Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation
Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation is a private foundation based in Hinsdale, Illinois. On its 2025 filing, it described its direct charitable activity as junior program sailing scholarships and transportation.
Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation at a glance
In short: Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation gave $8K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $704), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $8,448
- -10.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- -7.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $704
- -2.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $704
- Total assets
- $87,130
- +0.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation
- 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: 611 S Jackson St, Hinsdale, IL 60521
Phone: (312) 208-1365
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Sydney Diggs ($704). Together the top 10 received $7K.
Grant Size Distribution
30 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 30 grants of 30 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All listed grant dollars in filing year 2025 went to recipients in Illinois. The 12 listed recipients were in Hinsdale, Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation gives
- 0% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 333% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 224% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2K (2022) to $9K (2024). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $8K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney Diggs Hinsdale, IL | Sailing Instruction | $704 |
| Brittani Hall Hinsdale, IL | Sailing Instruction | $704 |
| London Brown Hinsdale, IL | Sailing Instruction | $704 |
| Malayna Powell Hinsdale, IL | Sailing Instruction | $704 |
| Journee Burton Hinsdale, IL | Sailing Instruction | $704 |
| Kyleigh Green Hinsdale, IL | Sailing Instruction | $704 |
| Zahra Dowd Hinsdale, IL | Sailing Instruction | $704 |
| Hayden Jordan Hinsdale, IL | Sailing Instruction | $704 |
| Christina Storm Hinsdale, IL | Sailing Instruction | $704 |
| Janae Townsend Hinsdale, IL | Sailing Instruction | $704 |
Ready to take the next step with Columbia's Chester Kuttner 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 | $87,130 | $10,707 | $9,905 | $8,448 | 12 | $9,305 | — | $4,151 |
| 2024 | $86,328 | $14,617 | $11,112 | $9,396 | 13 | $10,562 | — | $4,018 |
| 2023 | $82,823 | $20,225 | $1,756 | — | — | $1,756 | $5 | $3,238 |
| 2022 | $64,354 | $5,035 | $3,595 | $1,953 | 1 | $2,505 | — | $3,074 |
| 2021 | $62,914 | $24,233 | $6,007 | $5,944 | 4 | $5,944 | — | $2,236 |
| 2020 | $44,688 | $14,563 | $4,240 | $3,875 | 3 | — | — | $1,805 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4K 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
The foundation did not state a mission in the provided information. Its 2025 filing identifies junior program sailing scholarships and transportation as direct charitable activity. The 2025 grants listed were for sailing instruction.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave $8,448 through 12 grants. Each grant was $704. The listed recipients were Sydney Diggs, Brittani Hall, London Brown, Malayna Powell, Journee Burton, Kyleigh Green, Zahra Dowd, Hayden Jordan, Christina Storm, Janae Townsend, Naomi Brown, and Leila Moon; each received $704 for sailing instruction.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Vince Cushing, Gerald H Thomas (president), Thomas C Taylor, William Bartz, John Sheehan, Peter Kuttner, Matthew Howard, William Spence, Craig Horton (secretary), and Michael Hettel (treasurer) as directors.
Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation is led by Gerald H. Thomas, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 12 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Gerald H. Thomas
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Craig Horton
Secretary & Director
Secretary → Director, 2021
Director → Secretary & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Sheehan
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Howard
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Hettel
Treasurer & Director
Director → Treasurer & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Kuttner
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Pratt
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas C. Taylor
Director
Treasurer & Director → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Bartz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Spence
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joe Marciniak
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vince Cushing
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Mary Izzo (2020–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation
How much does Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation give each year?
Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation gave $8K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $9K across 13 grants.
What is Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation's typical grant size?
Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $704, and its average grant was $704, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation give grants?
Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Hinsdale, IL (12 grants).
Does Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Sailing Instruction" (12 grants).
Who are Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation's largest grantees?
Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Sydney Diggs ($704), Brittani Hall ($704) and London Brown ($704), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation?
Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation reported $87K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $9K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation fund?
The foundation did not state a mission in the provided information. Its 2025 filing identifies junior program sailing scholarships and transportation as direct charitable activity. The 2025 grants listed were for sailing instruction. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation?
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 Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation's EIN?
Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3975888. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 23, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Other open foundation grants in Illinois
Illinois Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Illinois
Fountain of Living Water Ministries
Chesterfield, MI
Assets
$6K
Grants
9
Total Given
$40K
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
The Allstate Foundation
Northbrook, IL
The Allstate Foundation funds youth empowerment, efforts to prevent and address relationship abuse, nonprofit leadership, and related economic opportunity and equity work. Its 2024 grants ranged from $250 to $2 million, with a median of $1,000, and awards must support work in the United States. It accepts proposals from organizations beyond a preselected list; proposals are reviewed as received.
Assets
$89.3M
Grants
2,010
Total Given
$38.0M
Elks National Foundation Inc
Chicago, IL
The Elks National Foundation funds scholarships, youth programs, veterans’ services, and charitable projects through Elks Lodges and state associations across the United States. Its 2026 grants had a median size of $10,000, though awards varied widely; the profile describes application routes for specific Lodge and scholarship programs but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$954.1M
Grants
1,536
Total Given
$36.5M
John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation
Chicago, IL
The MacArthur Foundation funds work advancing a more just, verdant, and peaceful world, including climate solutions, criminal justice, journalism, technology, and Chicago. In 2024, its grants had a median of $160,000, though awards ranged widely; it generally does not accept unsolicited requests, with possible exceptions for specific open calls or proposals that meet program guidelines.
Assets
$9.3B
Grants
1,086
Total Given
$356.1M
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial
Chicago, IL
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial supports education, the environment, health and human services, gun violence prevention, homelessness prevention, and Jewish community and Israel initiatives, with a strong focus on Chicago and giving across the U.S. and internationally. In 2024, its grants ranged from $500 to $3 million, with a median of $55,000. It uses an invitation-only process and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
897
Total Given
$115.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in Illinois
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Columbia's Chester Kuttner 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.
Columbia's Chester Kuttner Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?