Cless Family Foundation
The Cless Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 1992 and based in Northbrook, Illinois. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since January 1992.
Key facts about Cless Family Foundation
- EIN
- 36-3796675
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,806,968
- Grants made (2024)
- 26
- Average grant
- $107,960
- Median grant
- $37,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (6 of 26, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (48% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. 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.
Who Cless Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Cless Family Foundation's 26 itemized 2024 grants were Illinois (48%), Florida (24%) and California (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Evanston, IL (9 grants) and Chicago, IL (7 grants). None of its 26 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (12 grants), "Education" (9 grants) and "Medical Research" (4 grants).
Is Cless Family Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 26 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $68K; repeat grants $120K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 65% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−4%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Cless Family Foundation
- How to evaluate Cless Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Cless Family Foundation with AI
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- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$2.8M
-22.7% YoY
Grant Count
26
-16.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$108K
-7.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports a diverse range of charitable causes, with demonstrated funding interests in:
- Medical research
- Education
- Healthcare
- Arts and culture
- Community improvement and capacity building
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$50,000 to $905,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Cless Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has demonstrated funding activity in Illinois and nationally, with particular support for organizations in the Chicago metropolitan area and beyond.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 26 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $19,993,626 to $20,557,725
- Total revenues: $1,768,823
- Total expenses: $2,826,088
- Investment income and dividends: $503,602
Historical Giving Trends:
- 2024: $3.6 million in total giving
- 2023: $4.9 million in total giving
- 2022: $2.9 million in total giving
- 2021: $2.5 million in total giving
The foundation maintains zero employees and has no liabilities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
153 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Schwab Charitable ($667,176), Stand up to Cancer ($502,292), Glenview Youth Services ($425,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SCHWAB CHARITABLE Orland, FL | CHARITABLE | $667,176 |
| STAND UP TO CANCER Los Angeles, CA | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $502,292 |
| GLENVIEW YOUTH SERVICES Glenview, IL | EDUCATION | $425,000 |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY Durham, NC | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $250,000 |
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE Skokie, IL | CHARITABLE | $250,000 |
| ETHS EDUCATION FOUNDATION Evanston, IL | EDUCATION | $100,000 |
| NORTHSHORE HOSPITALS FOUNDATION Evanston, IL | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $100,000 |
| BOOKS & BREAKFAST Evanston, IL | EDUCATION | $50,000 |
| CHICAGO ENGINEER'S FOUNDATION Chicago, IL | CHARITABLE | $50,000 |
| FOUNDATION 65 Evanston, IL | EDUCATION | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by the following trustees and directors:
- Ruth I Cless (President/Treasurer/Director)
- Martin Cless (Director)
- Jennifer U Zehr (Vice President/Secretary/Director)
- Bryan C Cless (Director)
- Stephen G Cless (Director)
All listed leadership serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruth I Cless | Pres/Treas/Director | — | — |
| Martin Cless | Director | — | — |
| Jennifer U Zehr | VP/Secretary/Director | — | — |
| Bryan C Cless | Director | — | — |
| Stephen G Cless | Director | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cless Family Foundation fund?
The foundation supports a diverse range of charitable causes, with demonstrated funding interests in: • Medical research • Education • Healthcare • Arts and culture • Community improvement and capacity building
How do I apply for a grant from Cless Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Cless Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation has demonstrated funding activity in Illinois and nationally, with particular support for organizations in the Chicago metropolitan area and beyond.
What size grants does Cless Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Cless Family Foundation awarded 26 grants totaling $2.8M — an average of about $108K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Cless Family Foundation's EIN?
Cless Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3796675. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Cless Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.