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Jackson Kemper Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Hawthorn Woods, IL EIN: 36-4152920 Website

The Jackson Kemper Foundation is a private foundation based in Hawthorn Woods, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants supporting organizations working on matters including school lunches and feeding programs, healthcare, cataract surgery, internships, and operations.

Key facts about Jackson Kemper Foundation

In short: Jackson Kemper Foundation gave $15.1M across 37 grants in 2025 (avg $408K), top state Washington. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
36-4152920
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$15,090,475
Grants made (2025)
37
Average grant
$407,851
Median grant
$225,000
New grantees (estimate)
8% first-time grantees (3 of 36, 2025)
Total assets
$47,146,789
Primary geography
Washington (30% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
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. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$47.1M

-11.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$15.1M

+7.3% YoY

Grant Count

37

+12.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$408K

-4.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jackson Kemper Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Jackson Kemper Foundation open to new grantees?

8%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 3 of 36 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $400K; repeat grants $421K. How we count

Medians: $189K first-time, $291K repeat.

  • 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 37% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 432% 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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations addressing food needs, healthcare, education, and other services. For example, Amigos de Honduras describes its mission as providing economic, spiritual, and social assistance to poor people in Honduras. One Acre Fund says it works to empower chronically hungry farm families in Africa to move out of hunger and poverty. Cambodian Children’s Fund describes work to break cycles of poverty and abuse through healthcare, education, job training, and leadership development.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 37 grants totaling $15,090,475. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $4,169,486, with a median of $225,000.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Washington (30%), California (14%), Tennessee (12%), New York (10%), and Georgia (7%). The reported grants also included recipients in other states and support for work outside the United States.

Grant Distribution by State

23states

Share of all 37 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

Cities

New YorkWashingtonSan FranciscoOaklandBroomfieldSan JoseSilverdaleValparaisoAlpharettaApple ValleyBeaconFort WayneGrand RapidsLake VillaMaywoodMenlo ParkSanta MonicaSeattleSouth KentWheaton

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$5M$10M$15M$20M43 grants202039 grants202131 grants202242 grants202333 grants202437 grants2025

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Amigos De Honduras: $4.2MAmigos De Honduras$4.2MTrinity Hope: $1.5MTrinity Hope$1.5MPredisan - USA Inc: $1.0MPredisan - USA Inc$1.0MHaitian Health Foundation HHF: $1.0MHaitian Health Foundation HHF$1.0MFistula Foundation: $587KFistula Foundation$587KOrbis International: $513KOrbis International$513KKids Alive International: $507KKids Alive International$507KCambodian Children's Fund: $500KCambodian Children's Fund$500KHope for Haiti's Children: $500KHope for Haiti's Children$500KMy Agro: $500KMy Agro$500K

Grant Size Distribution

182 grants across all recorded years

40<$50K11$50–100K41$100–250K47$250–500K32$500K–1M11$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
AMIGOS DE HONDURAS Seattle, WAGRANT TO SUPPORT SCHOOL LUNCHES WEST HONDURAS$4,169,486
TRINITY HOPE Franklin, TNGRANT TO SUPPORT FEEDING PROGRAM$1,500,000
PREDISAN - USA INC Alpharetta, GAGRANT TO SUPPORT SCHOOL LUNCHES$1,000,701
HAITIAN HEALTH FOUNDATION HHF Norwich, CTGRANT TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS$1,000,000
FISTULA FOUNDATION San Jose, CAGRANT TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS$587,381
ORBIS INTERNATIONAL New York, NYGRANT TO SUPPORT CATARACT SURGERY$512,608
KIDS ALIVE INTERNATIONAL Valparaiso, INGRANT TO SUPPORT INTERNSHIPS$506,500
CAMBODIAN CHILDREN'S FUND Santa Monica, CAGRANT TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS$500,000
HOPE FOR HAITI'S CHILDREN Cincinnati, OHGRANT TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS$500,000
MY AGRO New York, NYGRANT TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS$500,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $47,146,789 $5,741,760 $15,468,105 $15,090,475
2024 $53,262,937 $4,318,932 $14,432,653 $14,060,119
2023 $60,317,600 $2,253,390 $15,337,289 $15,008,802
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$5M$10M$15M$20M202020212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$47,146,789$53,262,937$60,317,600
Revenue$5,741,760$4,318,932$2,253,390
Expenses$15,468,105$14,432,653$15,337,289
Qualifying Distributions$15,127,176$14,079,255$15,025,214
Net Investment Income$5,400,831$3,965,534$1,941,315
Distributable Amount$3,504,140$2,453,640$2,702,277

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 26, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 27, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 1, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 28, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 12, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Jackson Kemper Jr. as president, Sharon J. Kemper as secretary/treasurer, and Mark Costa as director.

Jackson Kemper Foundation is led by Jackson Kemper Jr., President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Jackson Kemper Jr.

    President

    Director → President, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mark Costa

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sharon J. Kemper

    Secretary & Treasurer

    Director → Secretary & Treasurer, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/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.

Contact

Mailing address: 6 Bruce Circle North, Hawthorn Woods, IL 60047
Phone: (224) 406-4861

Frequently asked questions about Jackson Kemper Foundation

How much does Jackson Kemper Foundation give each year?

Jackson Kemper Foundation gave $15.1M across 37 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $14.1M across 33 grants.

What is Jackson Kemper Foundation's typical grant size?

Jackson Kemper Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $225,000, and its average grant was $407,851, across 37 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jackson Kemper Foundation that year got $400K on average.

Where does Jackson Kemper Foundation give grants?

Jackson Kemper Foundation's top state is Washington, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (14%) and Tennessee (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants) and Franklin, TN (2 grants).

Does Jackson Kemper Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 37 grants with a stated purpose on Jackson Kemper Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Grant to Support Operations" (20 grants).

Who are Jackson Kemper Foundation's largest grantees?

Jackson Kemper Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Amigos De Honduras ($4,169,486), Trinity Hope ($1,500,000) and Predisan - USA Inc ($1,000,701), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Jackson Kemper Foundation?

Jackson Kemper Foundation reported $47.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $15.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Jackson Kemper Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations addressing food needs, healthcare, education, and other services. For example, Amigos de Honduras describes its mission as providing economic, spiritual, and social assistance to poor people in Honduras. One Acre Fund says it works to empower chronically hungry farm families in Africa to move out of hunger and poverty. Cambodian Children’s Fund describes work to break cycles of poverty and abu…

How do I apply for a grant from Jackson Kemper 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 Jackson Kemper Foundation's EIN?

Jackson Kemper Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4152920. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Jackson Kemper 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.

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