Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd
GILBERT & J DOROTHY PALAY FAMILY is a private foundation based in Madison, Wisconsin. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations including Jewish community organizations, educational institutions, health-related organizations, an art museum, and a strategic-risk organization.
Key facts about Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd
In short: Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd gave $147K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Wisconsin. 21% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 39-1287503
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $146,800
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- Average grant
- $7,726
- Median grant
- $3,600
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (4 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $1,092,846
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (57% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.1M
+317.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$147K
-42.5% YoY
Grant Count
19
-5.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
-39.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd reported a distributable amount of $135K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 19 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 74% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−14%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 113% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for organizations in several areas. For example, the Jewish Federation of Madison says its mission is to foster and sustain vibrant Jewish life, while the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago describes providing resources for food, refuge, health care, education, and emergency assistance. The Council on Strategic Risks says it works to anticipate, analyze, and address systemic security risks. The Norton Museum of Art describes offering visitors encounters with art through its programs and collections.
The foundation also gave to educational institutions and organizations working on brain tumors. The Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance describes providing support to patients and caregivers and advancing awareness, quality of care, and research; the American Brain Tumor Association describes advancing understanding and treatment of brain tumors.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $146,800 through 19 grants. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $43,000, with a median grant of $3,600. Its largest grants included $43,000 to the Jewish Federation of Madison, $20,000 to the Jewish United Fund, $17,200 to the University of Wisconsin Hillel Foundation, and $10,000 each to the Council on Strategic Risks, UW Foundation, Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center (BellRinger), and Nicolet High School’s James Lubotsky Memorial Scholarship Fund.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Wisconsin received 57% of grant dollars, Illinois 16%, Washington, DC 14%, New York 4%, and Massachusetts 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $147K (2025) to $255K (2024). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $147K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Jewish Federation of Madison ($43K). Together the top 10 received $133K.
Grant Size Distribution
91 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 89 grants of 91 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish Federation of Madison Madison, WI | General Operating Support | $43,000 |
| Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL | General Operating Support | $20,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Hillel Foundation Madison, WI | General Operating Support | $17,200 |
| The Council on Strategic Risks Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Uw Foundation Madison, WI | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center (Bellringer) Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Nicolet High School (James Lubotsky Memorial Scholarship Fund) Glendale, WI | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Norton Museum of Art Inc West Palm Beach, FL | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| Harvard Hillel (Hillel Foundation of Cambridge Inc) Cambridge, MA | General Operating Support | $4,000 |
| Brooklyn Heights Synagogue Brooklyn, NY | General Operating Support | $3,600 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $146,800 | 19 |
| 2024 | $255,400 | 20 |
| 2023 | $152,500 | 21 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,092,846 | $261,506 | $192,227 |
| Revenue | $987,060 | $330,320 | $170,349 |
| Expenses | $155,720 | $261,040 | $158,476 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $151,686 | $259,120 | $156,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $987,060 | $230,320 | $170,349 |
| Distributable Amount | $134,820 | $115,647 | $101,084 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 18, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 22, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 21, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 21, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Thomas M Palay as president and director; Robert J Palay as vice-president, treasurer, and director; Jessica C Sadow as secretary and director; and Daniel G Palay as assistant secretary and director.
Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd is led by Thomas M. Palay, President & Director on every filing since 2021; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Thomas M. Palay
President & Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Daniel G. Palay
Assistant Secretary & Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Robert J. Palay
Vice President, Treasurer & Director
Treasurer & Director → Vice President, Treasurer & Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Jessica C. Sadow
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: J. Dorothy Palay (2021–2023) — Vice President & Director
- Former: Jessica C. Palay (2021–2023) — Secretary & Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 1504 Sumac Dr, Madison, WI 53705
Phone: (608) 347-9746
Frequently asked questions about Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd
How much does Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd give each year?
Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd gave $147K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $255K across 20 grants.
What is Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd's typical grant size?
Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd's median grant in 2025 was $3,600, and its average grant was $7,726, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd that year got $7K on average.
Where does Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd give grants?
Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd gives mostly in Wisconsin: 57% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (16%) and District of Columbia (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Madison, WI (5 grants), Chicago, IL (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd's largest grantees?
Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd's largest 2025 grantees include Jewish Federation of Madison ($43,000), Jewish United Fund ($20,000) and University of Wisconsin Hillel Foundation ($17,200), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd?
Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $152K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $135K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for organizations in several areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd?
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 Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd's EIN?
Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1287503. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Gilbert & J Dorothy Palay Family Foundation Ltd 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.
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