Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation
The Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation is a private foundation based in Des Plaines, Illinois. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations, including arts and cultural institutions, food assistance, education, family services, and organizations addressing homelessness.
Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation at a glance
In short: Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation gave $649K across 64 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Illinois. 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $648,500
- +18.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 64
- +3.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,133
- +14.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $6,000
- Total assets
- $5,963,991
- +9.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (10 of 64, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (81% 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 Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2700 S River Road 100, Des Plaines, IL 60018
Phone: (847) 813-6737
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Lyric Opera of Chicago ($100K). Together the top 10 received $301K.
Grant Size Distribution
254 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 249 grants of 254 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 13% to recipients in Texas. The remaining reported shares went to Missouri, Minnesota, and Florida, at 2% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 64 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 64 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $7K repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 75% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 124% 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 $339K (2020) to $649K (2025). In 2025 it made 64 grants totaling $649K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lyric Opera of Chicago Chicago, IL | General charitable purposes | $100,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | General charitable purposes | $30,000 |
| Handel Week Incorporated Oak Park, IL | General charitable purposes | $25,000 |
| Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Chicago, IL | General charitable purposes | $25,000 |
| Big Shoulders Fund Chicago, IL | General charitable purposes | $25,000 |
| Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chicago, IL | General charitable purposes | $20,000 |
| Pacific Garden Mission Chicago, IL | General charitable purposes | $20,000 |
| Loaves Fishes of Rio Grande Valley Harlingen, TX | General charitable purposes | $20,000 |
| Evangelical Child and Family Agency Wheaton, IL | General charitable purposes | $18,000 |
| Facing Forward to End Homelessness Chicago, IL | General charitable purposes | $18,000 |
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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 | $5,963,991 | $1,256,632 | $746,770 | $648,500 | 64 | $647,500 | $1,105,041 | $523,097 |
| 2024 | $5,425,245 | $1,181,416 | $627,380 | $549,500 | 62 | $549,500 | $934,124 | $465,829 |
| 2023 | $4,989,557 | $617,501 | $435,976 | $376,500 | 42 | $376,500 | $479,568 | $381,708 |
| 2022 | $4,698,980 | $706,228 | $470,366 | $370,000 | 41 | $370,000 | $519,872 | $359,584 |
| 2021 | $4,503,140 | $890,947 | $423,851 | $389,500 | 45 | $389,500 | $756,596 | $391,363 |
| 2020 | $4,023,503 | $205,273 | $394,745 | $338,500 | 46 | — | $61,373 | $294,917 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $523K 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Lyric Opera of Chicago says it provides cultural service to the Chicago region and advances opera; the Greater Chicago Food Depository says its mission is to end hunger; and Big Shoulders Fund says it supports underserved schools providing quality, values-based education. Facing Forward to End Homelessness describes its mission as ending homelessness by offering home, help, and hope.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 64 grants totaling $648,500. Awards ranged from $500 to $100,000, with a median grant of $6,000. The largest listed grants included $100,000 to Lyric Opera of Chicago, $30,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and $25,000 each to Handel Week Incorporated, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, and Big Shoulders Fund. Other notable grants included $20,000 to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Pacific Garden Mission, and $18,000 each to Evangelical Child and Family Agency, Facing Forward to End Homelessness, and Housing Forward.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Emilysue Pinnell as President and Director, Richard John Williams as Treasurer and Director, and Elizabeth A Littel as Assistant Treasurer.
Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation is led by Emilysue Pinnell, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Emilysue Pinnell
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard John Williams
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth A Littel
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/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 Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation
How much does Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation give each year?
Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation gave $649K across 64 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $550K across 62 grants.
What is Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation's typical grant size?
Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $6,000, and its average grant was $10,133, across 64 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation give grants?
Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (34 grants), Oak Park, IL (4 grants), Harlingen, TX (4 grants) and South Padre Island, TX (3 grants).
Does Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (64 of 64) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation's largest grantees?
Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Lyric Opera of Chicago ($100,000), Greater Chicago Food Depository ($30,000) and Handel Week Incorporated ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation?
Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation reported $6.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $648K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $523K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation?
The foundation 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 Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation's EIN?
Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3621711. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Helen and Curtis Pinnell 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 18, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/helen-and-curtis-pinnell-foundation-morg_cec45242132a40fd8d4d74afd7dc867d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363621711_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/helen-and-curtis-pinnell-foundation-morg_cec45242132a40fd8d4d74afd7dc867d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Helen and Curtis Pinnell 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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