James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX
James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX is a private foundation based in Downers Grove, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports 13 grants totaling $74,259, including support for medical, community, social-service, and other organizations.
James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX at a glance
In short: James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX gave $74K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Illinois. 54% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $74,259
- +9.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,712
- +9.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,587
- Total assets
- $1,519,892
- +2.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 54% first-time grantees (7 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (50% 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 James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists a letter with an annual report and exemption letters as the application materials and requires applicants to be 501(c) organizations. The filing lists Hightower Trust Co of Illinois as the contact.
- Review Cycle
- December 1 each year.
- Deadline
- December 1 each year.
- Contact
Application contact: Hightower Trust Co Of Illinois
Mailing address: 1901 Butterfield Rd Suite 1000, Dowerns Grover, IL 60515
Phone: (630) 545-3681
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was St Jude's Children's Research ($20K). Together the top 10 received $68K.
Grant Size Distribution
65 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 65 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grants went to recipients in Illinois (50% of grant dollars), Tennessee (28%), Utah (10%), Virginia (10%), and Texas (3%), as reported in the filing.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Is James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX open to new grantees?
54%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 13 grantees (54%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 46% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 55% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 108% 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 $12K (2021) to $74K (2025). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $74K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Jude's Children's Research Memphis, TN | General Expenses | $20,491 |
| Norhwestern Memorial Foundation Chicago, IL | General Expenses | $12,527 |
| Breatkthrough T1D Illinois Chicago, IL | General Expenses | $7,339 |
| Primary Children's Medical Center Lake City, UT | General Expenses | $7,132 |
| Shriners Hospital for Chicago Chicago, IL | General Expenses | $4,885 |
| Easter Seals Dupage & Fox Villa Park, IL | General Expenses | $3,592 |
| United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Chicago, IL | General Expenses | $3,587 |
| People's Resource Center Wheaton, IL | General Expenses | $3,587 |
| Salvation Army National C Alexandria, VA | General Expenses | $2,359 |
| Bone Health & Osteoporosis Arlington, VA | General Expenses | $2,359 |
Ready to take the next step with James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX?
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 | $1,519,892 | $145,098 | $102,877 | $74,259 | 13 | $84,673 | $130,628 | $78,620 |
| 2024 | $1,478,649 | $132,395 | $93,191 | $67,807 | 13 | $81,488 | $125,752 | $77,374 |
| 2023 | $1,428,836 | $30,945 | $85,055 | $62,105 | 13 | $67,596 | $28,199 | $73,298 |
| 2022 | $1,482,946 | $131,221 | $72,671 | $47,822 | 13 | $61,046 | $36,782 | $75,329 |
| 2021 | $1,424,396 | $1,174,611 | $30,082 | $11,637 | 13 | $17,859 | $77,819 | $54,043 |
| 2020 | $279,867 | $35,638 | $18,744 | $12,611 | 14 | — | $31,689 | $14,062 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX reported a distributable amount of $79K 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 2025 grants include support for hospitals and medical research, community services, and other organizations. United Way of Metropolitan Chicago describes its mission as partnering with communities to build stronger neighborhoods and create equitable opportunities across the Chicago region. Partnership With Native Americans says it serves immediate needs and supports long-term solutions for Native American communities, including in nutrition, health, education, emergency services, holiday support, and animal welfare.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 13 grants totaling $74,259. Grants ranged from $1,683 to $20,491, with a median grant of $3,587. The largest awards included $20,491 to St. Jude's Children's Research, $12,527 to Northwestern Memorial Foundation, $7,339 to Breakthrough T1D Illinois, and $7,132 to Primary Children's Medical Center. Each was listed for general expenses. Other recipients included Shriners Hospital for Chicago ($4,885), Easter Seals DuPage & Fox ($3,592), United Way of Metropolitan Chicago ($3,587), and People's Resource Center ($3,587).
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX's only listed officer is Hightower Trust CO Of Illinois, Trustee on the 2025 filing (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Hightower Trust CO Of Illinois
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
$20K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Trust CO Of Illinois (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: JP Morgan Chase Bank (2020) — Trustee
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 $20K, to Hightower Trust Co of Illinois (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX
How much does James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX give each year?
James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX gave $74K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $68K across 13 grants.
What is James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX's typical grant size?
James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX's median grant in 2025 was $3,587, and its average grant was $5,712, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX that year got $8K on average.
Where does James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX give grants?
James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX gives mostly in Illinois: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Tennessee (28%) and Utah (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (5 grants) and Arlington, VA (2 grants).
Does James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX's largest grantees?
James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX's largest 2025 grantees include St Jude's Children's Research ($20,491), Norhwestern Memorial Foundation ($12,527) and Breatkthrough T1D Illinois ($7,339), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX?
James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $85K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $79K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for hospitals and medical research, community services, and other organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX?
The foundation’s filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX's EIN?
James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6964673. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 23, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 28, 2022)
- 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 June 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-and-helen-knippen-char-tr-xxx-xx-xxxx-morg_68fbe582af7041b89821e03722229cd1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366964673_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James \& Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-and-helen-knippen-char-tr-xxx-xx-xxxx-morg_68fbe582af7041b89821e03722229cd1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 James & Helen Knippen Char Tr XXX-XX-XXXX'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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