EBR Foundation
EBR Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 IRS filing is marked as the organization’s final return, indicating that it has terminated or is winding down.
EBR Foundation at a glance
In short: EBR Foundation gave $300K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $13K), top state Illinois. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $300,031
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- -20.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,501
- +25.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $8,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (4 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (34% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to EBR Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 30 S Wacker Drive Suite 2875, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 726-3110
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who EBR Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Chicago Zoological Society ($50K). Together the top 10 received $240K.
Grant Size Distribution
149 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 147 grants of 149 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois (34%), Kentucky (17%), North Carolina (9%), Massachusetts (9%), and Virginia (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is EBR Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 24 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $7K repeat.
- 83% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−3%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 937% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
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 $300K (2022) to $310K (2021). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $300K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Zoological Society Brookfield, IL | Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| Great Lakes Disaster Training Fndn Lake Forest, IL | Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Woodford Humane Society Versailles, KY | Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Lake Forest Open Lands Lake Forest, IL | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Exceptional Education Outreach Miami, FL | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Nacds Foundation Arlington, VA | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Watoto World Haverhill, MA | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Kentucky Equine Adoption Center Nicholasville, KY | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| North Carolina Zoological Society Asheboro, NC | Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| S Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | Unrestricted | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with EBR 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | $365,306 | $324,070 | $300,031 | 24 | $306,405 | $349,858 | $32,703 |
| 2023 | $657,161 | $57,959 | $318,052 | $300,019 | 30 | $305,774 | $45,121 | $49,939 |
| 2022 | $931,629 | $172,307 | $324,685 | $300,014 | 32 | $305,969 | $157,880 | $62,223 |
| 2021 | $1,085,952 | $242,923 | $329,103 | $310,015 | 31 | $313,490 | $228,395 | $77,326 |
| 2020 | $1,172,853 | $19,495 | $322,243 | $305,008 | 32 | — | $34,045 | $79,892 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, EBR Foundation reported a distributable amount of $33K for 2024 — 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 available filing information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, the Chicago Zoological Society describes its mission as inspiring conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature; Woodford Humane Society describes its mission as preventing cruelty to animals and advancing animal welfare. Exceptional Education Outreach says it provides special education and literacy outreach programs to students and communities in Eleuthera and Harbour Island.
Other 2024 recipients describe work in areas including wildlife and wild places, support for a university, adapted homes for injured veterans, community programs using music, and African wildlife conservation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $300,031. Grants ranged from $31 to $50,000, with a median of $8,500.
The largest reported grants included $50,000 to the Chicago Zoological Society; $30,000 each to Great Lakes Disaster Training Foundation and Woodford Humane Society; and $20,000 each to Lake Forest Open Lands, Exceptional Education Outreach, NACDS Foundation, Watoto World, and Kentucky Equine Adoption Center. The filing listed each of these grants as unrestricted.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jonathan B Mellin as president; Debra M Coy as secretary; Mark Liyeos as treasurer; and Howard B Simpson, Jessie S Jones, William M Simpson, and James Simpson IV as directors.
EBR Foundation is led by Jonathan B. Mellin, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jonathan B. Mellin
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Howard B. Simpson
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
James Simpson IV
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jessie S. Jones
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
William M. Simpson
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Debra M. Coy
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mark Liyeos
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Charles H. Morse IV (2020–2022) — Director
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 EBR Foundation
How much does EBR Foundation give each year?
EBR Foundation gave $300K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $300K across 30 grants.
What is EBR Foundation's typical grant size?
EBR Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $8,500, and its average grant was $12,501, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from EBR Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does EBR Foundation give grants?
EBR Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Kentucky (17%) and North Carolina (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lake Forest, IL (2 grants), Atlanta, GA (2 grants) and Southern Pines, NC (2 grants).
Does EBR Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of EBR Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are EBR Foundation's largest grantees?
EBR Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Chicago Zoological Society ($50,000), Great Lakes Disaster Training Fndn ($30,000) and Woodford Humane Society ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does EBR Foundation fund?
The available filing information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from EBR Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is EBR Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, EBR Foundation reported a distributable amount of $33K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is EBR Foundation's EIN?
EBR Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3488134. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does EBR Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). EBR Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ebr-foundation-morg_4c8e9e4386fa4537bcca68e6bc0eb233
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363488134_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{EBR Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ebr-foundation-morg_4c8e9e4386fa4537bcca68e6bc0eb233},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 EBR 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.
EBR Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?