Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Lincolnwood, IL EIN: 36-3481731

Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation is a nonprofit organization, based in Lincolnwood, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $1.4M.

Key facts about Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation

In short: Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation gave $1.4M across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $1.4M), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
36-3481731
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$1,373,005
Grants made (2025)
1
Average grant
$1,373,005
Median grant
$1,373,005
Primary geography
Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$1.4M

+66.1% YoY

Grant Count

1

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$1.4M

+66.1% YoY

How Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation gives

  • Giving fell 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of all 1 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

States

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M1 grants20191 grants20211 grants20221 grants20231 grants20241 grants2025

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 1 recipients in 2025

See Attached Statements: $1.4MSee Attached Statements$1.4M

Grant Size Distribution

5 grants across all recorded years

<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K1$500K–1M4$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
SEE ATTACHED STATEMENTS Various, ILSTMTSTMT$1,373,005

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$0.5$1$1.5201920212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets———
Revenue———
Expenses———
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income———
Distributable Amount———

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Joseph Mermelstein

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Louise Mermelstein

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Marvin Mermelstein

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation

How much does Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation give each year?

Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation gave $1.4M across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $827K across 1 grant.

Where does Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation operate?

Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation has awarded grants in Illinois.

What is Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation's EIN?

Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3481731. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Your AI grants department

Here's the math on researching Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation by hand.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders that support many of the same organizations

The Chicago Community Trust

Chicago, IL

The Chicago Community Trust funds nonprofits advancing economic mobility, narrowing the wealth gap, and meeting urgent needs, with priorities including Black and Latine income and assets, homeownership, and investment in underinvested communities. Its 2024 median grant was $25,000, though awards varied widely; funding generally benefits Chicago-region residents. It accepts applications for listed open opportunities through GrantCentral; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests outside those opportunities.

Assets

$6.0B

Grants

3,976

Total Given

$1.4B

Arthur J Gallagher Foundation

Rolling Meadows, IL

The Arthur J Gallagher Foundation, established in 1964, primarily administers employee-matching gifts for organizations working in education, human services, and philanthropy. With over $1.6 million in annual giving and typical grants ranging from $10 to $136,000, the foundation made nearly 2,000 grants in 2023. The foundation focuses its grantmaking on organizations located in Illinois, California, and New York.

Assets

—

Grants

2,692

Total Given

$1.6M

The Allstate Foundation

Northbrook, IL

The Allstate Foundation, the charitable arm of Allstate Corporation, empowers vulnerable populations through funding in youth empowerment, relationship abuse prevention, racial equity, and workforce readiness. Grants typically range from $100 to $2 million, with a median award of $1,000 and average grant of $16,400, supported by annual charitable disbursements exceeding $38 million. The foundation focuses its grantmaking nationally across the United States.

Assets

—

Grants

2,010

Total Given

$38.0M

Elks National Foundation Inc

Chicago, IL

The Elks National Foundation funds scholarships, youth programs, veterans services, disaster relief, and community projects, primarily through Elks Lodges and state associations in communities across the United States where Elks live and work. Its 2025 grants had a median of $8,500, though amounts varied widely; the listed Beacon and Freedom Grants are limited to Elks Lodges. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$885.0M

Grants

1,485

Total Given

$31.9M

Baxter International Foundation

Deerfield, IL

The Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc., advances global healthcare access, STEM education, and community resilience in locations where the company operates. The foundation distributes millions annually through matching gifts, capacity-building grants, and employee giving programs, with an average grant term of 12-24 months and a maximum 10% overhead cap. Note that the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals and operates on a grant cycle basis with announced deadlines.

Assets

$67.5M

Grants

1,300

Total Given

$13.7M

John D and Catherine T Macarthur

Chicago, IL

The foundation funds a broad range of work, including journalism, arts, Chicago communities, climate and clean energy, homelessness, human rights, and criminal justice reform. Its 2024 grants had a median of $160,000, with awards ranging from $450 to $21 million; funding is nationwide, with the largest shares going to New York, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. Application rules vary by program: some accept self-nominations or Letters of Inquiry, while others generally do not fund unsolicited proposals.

Assets

$9.3B

Grants

1,086

Total Given

$356.1M

Arie and Ida Crown Memorial

Chicago, IL

This Chicago-based family foundation, established in 1947, supports arts and culture, education, health, human services, Jewish causes, and STEM initiatives with a mission rooted in giving back to the communities that enabled the Crown family's success. With assets exceeding $1.4 billion, the foundation distributed over $115 million in grants in 2024 across a typical range of $100 to $5 million per award. Primary funding focuses on Illinois, New York, and California, with particular emphasis on the Chicago region and broader Illinois community.

Assets

—

Grants

897

Total Given

$115.2M

Jewish Federation of Metropolitan

Chicago, IL

The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan funds human services, education, community programs, Jewish life, and crisis relief in the Chicago area, as well as support for Israel and Jewish communities worldwide. Its 2025 grants ranged from about $5,000 to $27.4 million, with a median of about $20,000. Unsolicited requests are not addressed for the Federation overall; its separate Jewish Women’s Foundation accepts letters of intent, with proposals by invitation only.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$1.1B

Grants

896

Total Given

$166.6M

Polk Bros Foundation Inc

Chicago, IL

This Chicago-based foundation, established in 1959 from the success of a beloved local furniture and appliance retailer, has invested over $586 million in nearly 4,000 nonprofit organizations working to ensure all Chicagoans can reach their full potential. Typical grants range from $25,000 to $500,000, with an average around $36,000–$53,000, and the foundation distributes approximately $24–$27 million annually. Currently in a strategic transition focused on racial equity and justice, the foundation is not accepting unsolicited applications until late 2026, though it continues supporting existing grantees.

Assets

—

Grants

568

Total Given

$19.3M

Circle of Service Foundation

Chicago, IL

Circle of Service Foundation, established in 1997 and significantly capitalized after the 2007 sale of CDW, supports organizations nationwide across education, community services, Jewish community initiatives, and medical research, with particular emphasis on the Chicago region. The foundation makes approximately 600 grants annually with an average award of $63,000, though grants range from $100 to $5 million, and accepts rolling applications with no fixed deadlines. They particularly favor challenge grants and offer unique fundraising support services including office hours and technology consultant referrals to strengthen their grantees' development capacity.

Assets

—

Grants

637

Total Given

$37.0M

Ea Mellinger Educational

Monmouth, IL

EA Mellinger Educational funds undergraduate scholarships and grants to qualified charitable organizations for educational purposes, with most grant dollars going to Illinois; scholarships are limited to residents of six western Illinois counties. In 2024, grants ranged from $275 to $20,000, with a median of $2,100; the information provided does not state whether it accepts unsolicited grant requests.

Assets

$25.0M

Grants

582

Total Given

$1.2M

Helen V Brach Foundation

Chicago, IL

This Chicago-based foundation supports education, animal welfare, youth services, and human services across Illinois, Ohio, and the District of Columbia, with typical grants ranging from $100,000 to $250,000. With assets exceeding $127 million and annual giving around $5.9 million, the foundation made 563 grants in its most recent fiscal year and invites letters of inquiry from prospective grantees. The foundation has a particular commitment to preventing cruelty to animals and children while advancing educational and cultural initiatives.

Assets

$127.9M

Grants

553

Total Given

$5.9M

More Funders in Illinois

Henry & Louise Mermelstein Charitable Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?