Esper A Petersen Foundation
The Esper A Petersen Foundation is a private foundation based in Grayslake, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations in California, Florida, Illinois, and South Dakota, supporting activities that include education, arts and culture, health care, community services, and historic preservation.
Esper A Petersen Foundation at a glance
In short: Esper A Petersen Foundation gave $760K across 41 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), mostly in California. 15% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $760,426
- +2.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 41
- -2.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $18,547
- +5.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $6,971,299
- +1.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (6 of 41, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (66% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Esper A Petersen Foundation
- Review Cycle
- No specific deadlines.
- Deadline
- No specific deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Esper A Petersen Foundation
Mailing address: 1 E Belvidere Road, Grayslake, IL 60030
Phone: (847) 336-0900
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Esper A Petersen Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Schwab Charitable ($155K). Together the top 10 received $565K.
Grant Size Distribution
170 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 146 grants of 170 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were reported as 66% to California, 20% to Florida, 12% to Illinois, and 1% to South Dakota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 41 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Esper A Petersen Foundation open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 41 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 83% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 83% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $564K (2020) to $1.3M (2019). In 2025 it made 41 grants totaling $760K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Schwab Charitable Orlando, FL | For public charity support. | $154,758 |
| Westlake Christian Academy Grayslake, IL | To support beautification project of the school | $70,000 |
| VC Colab Foundation Ventura, CA | Advance education and science, combat community deterioration and lessen the burdens of government | $50,368 |
| Los Angeles Opera Los Angeles, CA | Support the opera's educational and community programs | $50,000 |
| Cedars Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA | Provide affordable health care | $50,000 |
| Salvation Army Oxnard, CA | Support the adult rehabilitation center | $50,000 |
| Madison Project at Santa Monica Col Santa Monica, CA | To support education programs for the Broad Stage. | $50,000 |
| Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Los Angeles, CA | Support orchestra's education and outreach programs | $40,000 |
| The Foundation for Pierce College Woodland Hills, CA | Support development of resources to support educational programs, students and campus | $25,000 |
| Nenn Foundation Camarillo, CA | To support veterinary students in large animal medicine | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Esper A Petersen 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 | $6,971,299 | $1,157,186 | $1,172,331 | $760,426 | 41 | $760,426 | $780,765 | $917,854 |
| 2024 | $6,839,449 | $1,116,977 | $1,239,813 | $741,050 | 42 | $741,050 | $628,431 | $780,220 |
| 2023 | $6,962,285 | $904,059 | $983,459 | $689,500 | 34 | $693,377 | $619,930 | $698,595 |
| 2022 | $7,041,685 | $793,073 | $1,040,989 | $750,700 | 30 | $754,563 | $515,447 | $690,134 |
| 2021 | $7,289,601 | $868,567 | $899,770 | $621,800 | 23 | $626,891 | $603,456 | $705,141 |
| 2020 | $7,323,725 | $833,312 | $845,302 | $563,500 | 29 | — | $560,667 | $593,988 |
| 2019 | $7,331,216 | $840,493 | $1,646,887 | $1,315,092 | 43 | — | $557,455 | $614,346 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Esper A Petersen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $918K 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
No mission statement is provided. The grants listed show support for a range of organizational activities. For example, Westlake Christian Academy describes itself as a pre-K–grade 12 Christian school; The Foundation for Pierce College says it develops resources for students, educational programs, and the campus; and Salastina says its mission is to foster appreciation for chamber music through performances and participation. The Rescue Train describes itself as a no-kill animal welfare organization focused on rescue, spay/neuter, shelter intervention, and education.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 41 grants totaling $760,426. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $154,758, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest awards were $154,758 to Schwab Charitable for public charity support; $70,000 to Westlake Christian Academy for a school beautification project; $50,368 to VC Colab Foundation to advance education and science, combat community deterioration, and lessen the burdens of government; and $50,000 each to Los Angeles Opera, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Salvation Army, and Madison Project at Santa Monica College.
The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Solicitations should include specific plans for use of the grant, proof of 501(c)(3) status, and the organization’s financial information. No required form is specified. Award restrictions are determined during the evaluation process.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Esper A Petersen as director and president; Ann Petersen as director and vice president; Esper A Petersen III as director; Stephanie Gullo as director and secretary; Jennifer Ashworth as assistant secretary; and Adam Morley as treasurer.
Esper A Petersen Foundation is led by Esper A Petersen, Director & President on every filing since 2019; all 6 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Esper A Petersen
Director & President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$5K (2019) → $5K (2025)
Ann Petersen
Director & Vice President
Director & Executive Vice President → Director & Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$5K (2019) → $5K (2025)
Esper A Petersen III
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$2K (2019) → $2K (2025)
Stephanie Gullo
Director & Secretary
Secretary → Director & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$1K (2019) → $1K (2025)
Adam Morley
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $1K (2025)
Jennifer Ashworth
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $1K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Steve Warneke (2019–2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Ann Marie Wolf (2019) — Assistant Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $5K, to Esper A Petersen (Dir/President). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Esper A Petersen Foundation
How much does Esper A Petersen Foundation give each year?
Esper A Petersen Foundation gave $760K across 41 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $741K across 42 grants.
What is Esper A Petersen Foundation's typical grant size?
Esper A Petersen Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $18,547, across 41 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Esper A Petersen Foundation that year got $15K on average.
Where does Esper A Petersen Foundation give grants?
Esper A Petersen Foundation gives mostly in California: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (20%) and Illinois (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (8 grants), Grayslake, IL (4 grants), Camarillo, CA (4 grants) and Beverly Hills, CA (3 grants).
Does Esper A Petersen Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 2% of Esper A Petersen Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 41) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Esper A Petersen Foundation's largest grantees?
Esper A Petersen Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Schwab Charitable ($154,758), Westlake Christian Academy ($70,000) and VC Colab Foundation ($50,368), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Esper A Petersen Foundation?
Esper A Petersen Foundation reported $7.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $760K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $918K (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 Esper A Petersen Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The grants listed show support for a range of organizational activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Esper A Petersen Foundation?
Esper A Petersen Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Esper A Petersen Foundation's EIN?
Esper A Petersen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6125570. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 5, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 22, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 1, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Esper A Petersen Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/esper-a-petersen-foundation-morg_d0341dd9ebae4d75a7fe46ec8c5efaec
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366125570_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Esper A Petersen Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/esper-a-petersen-foundation-morg_d0341dd9ebae4d75a7fe46ec8c5efaec},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Esper A Petersen 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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