Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust

CHICAGO, IL EIN: 36-7010559 Website

The Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust is a private foundation established in 1992 and granted charitable status in June 1994. Based in Chicago, Illinois, the Trust practices values-based grant making to public charities serving Chicago and Cook County residents. The organization operates as an independent 501(c)(3) foundation with a focus on promoting individual self-reliance, relieving human suffering, and fostering individual self-worth.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$2.8M

-10.0% YoY

Grant Count

-8.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$67K

-1.2% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Primary funding interests include:

Community Development
Education
Health
Social & Human Services
Sports & Recreation
Classical fine arts
Physical health and spiritual well-being
World peace through improved travel

Grantmaking

Recent grants (2024) include:

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust provides support geographically to Chicago and Cook County, Illinois. Organizations outside the immediate area may apply if they serve a significant number of Chicago residents.

Grant Distribution by State

Illinois $13.9M (99%)

New York $50K (0%)

Washington $50K (0%)

Wisconsin $50K (0%)

Pennsylvania $25K (0%)

District of Columbia $10K (0%)

States

District of Columbia Illinois New York Pennsylvania Washington Wisconsin

Cities

ARLINGTON HTSCHICAGODES PLAINESHONOLULULAKE ZURICHLISLEMADISONNEW YORKNORTH RIVERSIDEOAK PARKPHILADELPHIASEE ATTACHEDSKOKIESPRINGFIELDTINLEY PARKUNIONWARRENVILLEWASHINGTONWESTCHESTER

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of November 2023:

Total Assets: $54,517,537 (ledger value)
Annual Income: $18,441,989

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $68,163,016
Total Revenues: $16,483,106
Total Expenses: $4,090,390

The foundation is ranked 9,396 among the top 10,000 U.S. foundations by assets.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	—	—	—
Revenue	—	—	—
Expenses	—	—	—
Qualifying Distributions	—	—	—
Net Investment Income	—	—	—
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

89 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust

Foundation

Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust Grant

ELIZABETH MORSE GENIUS CHARITABLE TRUST

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance ($250,000), National Museum of Mexican Art ($242,150), Chicago Opera Theater ($236,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
SOUTHLAND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TINLEY PARK, IL	SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF	$75,000
ADVANCE ILLINOIS CHICAGO, IL	SUPPORT FOR THE EDUCATOR	$25,000
LITTLE FRIENDS WARRENVILLE, IL	SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR I/DD	$15,000
NAVY PIER INC CHICAGO, IL	SUPPORT THE STRATEGIC PLAN	$100,000
MERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC CHICAGO, IL	SUPPORT GENERAL OPERATING	$100,000
CASA CENTRAL CHICAGO, IL	SUPPORT THE ADULT WELLNESS	$50,000
CHICAGO A CAPPELLA CHICAGO, IL	SUPPORT THE HER VOICE	$10,000
CHICAGO YOUTH BOXING CLUB CHICAGO, IL	SUPPORT GENERAL OPERATING	$25,000
THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST CHICAGO, IL	SUPPORT THE NUESTRO FUTURO	$50,000
GUITARS OVER GUNS ORGANIZATION CHICAGO, IL	SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF	$30,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JAMES L ALEXANDER	CO-TRUSTEE	20	$418,584

Contact Information

Website: www.emgeniustrust.org
Address: 10 S Dearborn St, Suite IL1-0111, Chicago, IL 60603-2300
Phone: 800-496-2583
EIN: 36-7010559

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust fund?

The Trust's core values include promoting thrift, humility, industry, self-sacrifice, and self-sufficiency; relieving human suffering; developing self-esteem and dignity; and encouraging vigorous athletic activity. The foundation emphasizes developing regional solutions to Chicago's regional challenges. Primary funding interests include: • Community Development • Education • Health • Social & Human Services • Sports & Recreation • Classical fine arts • Physical health and spiritual well-being •…

How do I apply for a grant from Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust?

**Grant Activity:** Recent grants (2024) include: • Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance: $250,000 • National Museum of Mexican Art: $242,150 • Chicago Opera Theater: $236,000 The Trust made 37 grants totaling approximately $2.9 million in 2024. **Application Process:** The foundation invites organizations to review its Values Statement to determine alignment before applying. Guidelines for application are available on the foundation's website.

Where does Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust make grants?

What size grants does Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust award?

In 2024, Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust awarded 41 grants totaling $2.8M — an average of about $67K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust's EIN?

Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7010559. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.