George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation
The George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation is a private foundation based in River Forest, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including recipients working in education, social services, health care, music, and public media.
George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation at a glance
In short: George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation gave $89K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Illinois. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $88,600
- +16.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- -14.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,922
- +35.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $1,318,258
- +6.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (3 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (97% 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 George and Arlene Rusch Memorial 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: 1321 William Street, River Forest, IL 60305
Phone: (312) 542-8950
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was WTTW WFMT ($22K). Together the top 10 received $81K.
Grant Size Distribution
106 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 106 grants of 106 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 3% to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 18 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $3K repeat.
- 83% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 49% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 117% of 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 $60K (2022) to $89K (2025). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $89K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| WTTW WFMT Chicago, IL | Supporting public radio and the mind the gap initiative. | $22,100 |
| Grace Lutheran School River Forest, IL | To provide educational scholarships, textbooks, classroom supplies. | $13,500 |
| Harmony Community Cares Chicago, IL | Food Pantry & Education Program for the Underprivileged. | $13,000 |
| Grace Lutheran Church River Forest, IL | To provide ministry & staff support. | $12,500 |
| Northshore Concert Band Evanston, IL | To support music education outreach, recorded works, commissions & leadership fund. | $5,000 |
| Operation Walk Chicago Buffalo Grove, IL | Bringing mobility to underserved populations in the world. | $5,000 |
| Lutheran Child and Family Services (LCFS) Oak Brook Terrace, IL | Supporting social services to children & families in need. | $3,000 |
| Northwestern University Kellog School of Mgmt Evanston, IL | Supporting education programs, research and scholarships. | $3,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | Support healthcare under urgent circumstances in Ukraine. | $2,000 |
| Chicagoland Lutheran Education Foundation Benenville, IL | Educational Scholarships, Textbooks, Classroom Supplies, Furniture & Equipment | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with George and Arlene Rusch Memorial 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 | $1,318,258 | $174,585 | $93,726 | $88,600 | 18 | $88,600 | $101,783 | $75,963 |
| 2024 | $1,237,399 | $66,804 | $82,454 | $76,250 | 21 | $76,250 | $63,333 | $72,253 |
| 2023 | $1,253,049 | $104,658 | $88,154 | $84,100 | 23 | $84,100 | — | $66,959 |
| 2022 | $1,236,545 | $23,242 | $67,379 | $59,500 | 24 | $59,721 | $19,753 | $68,090 |
| 2021 | $1,280,682 | $152,993 | $67,504 | $62,000 | 20 | $63,278 | $72,429 | $61,869 |
| 2020 | $1,195,193 | $41,723 | $80,505 | $72,000 | 20 | — | $38,829 | $55,509 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $76K 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 include support for educational scholarships and supplies, social services, health care, music education and outreach, public radio, and ministry. Grantees describe their own missions: Operation Walk Chicago says it improves the quality of life of disadvantaged patients worldwide through joint replacement and rehabilitation; Misericordia Home describes providing residential, training, and employment services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and the ACLU describes its mission as advancing civil liberties and rights.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $88,600. Grants ranged from $500 to $22,100, with a median of $2,000.
The largest reported grants included $22,100 to WTTW WFMT for public radio and the Mind the Gap initiative; $13,500 to Grace Lutheran School for educational scholarships, textbooks, and classroom supplies; $13,000 to Harmony Community Cares for its food pantry and education program; and $12,500 to Grace Lutheran Church for ministry and staff support. Other grants included $5,000 to Northshore Concert Band for music education outreach and related work, and $5,000 to Operation Walk Chicago. The latter describes its mission as improving the quality of life of disadvantaged patients worldwide through joint replacement and rehabilitation.
The foundation also gave $500 each to Misericordia Home, Navy Pier Inc., and the American Civil Liberties Union Inc. Those organizations describe their respective work as supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing public experiences at Chicago’s lakefront, and advancing civil liberties.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists David Zyer as director, president, and treasurer; Connie Zyer as director and vice president; Constance Felten as secretary; and Elizabeth Zyer as director.
George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation is led by David Zyer, Director, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David Zyer
Director, President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Connie Zyer
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Zyer
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Constance Felten
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 George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation
How much does George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation give each year?
George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation gave $89K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $76K across 21 grants.
What is George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation's typical grant size?
George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $4,922, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation give grants?
George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (7 grants), River Forest, IL (3 grants), Evanston, IL (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation's largest grantees?
George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include WTTW WFMT ($22,100), Grace Lutheran School ($13,500) and Harmony Community Cares ($13,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation?
George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $89K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $76K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for educational scholarships and supplies, social services, health care, music education and outreach, public radio, and ministry. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from George and Arlene Rusch Memorial 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 ↑
What is George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation's EIN?
George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3501183. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does George and Arlene Rusch Memorial 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 19, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/george-and-arlene-rusch-memorial-foundation-morg_1a802606f8ee44dcb9f04b6d906529b1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363501183_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{George and Arlene Rusch Memorial Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/george-and-arlene-rusch-memorial-foundation-morg_1a802606f8ee44dcb9f04b6d906529b1},
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 George and Arlene Rusch Memorial 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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