Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation
The Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation is a private foundation based in Elburn, Illinois. It uses investment proceeds to help organizations and individuals improve animals’ lives, with a particular concern for animals affected by human activity.
Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation at a glance
In short: Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation gave $55K across 42 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), top state Illinois. 7% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $54,500
- +20.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 42
- +16.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,298
- +3.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $945,404
- +2.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (3 of 42, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (16% 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 Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists a letter of request detailing the organization’s need and intended use of the contribution, along with a copy of its IRS 501(c)(3) exemption letter. Awards are considered only for the welfare of animals and the environment.
- Review Cycle
- Before October of each year.
- Deadline
- Before October of each year.
- Contact
Application contact: Eric R Holby
Mailing address: 43W510 Tall Oaks Trail, Elburn, IL 60019
Phone: (630) 750-8333
Website: https://www.holbyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Tabbys Place ($8K). Together the top 10 received $29K.
Grant Size Distribution
212 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 212 grants of 212 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The largest shares were in Illinois (16%), New Jersey (15%), Colorado (14%), Iowa (12%), and Minnesota (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 42 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $367; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 86% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 24% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 96% 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 (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 $45K (2020) to $72K (2021). In 2024 it made 42 grants totaling $55K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tabbys Place Ringoes, NJ | Program Support | $8,000 |
| C & W Rustic Hollow Shelter Nashua, IA | Program Support | $6,750 |
| Longhopes Donkey Shelter Bennett, CO | Program Support | $2,500 |
| The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust | Program Support | $2,000 |
| The Mower County Humane Society Austin, MN | Program Support | $2,000 |
| Beavers Wetlands & Wildlife Dolgeville, NY | Program Support | $1,500 |
| Cat Care Society Lakewood, CO | Program Support | $1,500 |
| Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center Divide, CO | Program Support | $1,500 |
| Dumb Friends League Denver, CO | Program Support | $1,500 |
| Best Friends Animal Society Kanab, UT | Program Support | $1,500 |
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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 | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $945,404 | $120,601 | $95,917 | $54,500 | 42 | $73,678 | $89,862 | $76,708 |
| 2023 | $920,721 | $62,040 | $84,114 | $45,100 | 36 | $62,711 | $32,387 | $63,375 |
| 2022 | $942,794 | $74,236 | $99,503 | $65,642 | 43 | $75,617 | $41,600 | $61,148 |
| 2021 | $968,061 | $111,661 | $97,153 | $72,018 | 49 | $72,018 | $76,616 | $72,916 |
| 2020 | $953,553 | $17,538 | $66,516 | $45,047 | 42 | — | $41,652 | $57,291 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation reported a distributable amount of $77K 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 foundation says it believes all animals deserve a fair chance to enjoy life. It highlights the needs of dogs and cats, which it says may be less equipped to survive in the wild, and the work of animal-care organizations and volunteers providing care and finding homes for displaced animals.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work represented among its grantees. Longhopes Donkey Shelter describes its mission as rescuing, rehabilitating, rehoming, and providing safe retirement for homeless and at-risk donkeys. Cat Care Society says it provides care, shelter, and adoption services for abused, abandoned, and neglected cats. The International Wolf Center describes its work as science-based education about wolves, their ecology, and the wolf-human relationship.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 42 grants totaling $54,500. The median grant was $1,000; grants ranged from $100 to $8,000. The largest awards included $8,000 to Tabby’s Place and $6,750 to C & W Rustic Hollow Shelter, both for program support. Other notable program-support grants were $2,500 to Longhopes Donkey Shelter and $2,000 each to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and The Mower County Humane Society.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Eric R. Holby as president, Calvin Pethan as vice president, and Tamara Holby as secretary.
Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation is led by Eric R Holby, President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Eric R Holby
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Calvin Pethan
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$500 (2023) → $500 (2024)
Tamara Holby
Secretary
Secy-Treas → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$500 (2023) → $500 (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $500, to Calvin Pethan (Vice President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation
How much does Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation give each year?
Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation gave $55K across 42 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $45K across 36 grants.
What is Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation's typical grant size?
Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,298, across 42 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation that year got $367 on average.
Where does Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation give grants?
Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 16% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New Jersey (15%) and Colorado (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (5 grants) and Chicago, IL (3 grants).
Does Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 42 grants with a stated purpose on Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (42 grants).
Who are Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation's largest grantees?
Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Tabbys Place ($8,000), C & W Rustic Hollow Shelter ($6,750) and Longhopes Donkey Shelter ($2,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation?
Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation reported $945K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $74K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $77K (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 Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation fund?
The foundation says it believes all animals deserve a fair chance to enjoy life. It highlights the needs of dogs and cats, which it says may be less equipped to survive in the wild, and the work of animal-care organizations and volunteers providing care and finding homes for displaced animals. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation?
The filing lists a letter of request detailing the organization’s need and intended use of the contribution, along with a copy of its IRS 501(c)(3) exemption letter. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation's EIN?
Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4295716. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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 October 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 18, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/eric-holby-animal-welfare-foundation-morg_5719956a4ca54ca8bb0e2553768eca75
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364295716_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Eric Holby Animal Welfare Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/eric-holby-animal-welfare-foundation-morg_5719956a4ca54ca8bb0e2553768eca75},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Eric Holby Animal Welfare 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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