Gendell Family Foundation
The Gendell Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmette, Illinois. It makes grants to preselected charitable organizations and, according to its 2025 filing, does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Gendell Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Gendell Family Foundation gave $55K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Illinois. 24% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $55,469
- +17.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- -25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,641
- +57.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $43,452
- -15.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (5 of 21, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (89% 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 Gendell Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3201 Old Glenview Road 300, Wilmette, IL 60091
Phone: (847) 679-6660
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gendell Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Jewish United Fund ($12K). Together the top 10 received $49K.
Grant Size Distribution
109 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 109 grants of 109 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois. The remaining reported shares went to New York (4%), California (3%), Iowa (2%), and Massachusetts (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Gendell Family Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 21 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+17%). Method
- In 2023 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $29K (2020) to $65K (2023). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $55K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL | General Funding | $12,120 |
| Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Ctr Skokie, IL | Genereal Funding | $12,000 |
| Friends of the IDF Chicago, IL | Genereal Funding | $10,000 |
| North Shore Congregation Israel Glencoe, IL | Genereal Funding | $4,264 |
| Northshore Center for the Performing Arts Skokie, IL | General Funding | $3,600 |
| Standwithus Los Angeles, CA | General Funding | $1,800 |
| American Friends of the Hebrew University Chicago, IL | Genereal Funding | $1,800 |
| Shalva Skokie, IL | General Funding | $1,360 |
| Israel Cancer Research Fund New York, NY | Genereal Funding | $1,294 |
| Shomrim Society of IL Endowment Fund Harlan, IA | Genereal Funding | $1,050 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,452 | $33,714 | $58,517 | $55,469 | 21 | $58,125 | $23,149 | — |
| 2024 | $51,185 | $46,274 | $52,564 | $47,092 | 28 | $50,997 | $29,172 | — |
| 2023 | $23,283 | $57,984 | $68,693 | $64,898 | 28 | $67,593 | $28,465 | $223 |
| 2022 | $48,492 | $33,317 | $49,830 | $47,270 | 13 | $49,080 | $2,567 | $1,348 |
| 2021 | $50,005 | $37,012 | $55,966 | $51,615 | 19 | $52,691 | $19,095 | $2,025 |
| 2020 | $68,959 | $92,759 | $31,285 | $29,479 | 9 | — | $21,078 | $1,847 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Shalva says it supports people experiencing or healing from domestic abuse through counseling, referrals, and supportive services, and works on community education and prevention. The Israel Cancer Research Fund says it supports cancer research in Israel. Friends of United Hatzalah says it raises and provides funding for organizations delivering medical and trauma-related first-responder services.
Other 2025 recipients include the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, North Shore Congregation Israel, Northshore Center for the Performing Arts, and The Ark. The Ark describes its mission as helping Chicagoland Jews facing adversity navigate toward self-reliance through free, comprehensive services.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 21 grants totaling $55,469. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $12,120, with a median of $1,000. The largest grants included $12,120 to Jewish United Fund, $12,000 to Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, $10,000 to Friends of the IDF, $4,264 to North Shore Congregation Israel, and $3,600 to Northshore Center for the Performing Arts. Other listed recipients included StandWithUs ($1,800), American Friends of the Hebrew University ($1,800), Shalva ($1,360), Israel Cancer Research Fund ($1,294), and Friends of United Hatzalah ($1,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Scott H Gendell as president, Lisa M Gendell as secretary, and Loren R Stone as director.
Gendell Family Foundation is led by Scott H. Gendell, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Scott H. Gendell
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Loren R. Stone
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Lisa M. Gendell
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Gendell Family Foundation
How much does Gendell Family Foundation give each year?
Gendell Family Foundation gave $55K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $47K across 28 grants.
What is Gendell Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Gendell Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $2,641, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gendell Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Gendell Family Foundation give grants?
Gendell Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 89% 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), Skokie, IL (3 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Gendell Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 43% of Gendell Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Genereal Funding" (12 grants).
Who are Gendell Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Gendell Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Jewish United Fund ($12,120), Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Ctr ($12,000) and Friends of the IDF ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Gendell Family Foundation?
Gendell Family Foundation reported $43K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $34K.
What does Gendell Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Shalva says it supports people experiencing or healing from domestic abuse through counseling, referrals, and supportive services, and works on community education and prevention. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gendell Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gendell Family Foundation's EIN?
Gendell Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4261606. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Gendell Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 24, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 28, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Gendell Family Foundation funds
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Browse active grant opportunities in Gendell Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gendell Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gendell-family-foundation-morg_995b1d19ae44476693b86f2bf66127ff
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364261606_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gendell Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gendell-family-foundation-morg_995b1d19ae44476693b86f2bf66127ff},
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 Gendell 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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