Garrett Family Foundation

LAKE FOREST, IL EIN: 20-3662445 Website

The Garrett Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation based in Lake Forest, Illinois. Established in December 2005, the foundation operates as a private foundation dedicated to supporting charitable organizations and causes aligned with its core values and mission.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.3M

-15.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$723K

+209.1% YoY

Grant Count

-8.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$23K

+239.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Garrett Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $156K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports charitable organizations addressing the following priority areas:

Medical Initiatives
Mental Health Support
Disabilities Advocacy
Addiction Recovery Efforts
Aid for Victims of Abuse or Acts of Violence
Assistance for Veterans

The foundation focuses its grantmaking on organizations with 501(c)(3) status under the Internal Revenue Code.

Grantmaking

The foundation has implemented an overhead cost policy to maximize the impact of charitable giving:

Grant Range

& Activity:**

Average Grant

amount: $21–$513,775

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in:

Illinois
California
Massachusetts

Grant Distribution by State

Illinois $1.4M (68%)

Massachusetts $343K (17%)

California $201K (10%)

Texas $50K (3%)

Virginia $23K (1%)

New York $17K (1%)

Connecticut $3K (0%)

Indiana $1K (0%)

+2 more states

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Illinois Indiana Massachusetts New York South Carolina Texas Virginia

Cities

AlexandriaAustinBostonCambridgeCharlestonChicagoDallasDes PlainesEvanstonGlenviewGolfGrayslakeGreat LakesGurneeHighland ParkHoustonIrvineLa MesaLake BluffLake Forest

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $2,299,274
Total Revenues: $328,649
Total Expenses: $750,206
Total Liabilities: $0

As of 2023:

Total Assets: $2.72M
Total Revenues: $57.7k
Total Expenses: $259k

Revenue Composition (2024):

Investment income and dividends: $75,790
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $248,259
Grants and contributions: $4,600

The foundation maintains no liabilities and generates revenue primarily through investment income and asset sales.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$2,299,274	$2,720,831	$2,924,552
Revenue	$328,649	$57,701	$56,408
Expenses	$750,206	$258,734	$385,157
Qualifying Distributions	$729,661	$235,801	$363,052
Net Investment Income	$341,615	$56,945	$40,077
Distributable Amount	$156,249	$153,138	$168,128

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

147 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Lake Forest College ($513,775), Shady Hill School ($55,000), John Thomas Dye School ($32,077).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALEXANDER TWILIGHT BOSTON, MA	CHARITY'S EXEMPT PURPOSE	$1,500
AMERICAN RED CROSS LAKE FOREST, IL	CHARITY'S EXEMPT PURPOSE	$1,025
AMERICARES STAMFORD, CT	CHARITY'S EXEMPT PURPOSE	$1,040
BIONIC PROJECT INC CAMBRIDGE, MA	CHARITY'S EXEMPT PURPOSE	$2,369
BRAVO WAUKEGAN CHICAGO, IL	CHARITY'S EXEMPT PURPOSE	$2,500
CATHOLIC CHARITIES WAUKEGAN, IL	CHARITY'S EXEMPT PURPOSE	$15,000
ELAWA FARM LAKE FOREST, IL	CHARITY'S EXEMPT PURPOSE	$1,000
ERIE FAMILY FOUNDATION CHICAGO, IL	CHARITY'S EXEMPT PURPOSE	$20,363
EVAN SCHOLARS FOUNDATION GLENVIEW, IL	CHARITY'S EXEMPT PURPOSE	$3,500
FRIENDS OF LAKE FOREST LIBRARY LAKE FOREST, IL	CHARITY'S EXEMPT PURPOSE	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Key Personnel:

Scott Garrett (Trustee)
Susan E. Garrett (Trustee)

Foundation Leadership Context: The foundation was established by the Garrett family, with Eric and Rhonda Garrett as founding members. Emily Griffin currently leads the foundation. The foundation's establishment and growth were influenced by the family's partnership with Matt Griffin, who served as chief operating officer of The Garrett Companies. Following Matt Griffin's passing in 2023, Emily Griffin took on leadership of the foundation as a personal mission to extend compassion and support to others.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
SCOTT T GARRETT	TRUSTEE	1	—
SUSAN E GARRETT	TRUSTEE	1	—
BRETT GARRETT	TRUSTEE	1	—
ELIZABETH GARRETT METTLER	TRUSTEE	1	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2024

The foundation has been actively engaged in grantmaking, with 27 grants distributed in 2024. Recent major grants include significant support to Lake Forest College ($513,775), reflecting the foundation's commitment to education and charitable causes in its home region and beyond.

Garrett College Foundation Announces Garrett College Scholarships

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Garrett Family Foundation fund?

The Garrett Family Foundation is dedicated to relieving burdens of individuals and supporting organizations dedicated to the same cause. The foundation's mission is to foster resilience, ignite hope, and carve pathways to success for those facing obstacles. The foundation supports charitable organizations addressing the following priority areas: • Medical Initiatives • Mental Health Support • Disabilities Advocacy • Addiction Recovery Efforts • Aid for Victims of Abuse or Acts of Violence • Ass…

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

**Grant Size & Activity:** • Total giving in 2024: $723,138 • Average grant amount: $21–$513,775 • Median grant amount: Not specified in available data • Number of grants (2024): 27 grants made **Recent Grants (2024):** • Lake Forest College: $513,775 • Shady Hill School: $55,000 • John Thomas Dye School: $32,077 **Application Requirements & Policies:** The foundation has implemented an overhead cost policy to maximize the impact of charitable giving: • **Overhead Cost Limit:** At least 80% of …

Where does Garrett Family Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Illinois • California • Massachusetts

What size grants does Garrett Family Foundation award?

In 2024, Garrett Family Foundation awarded 31 grants totaling $723K — an average of about $23K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

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

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Garrett Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $156K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.