Jack Chester Foundation
The Jack Chester Foundation is a private foundation based in Orlando, Florida. Established as a trust by Jack Chester and operating since 2001, it supports programs in Israel and the U.S. Jewish community, primarily in Miami, through grants to Section 501(c)(3) organizations.
Jack Chester Foundation at a glance
In short: Jack Chester Foundation gave $475K across 84 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Florida. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $475,000
- +7.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 84
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,655
- +7.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $7,954,790
- +0.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (11 of 84, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Florida (53% 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 Jack Chester Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its website says applications are for Section 501(c)(3) organizations, are submitted online or by paper, and should include the Application Cover Sheet and supporting materials requested in the Grant Proposal Format.
- Review Cycle
- December 31.
- Deadline
- December 31.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 919798, Orlando, FL 32891-9798
Phone: (407) 237-4500
Website: https://jackchesterfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Jack Chester Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Greater Miami Jewish Federation ($100K). Together the top 10 received $274K.
Grant Size Distribution
436 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 431 grants of 436 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies Miami and Israel as its primary areas of interest. In 2025, 53% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida and 34% to recipients in New York; smaller shares went to New Jersey (4%), Pennsylvania (3%), and Georgia (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 84 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Jack Chester Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 84 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 129% 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 $423K (2020) to $505K (2023). In 2025 it made 84 grants totaling $475K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Miami Jewish Federation Miami, FL | General Operating | $100,000 |
| PEF Israel Endowment Funds New York, NY | General Operating | $45,000 |
| Holocaust Memorial Committee Brooklyn, NY | General Operating | $30,000 |
| Cuban Hebrew Congregation of Miami Miami Beach, FL | General Operating | $25,000 |
| Michael Ann Russell Jewish Comm Ctr Miami, FL | General Operating | $18,000 |
| Hillel Foundation at Univ Florida Gainesville, FL | General Operating | $17,000 |
| Friends of Israel Defense Forces Boca Raton, FL | General Operating | $12,000 |
| American Friends of Magen David Adom New York, NY | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Temple Menorah Miami Beach, FL | General Operating | $10,000 |
| American Friends of Alyn Hospital New York, NY | General Operating | $7,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Jack Chester 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 | $7,954,790 | $679,428 | $650,474 | $475,000 | 84 | $594,011 | $626,040 | $459,330 |
| 2024 | $7,926,589 | $745,925 | $612,842 | $442,000 | 84 | $561,370 | $700,163 | $441,944 |
| 2023 | $7,793,687 | $8,567 | $680,241 | $505,000 | 84 | $632,976 | $198,926 | $455,026 |
| 2022 | $8,441,706 | $412,890 | $695,130 | $484,000 | 93 | $619,108 | $373,425 | $435,063 |
| 2021 | $8,706,600 | $2,032,903 | $646,405 | $469,000 | 91 | $599,447 | $1,988,559 | $475,983 |
| 2020 | $7,322,299 | $177,324 | $588,572 | $423,000 | 87 | — | $229,455 | $422,522 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jack Chester Foundation reported a distributable amount of $459K 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 seeks to support “high quality and compelling programs in Israel and the U.S. Jewish community, primarily in Miami.” It accepts requests for programs, general support, or capital projects, and identifies its primary interests as:
- Jewish education, both formal and informal, and Jewish identity in Miami and Israel
- Social services for vulnerable segments of the Jewish communities in Miami and Israel, including people with disabilities and children at risk
- Israel Experience programs
- Higher education in Israel
- Holocaust education
- Israel education and Zionist initiatives
- Health care in Israel or serving Miami’s Jewish community
Its 2025 grantees illustrate some of these areas. The Greater Miami Jewish Federation, which received $100,000, describes its mission as caring for people in need, strengthening Jewish life, and advancing the unity and shared purpose of the Jewish people in Miami, Israel, and around the world. The Holocaust Memorial Committee, which received $30,000, says it engages adults and students in the meaning of the Holocaust through educational and commemorative activities. American Friends of Magen David Adom, a $10,000 recipient, says it raises funds and advocates in the United States for Magen David Adom’s lifesaving work in Israel. Birthright Israel Foundation, which received $5,000, says it raises funds for educational trips to Israel for young Jewish adults.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 84 grants totaling $475,000 in 2025. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median of $3,000. Annual grant totals were $442,000 across 84 grants in 2024 and $505,000 across 84 grants in 2023.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $100,000 to Greater Miami Jewish Federation; $45,000 to PEF Israel Endowment Funds; $30,000 to Holocaust Memorial Committee; $25,000 to Cuban Hebrew Congregation of Miami; $18,000 to Michael Ann Russell Jewish Community Center; and $17,000 to Hillel Foundation at the University of Florida. These grants were listed for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Pedro Szwarc, Jorge Lerman, and Norman H. Lipoff as trustees. The foundation’s website identifies Lipoff as chairman. It describes Szwarc as Jack Chester’s nephew and business associate, Lerman as Chester’s accountant, and Lipoff as Chester’s lawyer and an active participant in the Jewish community.
Jack Chester Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jorge Lerman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$36K (2020) → $36K (2025)
Norman H. Lipoff
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$36K (2020) → $36K (2025)
Pedro Szwarc
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$36K (2020) → $36K (2025)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $36K, to Pedro SZWARC (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Jack Chester Foundation
How much does Jack Chester Foundation give each year?
Jack Chester Foundation gave $475K across 84 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $442K across 84 grants.
What is Jack Chester Foundation's typical grant size?
Jack Chester Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $5,655, across 84 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jack Chester Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Jack Chester Foundation give grants?
Jack Chester Foundation gives mostly in Florida: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (34%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (19 grants), Miami, FL (10 grants), Miami Beach, FL (5 grants) and Boca Raton, FL (5 grants).
Does Jack Chester Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 99% of Jack Chester Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (83 of 84) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Jack Chester Foundation's largest grantees?
Jack Chester Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Greater Miami Jewish Federation ($100,000), PEF Israel Endowment Funds ($45,000) and Holocaust Memorial Committee ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Jack Chester Foundation?
Jack Chester Foundation reported $8.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $594K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $459K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Jack Chester Foundation fund?
The foundation seeks to support “high quality and compelling programs in Israel and the U.S. Jewish community, primarily in Miami.” It accepts requests for programs, general support, or capital projects, and identifies its primary interests as: See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jack Chester Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Jack Chester Foundation's EIN?
Jack Chester Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6660664. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Jack Chester 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 2, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 24, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 28, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 27, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Jack Chester Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Jack Chester Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jack-chester-foundation-morg_794e23f0f28841d0af1a153440683a72
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_316660664_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Jack Chester Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jack-chester-foundation-morg_794e23f0f28841d0af1a153440683a72},
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 Jack Chester 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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