Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation

CHICAGO, IL EIN: 65-6303071

The Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1999 in Florida, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with no employees.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.6M

-2.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$164K

+24.9% YoY

Grant Count

+19.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$5K

+4.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation reported a distributable amount of $151K for 2025 — 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 primarily funds general support to various organizations. Its grantmaking focuses on:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services

Grantmaking

Grant Range

** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $15,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Florida, Virginia, and New York.

Grant Distribution by State

Florida $758K (96%)

Illinois $10K (1%)

District of Columbia $8K (1%)

Virginia $8K (1%)

Georgia $5K (1%)

New York $1K (0%)

States

District of Columbia Florida Georgia Illinois New York Virginia

Cities

AlexandriaArlington HeightsAtlantaBoca RatonCoconut CreekCooper CityCoraql GablesFl LauderdaleFor LauderdaleFort LauderdaleFt LauderdaleHollywoodLaud LakesLauderdale LakesLighthouse PointMiamiNew YorkPlantationPompano BeachSunrise

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $2,707,572 (as of fiscal year ending May 2024)

Total Giving: $164,250

Total Revenues: $40,043 (FYE 05/2024)

Total Expenses: $167,062 (FYE 05/2024)

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2025	2024	2023
Total Assets	$2,638,132	$2,707,572	$2,835,322
Revenue	$134,077	$40,043	$105,945
Expenses	$203,592	$167,062	$184,644
Qualifying Distributions	$192,668	$155,359	$170,884
Net Investment Income	$123,153	$95,680	$96,000
Distributable Amount	$151,482	$143,810	$140,697

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 2025

Grant Size Distribution

137 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include University of Miami ($10,000), Trinity Lutheran Church ($10,000), Handy Inc ($10,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
FIREWALL CENTERS INC COOPER CITY, FL	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,250
TRUSTBRIDGE HOSPICE FOUNDATION WEST PALM BEACH, FL	GENERAL SUPPORT	$3,000
SALVATION ARMY ALEXANDRIA, VA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$7,500
THE LITTLE LIGHTHOUSE FOUNDATION INC MIAMI, FL	GENERAL SUPPORT	$6,000
FLORIDA HOUSE WASHINGTON DC INC WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$2,500
BROWARD CHILDREN'S CENTER POMPANO BEACH, FL	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
UNITED WAY OF BROWARD COUNTY FORT LAUDERDALE, FL	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI CORAQL GABLES, FL	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
JACK & JILL CHILDREN'S CENTER FT LAUDERDALE, FL	GENERAL SUPPORT	$8,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Northern Trust Company serves as Vice President with compensation of $30,125 (as of October 2024).

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

From 2025 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY	TRUSTEE	40	$37,291

Contact Information

Address: PO Box 803878, Chicago, IL 60680-3878
Telephone: 312-630-6000

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation fund?

The foundation primarily funds general support to various organizations. Its grantmaking focuses on: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation?

**Grant Size:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $15,000 **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made 25 grants in 2024, including: • Broward Performing Arts Foundation — $10,000 (General Support) • Jack and Jill Children's Center — $8,000 (General) • Museum of Discovery and Science — $7,500 (General)

Where does Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Florida, Virginia, and New York.

What size grants does Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation award?

In 2025, Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation awarded 31 grants totaling $164K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation reported a distributable amount of $151K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation's EIN?

Charles F and Esther M Frye Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-6303071. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.