Dolores Kohl Education Foundation
The Dolores Kohl Education Foundation is a private foundation based in Highland Park, Illinois. Launched in 1974, it says its goal is to enhance children’s learning through experiential, innovative programming, and describes itself as creating and directing new approaches to children’s learning.
Dolores Kohl Education Foundation at a glance
In short: Dolores Kohl Education Foundation gave $1.2M across 26 grants in 2024 (avg $47K), mostly in Illinois. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,210,579
- -25.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 26
- +13.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $46,561
- -34.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,250
- Total assets
- $8,409,368
- +8.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (7 of 26, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Dolores Kohl Education Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Contact
Mailing address: 2070 Green Bay Road Suite 197, Highland Park, IL 60035
Phone: (847) 433-8601
Website: https://dkef.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dolores Kohl Education Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Ravinia Festival Association ($410K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
126 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 99 grants of 126 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2024 grant dollars were reported for recipients in Illinois. The foundation’s website says it operates education and arts programs in the United States and abroad.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Dolores Kohl Education Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 26 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $63K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $756K (2020) to $1.6M (2023). In 2024 it made 26 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ravinia Festival Association Highland Park, IL | Charitable | $410,100 |
| Dolores Kohl Education Foundation - Animal Orchestra Exhibit Highland Park, IL | The animal orchestra exhibit will use anthropomorphic animals to engage children in classical music. | $337,731 |
| Kohl Children's Museum of Greater Chicago Glenview, IL | Charitable | $166,667 |
| Dolores Kohl Education Foundation - Van Gogh Highland Park, IL | Expenses to develop the van gogh art exhibit that will travel to childrens museums | $108,605 |
| Dolores Kohl Education Foundation - Race Exhibit Highland Park, IL | Charitable | $87,322 |
| Dolores Kohl Education Foundation - Story Bus Program Highland Park, IL | Expenses to Run Mobil Story Bus | $58,589 |
| North Shore Country Day School Winnetka, IL | Charitable | $7,500 |
| Jewish United Fund Chicago Chicago, IL | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Academy for Urban School Leadership Chicago, IL | Charitable | $5,000 |
| National Council of Jewish Women Northbrook, IL | Charitable | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8,409,368 | $2,113,469 | $1,439,598 | $1,210,579 | 26 | $1,384,018 | $198,922 |
| 2023 | $7,733,034 | $746,313 | $1,857,199 | $1,632,480 | 23 | $1,818,811 | $707,781 |
| 2022 | $8,843,420 | $1,708,105 | $1,213,858 | $1,060,814 | 24 | $1,168,468 | $1,579,874 |
| 2021 | $8,350,487 | $393,012 | $1,025,168 | $855,206 | 30 | — | $388,542 |
| 2020 | $8,982,806 | $439,900 | $946,464 | $755,553 | 23 | — | $413,909 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it supports the development of early literacy skills through innovative programs. Its filing describes StoryBus as a mobile classroom that exposes young children from low-income neighborhoods to literature and literacy skills. The foundation also describes the Animal Orchestra exhibit as using anthropomorphic animals to engage children in classical music.
Its 2024 grants included support for arts, education, and other charitable organizations. Among the grantees, Ravinia Festival Association describes its work as enriching lives through music, including performances and educational programs. The Academy for Urban School Leadership says it recruits, trains, and supports teachers in underserved communities. Merit School of Music describes its work as expanding access to high-quality music education, including through need-based aid and scholarships.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $1,210,579. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $410,100, with a median of $2,250.
The largest listed grants included $410,100 to Ravinia Festival Association; $337,731 for the foundation’s Animal Orchestra exhibit; $166,667 to Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago; $108,605 for the Van Gogh art exhibit; $87,322 for the Race exhibit; and $58,589 for the StoryBus program. Other listed recipients included North Shore Country Day School ($7,500), Jewish United Fund Chicago ($5,000), Academy for Urban School Leadership ($5,000), and National Council of Jewish Women ($5,000).
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Dolores Kohl as president; Herbert Kohl as secretary; Stephen Kohl as treasurer; and Allen Kohl, Jonathan Solovy, Mark Tilton, and Stacy Fisher as directors.
Dolores Kohl Education Foundation is led by Dolores Kohl, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Dolores Kohl
President
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Allen Kohl
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jonathan Solovy
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mark Tilton
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Stacy Fisher
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Herbert Kohl
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Stephen Kohl
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Stacy Fisher Solovy (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Steven T. Kohl (2020–2021) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Dolores Kohl Education Foundation
How much does Dolores Kohl Education Foundation give each year?
Dolores Kohl Education Foundation gave $1.2M across 26 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.6M across 23 grants.
What is Dolores Kohl Education Foundation's typical grant size?
Dolores Kohl Education Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,250, and its average grant was $46,561, across 26 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Dolores Kohl Education Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Dolores Kohl Education Foundation give grants?
Dolores Kohl Education Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Highland Park, IL (10 grants), Chicago, IL (6 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Evanston, IL (2 grants).
Does Dolores Kohl Education Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 26 grants with a stated purpose on Dolores Kohl Education Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (22 grants).
Who are Dolores Kohl Education Foundation's largest grantees?
Dolores Kohl Education Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Ravinia Festival Association ($410,100), Dolores Kohl Education Foundation - Animal Orchestra Exhibit ($337,731) and Kohl Children's Museum of Greater Chicago ($166,667), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 76% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Dolores Kohl Education Foundation?
Dolores Kohl Education Foundation reported $8.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $2.1M.
What does Dolores Kohl Education Foundation fund?
The foundation says it supports the development of early literacy skills through innovative programs. Its filing describes StoryBus as a mobile classroom that exposes young children from low-income neighborhoods to literature and literacy skills. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dolores Kohl Education Foundation?
Dolores Kohl Education Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines. Check dkef.org for any change to that policy.
What is Dolores Kohl Education Foundation's EIN?
Dolores Kohl Education Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7206116. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Dolores Kohl Education 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dolores Kohl Education Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dolores-kohl-education-foundation-morg_14ae40fcff7e49288241f42fdb8c3696
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237206116_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dolores Kohl Education Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dolores-kohl-education-foundation-morg_14ae40fcff7e49288241f42fdb8c3696},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Dolores Kohl Education 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.
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