Determan Balk Family Foundation
The Determan Balk Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Lake Forest, Illinois. Its 2025 filing states that it does not conduct direct charitable activities; its primary purpose is to support other charitable organizations exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).
Determan Balk Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Determan Balk Family Foundation gave $145K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $144,500
- -1.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- -13.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,225
- +13.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $1,458,928
- -1.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (65% 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 Determan Balk Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1200 Loch Lane, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Phone: (518) 640-5000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Determan Balk Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Northwestern College of Arts & Sciences ($25K). Together the top 10 received $130K.
Grant Size Distribution
83 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 82 grants of 83 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 65% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 33% to recipients in New York; Iowa and Colorado each accounted for 1%. These figures describe the locations of that year’s grant recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Determan Balk Family Foundation gives
- 35% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $111K (2021) to $150K (2020). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $145K.
Grants by year
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 |
Ready to take the next step with Determan Balk Family 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 | $1,458,928 | $135,342 | $154,758 | $144,500 | 20 | $149,456 | $130,040 | $164,101 |
| 2024 | $1,478,697 | $44,813 | $155,639 | $146,040 | 23 | $146,040 | $44,431 | $162,123 |
| 2023 | $1,589,907 | $448,792 | $133,237 | $128,758 | 20 | $128,758 | $448,313 | $138,419 |
| 2022 | $1,274,813 | $530,149 | $149,663 | $149,258 | 19 | $149,258 | $276,864 | $125,229 |
| 2021 | $890,242 | $22,513 | $111,220 | $111,050 | 1 | $111,050 | $22,343 | $138,132 |
| 2020 | $978,949 | $-897,634 | $151,998 | $150,350 | 1 | — | $18,934 | $113,740 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support charitable organizations through contributions. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose own missions describe work in arts and culture, food access, community services, environmental protection, historic preservation, and education. For example, Ragdale Foundation says it provides artists and writers with time and space to complete creative work, while Northern Illinois Food Bank says it provides meals and access to nutritious food through a regional network.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $144,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $25,000, with a median grant of $7,500. The largest listed grants were $25,000 to Northwestern College of Arts & Sciences; $15,000 each to Northern Illinois Food Bank, Ragdale Foundation, and Refugee One; and $10,000 each to Adirondack Community Foundation, Cornell Engineering, Gorton Community Center, Michigan State University, Pendragon Theater, and Wild Center. The filing lists these grants as unrestricted.
Other 2025 grants included $5,000 to Upper Saranac Lake Foundation, $2,500 to Church of the Holy Spirit Food Pantry, and $1,000 to Historic Saranac Lake and Foundation at PCK. Upper Saranac Lake Foundation says it seeks to protect the natural beauty and environmental quality of the Upper Saranac Lake region. Gorton Community Center describes its work as operating a community center for charitable, educational, and cultural purposes. Historic Saranac Lake describes work in local history and historic preservation, and Foundation at PCK says it supports the educational advancement of PCK Charter School.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lance Balk as president; Nathaniel Balk and Henry Balk as vice presidents; Thomas Balk as treasurer; and Margaret Determan as secretary.
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). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Determan Balk Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support charitable organizations through contributions. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose own missions describe work in arts and culture, food access, community services, environmental protection, historic preservation, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Determan Balk Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Does Determan Balk Family 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
(6)
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)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
Live grants for the work Determan Balk Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Determan Balk Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Determan Balk Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/determan-balk-family-foundation-morg_8d99a467b62f48739194b7e7de62b010
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_474148161_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Determan Balk Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/determan-balk-family-foundation-morg_8d99a467b62f48739194b7e7de62b010},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Determan Balk Family 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.
Determan Balk Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?