J R Albert Foundation
The J.R. Albert Foundation is a private foundation based in Naperville, Illinois. It supports organizations that create and protect local, healthy food systems, with its website identifying Kansas, Illinois, and Missouri as the states where it supports organizations.
J R Albert Foundation at a glance
In short: J R Albert Foundation gave $1.5M across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $28K), mostly in Missouri. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,450,500
- +17.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 52
- +92.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $27,894
- -38.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $44,126,500
- +12.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (16 of 51, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (50% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to J R Albert Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation makes grants by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests. It makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 800 W 5Th Avenue 103A, Naperville, IL 60563
Phone: (773) 707-0299
Website: https://jralbertfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who J R Albert Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was A Red Circle ($100K). Together the top 10 received $680K.
Grant Size Distribution
251 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 189 grants of 251 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies Kansas, Illinois, and Missouri as the states where it supports organizations. In 2025, grant dollars were distributed among recipients in Missouri (50%), Illinois (40%), Wisconsin (2%), Minnesota (2%), and Kansas (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 52 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is J R Albert Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 51 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $37K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 49% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 22% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2024) to $1.9M (2022). In 2025 it made 52 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A Red Circle St. Louis, MO | General Operating | $100,000 |
| Acres St. Louis, MO | General Operating | $75,000 |
| Advocates for Urban Agriculture Chicago, IL | General Operating | $75,000 |
| Star Farm Chicago, IL | General Operating | $75,000 |
| Urban Initiatives Chicago, IL | General Operating | $75,000 |
| Kansas City Black Urban Growers Kansas City, MO | General Operating | $70,000 |
| Healthy Schools Campaign Chicago, IL | General Operating | $60,000 |
| Central Missouri Community Action Columbia, MO | Eat Healthy! Stay Active! | $50,000 |
| City Greens Market St. Louis, MO | General Operating | $50,000 |
| Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture Columbia, MO | General Operating | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with J R Albert 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 | $44,126,500 | $3,542,809 | $2,089,745 | $1,450,500 | 52 | $1,938,776 | $3,426,840 | $1,998,964 |
| 2024 | $39,096,174 | $4,152,974 | $1,880,342 | $1,232,000 | 27 | $1,704,117 | $4,037,749 | $1,858,945 |
| 2023 | $36,969,482 | $3,120,265 | $2,001,667 | $1,435,030 | 48 | $1,862,627 | $3,016,225 | $1,709,795 |
| 2022 | $34,128,760 | $891,518 | $2,357,945 | $1,860,000 | 67 | $2,218,705 | $764,205 | $1,831,728 |
| 2021 | $43,955,182 | $4,931,772 | $1,735,375 | $1,260,500 | 57 | $1,575,311 | $4,811,708 | $2,029,370 |
| 2020 | $40,462,080 | $1,021,909 | $1,817,567 | $1,355,000 | 61 | — | $918,115 | $1,784,193 |
| 2019 | $37,928,385 | $1,549,632 | $1,866,488 | $1,282,000 | 66 | — | $1,443,706 | $1,748,783 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, J R Albert Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.0M 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
The foundation supports organizations working on healthy food systems and access to nutrition information and healthy foods. Its website says it supports organizations creating and protecting healthy food systems in Kansas, Illinois, and Missouri.
Examples of grantees’ work include A Red Circle’s community-based programming to address racial disparities, Kansas City Black Urban Growers’ support for current and next-generation farmers, and Growing Home’s organic farming, workforce development, and access to nutritious, affordable produce. Healthy Schools Campaign describes its work as advocating for nutritious school food, health services, physical activity, and healthy school environments. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 52 grants totaling $1,450,500 in 2025. Grants ranged from $500 to $100,000, with a median of $30,000. It reported 27 grants totaling $1,232,000 in 2024 and 48 grants totaling $1,435,030 in 2023. The foundation typically offers multi-year, general operating grants.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $100,000 to A Red Circle; $75,000 each to ACRES, Advocates for Urban Agriculture, Star Farm, and Urban Initiatives; and $70,000 to Kansas City Black Urban Growers. Other notable awards included $60,000 to Healthy Schools Campaign and $50,000 each to Central Missouri Community Action, City Greens Market, Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture, Faith in Place, Growing Home, and Kanbe’s Markets.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Melvin Kim as CEO and Patricia Belle Robb as president. Directors listed on that filing are Carol Deese, Daniel Mills, Madalyn Mills, Allison Robb, Elizabeth Robb, Haley Robb, Harry Robb, and Patricia L Robb.
J R Albert Foundation is led by Melvin Kim, CEO on every filing since 2020; all 13 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Melvin Kim
CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$135K (2020) → $169K (2025)
Patricia L. Robb
President & Director
President, CEO & Director → President & Director, 2020
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$154K (2019) → $10K (2025)
Carol Deese
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$10K (2019) → $10K (2025)
Drinnan Sante
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$3K (2019) → $10K (2025)
Elizabeth Robb
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$3K (2019) → $10K (2025)
Haley Robb
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$3K (2019) → $10K (2025)
Harry Robb
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$10K (2019) → $10K (2025)
Kelsey Sante
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$3K (2019) → $10K (2025)
Susan Robb
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$10K (2019) → $10K (2025)
Madalyn Mills
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2025)
Allison Robb
Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
$10K (2023) → $10K (2025)
Daniel Mills
Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
$10K (2023) → $10K (2025)
Jacob Toarmina
Director
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
$10K (2025)
Former officers (7)
- Former: Michael R. Sante (2019–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Jake Toarmina (2024) — Director
- Former: Sarina Robb (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Alexander B. Robb (2019–2022) — Director · Filing note: Until May
- Former: Danny Mills (2022) — Director
- Former: B. Joanne Sante (2019–2021) — Director · Filing note: Until October 2021
- Former: Maddi Mills (2019) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $169K, to Melvin Kim (CEO). 14 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about J R Albert Foundation
How much does J R Albert Foundation give each year?
J R Albert Foundation gave $1.5M across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.2M across 27 grants.
What is J R Albert Foundation's typical grant size?
J R Albert Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $27,894, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from J R Albert Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does J R Albert Foundation give grants?
J R Albert Foundation gives mostly in Missouri: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Illinois (40%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (13 grants), Chicago, IL (10 grants), St. Louis, MO (3 grants) and Columbia, MO (3 grants).
Does J R Albert Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 94% of J R Albert Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (49 of 52) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are J R Albert Foundation's largest grantees?
J R Albert Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include A Red Circle ($100,000), Acres ($75,000) and Advocates for Urban Agriculture ($75,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is J R Albert Foundation?
J R Albert Foundation reported $44.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.0M (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 J R Albert Foundation fund?
The foundation supports organizations working on healthy food systems and access to nutrition information and healthy foods. Its website says it supports organizations creating and protecting healthy food systems in Kansas, Illinois, and Missouri. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from J R Albert Foundation?
The foundation makes grants by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is J R Albert Foundation's EIN?
J R Albert Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0147405. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does J R Albert Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 4, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 2, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 24, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). J R Albert Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/j-r-albert-foundation-morg_23287c100b774429a5536b06b2b80e2f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_260147405_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{J R Albert Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/j-r-albert-foundation-morg_23287c100b774429a5536b06b2b80e2f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 J R Albert 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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