Gem City Scholarship Foundation
Gem City Scholarship Foundation is a private foundation based in Quincy, Illinois. Established in 1986, the organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with tax-exempt status since July 1987.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.6M
-5.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$199K
-8.2% YoY
Grant Count
37
-15.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+9.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gem City Scholarship Foundation reported a distributable amount of $78K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The foundation distributes scholarships to students through a competitive application process. Applicants are required to submit an application that provides personal information to the foundation.
Grant Range
$5,200
How to Apply
. Applicants are required to submit an application that provides personal information to the foundation.
Ready to take the next step with Gem City Scholarship Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates in Quincy, Illinois and surrounding areas.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total assets: $1.6 million
- Most recent tax filing: June 2024 (filed December 2025)
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,570,172 | $1,652,678 | $1,767,813 |
| Revenue | $80,915 | $199,989 | $89,113 |
| Expenses | $226,931 | $238,890 | $227,992 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $208,170 | $223,814 | $208,779 |
| Net Investment Income | $57,452 | $184,913 | $71,811 |
| Distributable Amount | $78,372 | $78,858 | $88,154 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
202 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Lilee Harker ($9,200), James Choate ($8,000), Tim Martin ($7,954).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABBY RHODES QUINCY, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $5,200 |
| ALAYNA SARGENT QUINCY, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $5,200 |
| ASHLEY DUPONT MARCELINE, MO | SCHOLARSHIP | $6,400 |
| AVERY COMPTON PALMYRA, MO | SCHOLARSHIP | $5,200 |
| BEN BOUSMAHA WILMINGTON, NC | SCHOLARSHIP | $2,500 |
| BRADY BECKER NORTH MANKATO, MN | SCHOLARSHIP | $5,410 |
| BROOKLYN CAMPEN CANTON, MO | SCHOLARSHIP | $5,200 |
| COLE CRAIG DURHAM, MO | SCHOLARSHIP | $2,500 |
| CRYSTAL CRIDER EWING, MO | SCHOLARSHIP | $5,200 |
| DELANIA LAMBERT CARTHAGE, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $5,200 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by a volunteer board of directors with limited paid staffing:
- Michael Mahair, Director/President
- Carl Adams, Director/Vice President
- William Brown, Director/Treasurer
- Janice Miller, Director/Secretary
- Mark Cassens, Director
- Russell Hagenah, Director
- Ryan Hagenah, Director
- Rod Cookson, Director
All board members serve on a volunteer basis with no annual compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL MAHAIR | DIRECTOR/PRE | 2 | — |
| CARL ADAMS | DIRECTOR/VP | 2 | — |
| WILLIAM BROWN | DIRECTOR/TRE | 2 | — |
| JANICE MILLER | DIRECTOR/SEC | 2 | — |
| MARK CASSENS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RUSSELL HAGENAH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RYAN HAGENAH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ROD COOKSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from Gem City Scholarship Foundation?
The foundation distributes scholarships to students through a competitive application process. Applicants are required to submit an application that provides personal information to the foundation. **Grant Activity:** • 37 grants awarded in the most recent fiscal year • Median grant size: $5,200 • Grant range: $2,500 to $9,200 • Recent grant activity documented in current tax filings
Where does Gem City Scholarship Foundation make grants?
The foundation operates in Quincy, Illinois and surrounding areas.
What size grants does Gem City Scholarship Foundation award?
In 2025, Gem City Scholarship Foundation awarded 37 grants totaling $199K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Gem City Scholarship Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Gem City Scholarship Foundation reported a distributable amount of $78K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Gem City Scholarship Foundation's EIN?
Gem City Scholarship Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-1206707. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gem City Scholarship Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Chicago Community Trust
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$6.0B
Grants
3,976
Total Given
$1.4B
Arthur J Gallagher Foundation
ROLLING MEADOWS, IL
Assets
—
Grants
2,692
Total Given
$1.6M
The Allstate Foundation
NORTHBROOK, IL
Assets
—
Grants
2,010
Total Given
$38.0M
Elks National Foundation Inc
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$885.0M
Grants
1,485
Total Given
$31.9M
Baxter International Foundation
DEERFIELD, IL
Assets
$67.5M
Grants
1,300
Total Given
$13.7M
John D and Catherine T Macarthur
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$9.3B
Grants
1,086
Total Given
$356.1M
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
—
Grants
897
Total Given
$115.2M
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
839
Total Given
$176.8M
Polk Bros Foundation Inc
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
—
Grants
676
Total Given
$24.5M
Circle of Service Foundation
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
—
Grants
637
Total Given
$37.0M
Ea Mellinger Educational
MONMOUTH, IL
Assets
$23.3M
Grants
556
Total Given
$1.1M
Helen V Brach Foundation
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$127.9M
Grants
553
Total Given
$5.9M
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Gem City Scholarship Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities