
How much does Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation give each year?
Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation gave $1.3M across 69 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.2M across 67 grants.
What is Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation's typical grant size?
Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $19,014, across 69 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation give grants?
Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 57% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (14%) and Michigan (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (34 grants), New York, NY (12 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants) and Skokie, IL (3 grants).
Does Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 69 grants with a stated purpose on Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charity" (51 grants), "Education" (14 grants) and "Religious" (4 grants).
Who are Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation's largest grantees?
Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Mishkan Chicago ($105,000), Jewish Federation of Ann Arbor ($100,000) and Rush University Medical Center ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation?
Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation reported $25.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (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 Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Rush University Medical Center describes its mission as improving health through patient care, education, research, and community partnerships. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation?
Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check hemmelstein.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation's EIN?
Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6033583. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS October 21, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/carylon-julius-and-marcie-hemmelstein-foundation-morg_343f5a5f907c456e8bbac5d26add64ee
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366033583_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/carylon-julius-and-marcie-hemmelstein-foundation-morg_343f5a5f907c456e8bbac5d26add64ee},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. 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 Carylon Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation'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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