Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation
Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation is a private foundation, based in Chicago, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $898K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 6 grants totaling $220K. Net investment income was $66K.
Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation at a glance
In short: Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation gave $220K across 6 grants in 2025 (avg $37K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $220,000
- +35.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 6
- +200.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $36,667
- -54.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $897,844
- -14.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (55% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 6 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Find Food Bank Coachella Valley ($100K). Together the top 6 received $220K.
Grant Size Distribution
22 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 16 grants of 22 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 6 itemized grants.
Cities
How Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation gives
- Giving grew 567% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 355% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $33K (2022) to $366K (2021). In 2025 it made 6 grants totaling $220K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Find Food Bank Coachella Valley Indio, CA | Charitable | $100,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | Charitable | $100,000 |
| Jewish Council for Youth Services Chicago, IL | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Les Turner ALS Foundation Chicago, IL | Charitable | $5,000 |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospita Chicago, IL | Charitable | $5,000 |
| US Holocaust Memorial Museum Skokie, IL | Charitable | $5,000 |
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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 | $897,844 | $80,325 | $234,493 | $220,000 | 6 | $220,000 | $65,847 | $62,038 |
| 2024 | $1,051,775 | $41,657 | $177,740 | $162,000 | 2 | $162,000 | $27,790 | $65,386 |
| 2023 | $1,187,858 | $78,205 | $183,925 | $170,500 | 5 | $170,500 | $59,520 | $61,804 |
| 2022 | $1,293,578 | $35,732 | $45,454 | $33,000 | 2 | $33,000 | $23,366 | $65,643 |
| 2021 | $1,303,300 | $1,395,966 | $371,869 | $366,233 | 7 | $366,233 | $4,178 | $60,198 |
| 2020 | $279,203 | $76,979 | $274,492 | $272,113 | 6 | — | $2,787 | $20,419 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation reported a distributable amount of $62K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation is led by Robin Fern, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robin Fern
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles Gofen
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ronald Schreiber
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
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 Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation
How much does Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation give each year?
Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation gave $220K across 6 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $162K across 2 grants.
What is Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation's typical grant size?
Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $36,667, across 6 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation give grants?
Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (45%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (4 grants).
Does Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 6 grants with a stated purpose on Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (6 grants).
Who are Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation's largest grantees?
Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Find Food Bank Coachella Valley ($100,000), Greater Chicago Food Depository ($100,000) and Jewish Council for Youth Services ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 93% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation?
Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation reported $898K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $220K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $62K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation's EIN?
Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1464104. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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 June 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 5, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 9, 2026)
Live grants for the work Gilbert & Jacqueline R Fern Foundation funds
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—
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