Gantz Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Winnetka, IL EIN: 36-3484258

The Gantz Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Winnetka, Illinois. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations including youth-serving, educational, cultural, religious, health, and humanitarian organizations.

Gantz Family Foundation at a glance

In short: Gantz Family Foundation gave $403K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $34K), mostly in Illinois. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$402,500
+13.1% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
12
-20.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$33,542
+41.3% vs 2024
Median grant
$15,000
New grantees (estimate)
17% first-time grantees (2 of 12, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Illinois (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Gantz Family Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Contact

Mailing address: 72 Indian Hill Rd, Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: (847) 562-1818

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Gantz Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago: $115KBoys and Girls Clubs ofChicago$115KThe Field Museum of Natural History: $101KThe Field Museum of NaturalHistory$101KHoly Family Ministries: $50KHoly Family Ministries$50KWindow to the World Communications Inc: $35KWindow to the WorldCommunications Inc$35KChurch of the Holy Comforter: $27KChurch of the Holy Comforter$27KAmerican National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches: $15KAmerican National Red Cross &Its Constituent Chapters and…$15KCystic Fibrosis Foundation: $15KCystic Fibrosis Foundation$15KHapp Foundation: $10KHapp Foundation$10KBrain Reseach Foundation: $10KBrain Reseach Foundation$10KMusic Institute of Chicago: $10KMusic Institute of Chicago$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago ($115K). Together the top 10 received $388K.

Grant Size Distribution

91 grants across all recorded years

71<$50K9$50–100K7$100–250K2$250–500K$500K–1M2$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 71 grants of 91 (78%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois. The remaining grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, DC (4%), Maryland (4%), and North Carolina (2%).

Grant Distribution by State

13states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.

Cities

ChicagoEvanstonKenilworthAlexandriaPhiladelphiaWinston-SalemBethesdaLake ForestBarringtonNew YorkPacific PalisadesBaltimoreNew PaltzPrincetonSimsburyWashingtonBala CynwydBethesadaBrookfieldCambridge

Is Gantz Family Foundation open to new grantees?

17%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 2 of 12 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $38K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $21K repeat.

  • 75% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 44% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M29 grants2019 31 grants2020 27 grants2021 19 grants2022 18 grants2023 15 grants2024 12 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $356K (2024) to $3.8M (2021). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $403K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago Chicago, ILGeneral Charitable$115,000
The Field Museum of Natural History Chicago, ILGeneral Charitable$100,500
Holy Family Ministries Chicago, ILGeneral Charitable$50,000
Window to the World Communications Inc Chicago, ILGeneral Charitable$35,000
Church of the Holy Comforter Kenilworth, ILGeneral Charitable$27,000
American National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches Washington, DCGeneral Charitable$15,000
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Bethesada, MDGeneral Charitable$15,000
Happ Foundation Highland, ILGeneral Charitable$10,000
Brain Reseach Foundation Chicago, ILGeneral Charitable$10,000
Music Institute of Chicago Evanston, ILGeneral Charitable$10,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025—$11,332$406,670$402,50012$404,670$9,332$14,434
2024$395,338$29,983$360,130$356,00015$358,130$27,983$30,288
2023$725,485$53,342$782,387$776,00018$778,397$50,944$56,859
2022$1,460,180$27,170$723,900$716,00019$719,360$23,810$90,723
2021$2,156,910$552,887$3,845,247$3,816,50027$3,816,500$547,894$235,089
2020$5,450,375$1,275,411$2,344,695$2,285,00031—$1,133,691$342,284
2019$6,519,845$772,812$2,111,255$2,066,25029—$744,083$428,206

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gantz Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $14K 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 for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants, all reported with the purpose “general charitable,” went to organizations working in a range of areas. For example, Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago says its mission is to help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Holy Family Ministries describes its work as providing opportunities for children and adults from underserved Chicago neighborhoods to excel academically, grow spiritually, and become effective leaders. The Music Institute of Chicago says it promotes lifelong engagement with music through teaching, performance, and service activities.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 12 grants totaling $402,500. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $115,000, with a median of $15,000. Its largest grants were $115,000 to Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago, $100,500 to the Field Museum of Natural History, $50,000 to Holy Family Ministries, and $35,000 to Window to the World Communications Inc.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Wilbur Gantz as president/director; Linda Gantz as vice president; Matthew Gantz as director; Leslie McLamore as treasurer/director; and Caroline Burns as director.

Gantz Family Foundation is led by Wilbur Gantz, President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Wilbur Gantz

    President & Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Caroline Burns

    Director

    Treasurer & Director → Director, 2020

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Leslie McLamore

    Treasurer & Director

    Director → Treasurer & Director, 2020

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Matthew Gantz

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Linda Gantz

    Vice President

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

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.

Frequently asked questions about Gantz Family Foundation

How much does Gantz Family Foundation give each year?

Gantz Family Foundation gave $403K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $356K across 15 grants.

What is Gantz Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Gantz Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $33,542, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gantz Family Foundation that year got $10K on average.

Where does Gantz Family Foundation give grants?

Gantz Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (5 grants) and Evanston, IL (2 grants).

Does Gantz Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Gantz Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Gantz Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Gantz Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago ($115,000), The Field Museum of Natural History ($100,500) and Holy Family Ministries ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

What does Gantz Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants, all reported with the purpose “general charitable,” went to organizations working in a range of areas. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Gantz Family Foundation?

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

How much is Gantz Family Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Gantz Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $14K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Gantz Family Foundation's EIN?

Gantz Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3484258. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Gantz Family 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

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 2, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 13, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 31, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 15, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 18, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 23, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Gantz Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gantz-family-foundation-morg_bc5934e42fe5470fb77895d5e3a4108b

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363484258_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Gantz Family Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/gantz-family-foundation-morg_bc5934e42fe5470fb77895d5e3a4108b},
  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 Gantz Family 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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