Crown Family Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Chicago, Illinois, established in March 1985. The organization functions as a grantmaking foundation that supports and carries out the exempt purposes of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago. It is a subordinate organization under the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$460.5M
+5.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$28.8M
-37.8% YoY
Grant Count
25
-28.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.2M
-12.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To support and carry out the exempt purposes of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago by providing grants to charitable, religious, educational, and scientific organizations that meet specific criteria established by the Foundation and its affiliated Jewish organizations.
Primary Funding Areas:
- Education
- Environment
- Global Health
- Gun Violence Prevention
- Health & Human Services
- Jewish Community and Israel
The Foundation also makes significant investments in racial justice and economic empowerment, arts and culture, civic affairs, and humanitarian aid.
Lead Pursuits: The Foundation has designated nine pressing issues as Lead Pursuits where it is devoted to deepening strategy and partnering with change-makers:
- Developing a national model for equitable education by closing systemic opportunity gaps from Pre-K to college in Chicago
- Protecting and restoring the Great Lakes for generations to come
- Ensuring the Midwest plays a leading role in reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions
- Leveraging community-based solutions to advance universal healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa
- Developing a holistic community-based approach to reducing gun violence in Chicago
- Ending homelessness in Chicago
- Building capacity in the domestic violence sector
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Illinois, New York, and Wisconsin.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $460,469,524
- Total Revenues: $63,438,067
- Total Expenses: $28,886,086
- Total Giving: $28,794,500
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $436,000,000
- Total Revenues: $26,400,000
- Total Expenses: $46,300,000
- Total Liabilities: $40,300,000
As of 2022:
- Total Assets: $376,000,000
- Total Revenues: $36,800,000
The Foundation has experienced exceptional growth, with revenue increasing by an average of 22.1% annually over a seven-year period.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $460,469,524 | $435,506,937 | $376,023,145 |
| Revenue | $63,438,067 | $26,413,339 | $36,808,543 |
| Expenses | $28,886,086 | $46,331,271 | $35,376,798 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $60,623,197 | $21,356,171 | $16,778,033 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
158 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago ($15,003,000), Covenant Foundation ($6,382,000), Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago ($1,982,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AKIBA SCHECHTER - JEWISH DAY SCHOOL CHICAGO, IL | TUITION ASSISTANCE | $125,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE | $100,000 |
| ARIE CROWN HEBREW DAY SCHOOL SKOKIE, IL | TUITION ASSISTANCE | $125,000 |
| BERNARD ZELL ANSHE EMET DAY SCHOOL CHICAGO, IL | TUITION ASSISTANCE | $93,750 |
| BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT AND TOUR EDUCATOR TRAINING & ONWARD ISRAEL | $1,550,000 |
| B'NAI B'RITH YOUTH ORGANIZATION WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| CHICAGO JEWISH DAY SCHOOL CHICAGO, IL | TUITION ASSISTANCE | $187,500 |
| COVENANT FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $6,382,000 |
| FRIENDS OF ELNET NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| HEBREW UNION COLLEGE CINCINNATI, OH | RABBINICAL SCHOLARSHIPS | $300,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer: David Sherman
Founder: Lester Crown, whose father Henry Crown was a majority stakeholder in General Dynamics. Lester Crown has been a member of the Forbes 400 since 1982 and controls holdings in companies including Maytag, Hilton Hotels, Alltell, Aspen Skiing Company, and the Chicago Bulls.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR STEVEN B NASATIR | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.3 | — |
| DAVID SHERMAN | PRESIDENT | 0.3 | — |
| LESTER CROWN | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.3 | — |
| SARA CROWN STAR | VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY | 0.3 | — |
| DAVID T BROWN | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.3 | — |
| ANDREW HOCHBERG | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.3 | — |
| A STEVEN CROWN | VICE PRESIDENT & ASST. SECRETARY | 0.3 | — |
| MICHAEL ZARANSKY | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.3 | — |
| JORDAN T GOODMAN | TREASURER | 0.3 | — |
| BOAZ BLUMOVITZ | ASST. TREASURER & ASST. SECRETARY | 0.3 | — |
| JAMES A PINKSTON | ASST. TREASURER & ASST. SECRETARY | 0.3 | — |
| SARAH MARCUS | ASSISTANT TREASURER | 0.3 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 30 South Wells Street, Suite 4049, Chicago, IL 60606-5054
Telephone: 312-357-4790
EIN: 36-3330462
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Crown Family Foundation fund?
**Mission:** To support and carry out the exempt purposes of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago by providing grants to charitable, religious, educational, and scientific organizations that meet specific criteria established by the Foundation and its affiliated Jewish organizations. **Primary Funding Areas:** • Education • Environment • Global Health • Gun Violence Prevention • Health & Human Services • Jewish Community and Israel The…
How do I apply for a grant from Crown Family Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $10,000 to $16,890,000. **Grant Activity:** The Foundation makes grants to organizations exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All organizations receiving grants must meet the criteria established by the Foundation, the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. **Recent Grants:** • $100,000 to IRIS • $680,000 to JCC Association of North America's Sheva Center for Innovation i…
Where does Crown Family Foundation make grants?
The Foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Illinois, New York, and Wisconsin.
What size grants does Crown Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Crown Family Foundation awarded 25 grants totaling $28.8M — an average of about $1.2M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Crown Family Foundation's EIN?
Crown Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3330462. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Crown Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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