Honeybee Foundation
Honeybee Foundation is a private foundation based in Winnetka, Illinois. Its 2025 filing lists 29 grants totaling $46,570 to charitable organizations, with recorded purposes including civic, religious, environmental, and health-related work.
Honeybee Foundation at a glance
In short: Honeybee Foundation gave $47K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state Illinois. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $46,570
- +47.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +3.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,606
- +42.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,800
- Total assets
- $1,080,879
- -5.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (2 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (27% 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 Honeybee 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: 939 Tower Road, Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: (847) 446-2564
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Honeybee Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation ($4K). Together the top 10 received $29K.
Grant Size Distribution
170 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 170 grants of 170 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 27% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 25% to New York, 16% to California, 9% to Massachusetts, and 8% to Maine.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Honeybee Foundation open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 29 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $72; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $72 first-time, $2K repeat.
- 90% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $30K (2021) to $52K (2023). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $47K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation Evanston, IL | Charitable/Religious | $3,716 |
| New Israel Fund Lewiston, ME | Charitable/Religious | $3,600 |
| Oasis of Peace Glendale, CA | Charitable/Environmental | $3,600 |
| Saythe Stuttering Association for the Young (Our Time Theatre Company) New York, NY | Charitable/Civic | $3,600 |
| The Hesperian Foundation Berkeley, CA | Charitable/Civic | $3,600 |
| Center for Constitutional Rights New York, NY | Charitable/Civic/Community/Educational | $2,700 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | Charitable/Civic | $2,500 |
| Williams College Williamstown, MA | Charitable/Civic | $2,500 |
| Against Malaria Foundation Kansas City, MO | Charitable/Health | $1,800 |
| American Jewish World Services New York, NY | Charitable/Religious | $1,800 |
Ready to take the next step with Honeybee 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 | $1,080,879 | $33,279 | $90,233 | $46,570 | 29 | $53,652 | $4,460 | $59,684 |
| 2024 | $1,137,833 | $309,872 | $60,487 | $31,596 | 28 | $37,623 | $287,375 | $51,413 |
| 2023 | $888,448 | $216,334 | $72,637 | $51,921 | 32 | $66,396 | $32,972 | $48,053 |
| 2022 | $744,766 | $39,172 | $50,585 | $48,179 | 31 | $48,297 | $37,351 | $50,043 |
| 2021 | $766,484 | $16,406 | $36,061 | $30,270 | 50 | — | $11,360 | $49,166 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Honeybee Foundation reported a distributable amount of $60K 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 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the Center for Constitutional Rights describes its work as advancing and protecting constitutional and human rights; the Greater Chicago Food Depository says its mission is to end hunger; and Shalva describes providing support and services to people experiencing or healing from domestic abuse.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $46,570. Grants ranged from $36 to $3,716, with a median of $1,800. Larger grants included $3,716 to Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation; $3,600 each to New Israel Fund, Oasis of Peace, Saythe Stuttering Association for the Young (Our Time Theatre Company), and the Hesperian Foundation; and $2,700 to the Center for Constitutional Rights. Other recipients included the Greater Chicago Food Depository ($2,500), Williams College ($2,500), and Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights ($1,800).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Melissa Mizel as sole trustee.
Honeybee Foundation is led by Melissa Mizel, Sole Trustee on every filing since 2021 — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Melissa Mizel
Sole Trustee
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
$11K (2023) → $24K (2025)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $24K, to Melissa Mizel (Sole Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Honeybee Foundation
How much does Honeybee Foundation give each year?
Honeybee Foundation gave $47K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $32K across 28 grants.
What is Honeybee Foundation's typical grant size?
Honeybee Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,800, and its average grant was $1,606, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Honeybee Foundation that year got $72 on average.
Where does Honeybee Foundation give grants?
Honeybee Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (25%) and California (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (6 grants), Chicago, IL (6 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Honeybee Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Honeybee Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable/Civic" (12 grants), "Charitable/Religious" (4 grants) and "Charitable/Health" (3 grants).
Who are Honeybee Foundation's largest grantees?
Honeybee Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation ($3,716), New Israel Fund ($3,600) and Oasis of Peace ($3,600), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Honeybee Foundation?
Honeybee Foundation reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $54K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $60K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Honeybee Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Honeybee 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 Honeybee Foundation's EIN?
Honeybee Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7391521. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Honeybee 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 2021 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 3, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Honeybee Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Illinois
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
The Allstate Foundation
Northbrook, IL
The Allstate Foundation funds youth empowerment, efforts to prevent and address relationship abuse, nonprofit leadership, and related economic opportunity and equity work. Its 2024 grants ranged from $250 to $2 million, with a median of $1,000, and awards must support work in the United States. It accepts proposals from organizations beyond a preselected list; proposals are reviewed as received.
Assets
$89.3M
Grants
2,010
Total Given
$38.0M
Elks National Foundation Inc
Chicago, IL
The Elks National Foundation funds scholarships, youth programs, veterans’ services, and charitable projects through Elks Lodges and state associations across the United States. Its 2026 grants had a median size of $10,000, though awards varied widely; the profile describes application routes for specific Lodge and scholarship programs but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$954.1M
Grants
1,536
Total Given
$36.5M
John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation
Chicago, IL
The MacArthur Foundation funds work advancing a more just, verdant, and peaceful world, including climate solutions, criminal justice, journalism, technology, and Chicago. In 2024, its grants had a median of $160,000, though awards ranged widely; it generally does not accept unsolicited requests, with possible exceptions for specific open calls or proposals that meet program guidelines.
Assets
$9.3B
Grants
1,086
Total Given
$356.1M
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial
Chicago, IL
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial supports education, the environment, health and human services, gun violence prevention, homelessness prevention, and Jewish community and Israel initiatives, with a strong focus on Chicago and giving across the U.S. and internationally. In 2024, its grants ranged from $500 to $3 million, with a median of $55,000. It uses an invitation-only process and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
897
Total Given
$115.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in Illinois
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Honeybee 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.
Honeybee Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?