Determan Balk Family Foundation
Determan Balk Family Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Lake Forest, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.5M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 20 grants totaling $145K. Net investment income was $130K.
Key facts about Determan Balk Family Foundation
In short: Determan Balk Family Foundation gave $145K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 47-4148161
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $144,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- Average grant
- $7,225
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $1,458,928
- Primary geography
- Illinois (65% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.5M
-1.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$145K
-1.1% YoY
Grant Count
20
-13.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$7K
+13.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Determan Balk Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $164K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Determan Balk Family Foundation gives
- 30% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 91% 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 (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 20 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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
83 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES Evanston, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $25,000 |
| NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK Geneva, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $15,000 |
| RAGDALE FOUNDATION Lake Forest, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $15,000 |
| REFUGEE ONE Chicago, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $15,000 |
| ADIRONDACK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Lake Placid, NY | UNRESTRICTED | $10,000 |
| CORNELL ENGINEERING Ithaca, NY | UNRESTRICTED | $10,000 |
| GORTON COMMUNITY CENTER Lake Forest, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $10,000 |
| MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Chicago, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $10,000 |
| PENDRAGON THEATER Saranac Lake, NY | UNRESTICTED | $10,000 |
| WILD CENTER Tupper Lake, NY | UNRESTRICTED | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,458,928 | $1,478,697 | $1,589,907 |
| Revenue | $135,342 | $44,813 | $448,792 |
| Expenses | $154,758 | $155,639 | $133,237 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $149,456 | $146,040 | $128,758 |
| Net Investment Income | $130,040 | $44,431 | $448,313 |
| Distributable Amount | $164,101 | $162,123 | $138,419 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- 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 May 8, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Determan Balk Family Foundation is led by Lance Balk, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lance Balk
President
Director → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Henry Balk
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Determan
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nathaniel Balk
Vice President
President & Secretary → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Balk
Treasurer
Vice President & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 Determan Balk Family Foundation
How much does Determan Balk Family Foundation give each year?
Determan Balk Family Foundation gave $145K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $146K across 23 grants.
What is Determan Balk Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Determan Balk Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $7,500, and its average grant was $7,225, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Determan Balk Family Foundation give grants?
Determan Balk Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (33%). The most frequent recipient cities were Saranac Lake, NY (4 grants), Lake Forest, IL (3 grants), Chicago, IL (3 grants) and Tupper Lake, NY (2 grants).
Does Determan Balk Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of Determan Balk Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Determan Balk Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Determan Balk Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Northwestern College of Arts & Sciences ($25,000), Northern Illinois Food Bank ($15,000) and Ragdale Foundation ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Determan Balk Family Foundation?
Determan Balk Family Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $149K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $164K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Determan Balk Family Foundation?
Determan Balk Family Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Lake Forest, IL. It holds $1.5M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Determan Balk Family Foundation's EIN?
Determan Balk Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4148161. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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