James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family
The James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, most of them in Illinois.
James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family at a glance
In short: James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family gave $3.2M across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $61K), mostly in Illinois. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,172,000
- +81.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 52
- +6.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $61,000
- +70.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $52,500
- Total assets
- $33,474,803
- +2.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (13 of 52, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (93% 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 P and Brenda S Grusecki Family
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 840 North Lake Shore Dr 2301, Chicago, IL 60611-2490
Phone: (708) 542-8751
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Planned Parenthood of Illinois ($250K). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 191 grants of 250 (76%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois. The remaining reported shares were Colorado (3%), California (2%), and Washington (2%); Michigan accounted for 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 52 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 13 of 52 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $46K; repeat grants $66K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $60K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 192% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 197% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $1.0M (2019) to $3.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 52 grants totaling $3.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Planned Parenthood of Illinois Chicago, IL | General Operating Support & Wellness | $250,000 |
| Barack Obama Foundation Chicago, IL | General Operations | $200,000 |
| Timeline Theatre Chicago, IL | General Operating Support & Wellness | $155,000 |
| Shattered Globe Theatre Chicago, IL | General Operations | $150,000 |
| Goodman Theatre Chicago, IL | General Operating Support & Wellness | $130,000 |
| Deborah's Place Chicago, IL | General Operating Support & Wellness | $100,000 |
| Lyric Opera of Chicago Chicago, IL | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago, IL | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Remy Bumppo Chicago, IL | General Operations | $100,000 |
| 826CHI Chicago, IL | General Operating Support & Wellness | $85,000 |
Ready to take the next step with James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family?
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 | $33,474,803 | $1,937,117 | $3,410,675 | $3,172,000 | 52 | $3,287,385 | $1,845,448 | $1,666,082 |
| 2024 | $32,634,865 | $1,917,318 | $1,997,889 | $1,750,000 | 49 | $1,852,782 | $1,698,871 | $1,608,713 |
| 2023 | $31,203,519 | $4,701,799 | $1,673,606 | $1,545,000 | 55 | $1,545,015 | $3,119,906 | $1,353,341 |
| 2022 | $24,964,358 | $-6,152,354 | $1,240,678 | $1,087,355 | 47 | $1,087,355 | $1,195,191 | $1,309,574 |
| 2021 | $32,399,155 | $6,606,224 | $1,267,076 | $1,066,508 | 47 | $1,066,508 | $1,878,572 | $1,408,320 |
| 2020 | $27,037,552 | $10,383,016 | $1,398,725 | $1,250,850 | 48 | — | $1,438,705 | $929,434 |
| 2019 | $18,019,841 | $6,173,028 | $1,157,512 | $1,010,719 | 46 | — | $1,232,100 | $767,434 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family reported a distributable amount of $1.7M 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 included Planned Parenthood of Illinois, which describes its work as providing and promoting reproductive health care, education, and rights; theaters and opera organizations; 826CHI, which supports students’ creative and expository writing; and Thresholds, which provides social and mental health services to people with developmental disabilities.
Other 2025 recipients included the Chicago Foundation for Women, which describes its work as addressing challenges facing women and girls, and the American Library Association, whose stated mission includes improving library and information services and access to information.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 52 grants totaling $3,172,000. Awards ranged from $3,000 to $250,000, with a median grant of $52,500.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $250,000 to Planned Parenthood of Illinois, $200,000 to the Barack Obama Foundation, $155,000 to Timeline Theatre, $150,000 to Shattered Globe Theatre, and $130,000 to Goodman Theatre. Other grants included $100,000 each to Deborah’s Place, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Porchlight Music Theatre, and Remy Bumppo.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James P Grusecki as vice president, treasurer, and director; Brenda S Grusecki as president, secretary, and director; and Robert D Tuerk as director.
James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family is led by Brenda S. Grusecki, President, Secretary & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2019); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brenda S. Grusecki
President, Secretary & Director
Vice President, Secretary & Director → President, Secretary & Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
16 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James P. Grusecki
Vice President, Treasurer & Director
President & Treasurer → President, Treasurer & Director, 2023
President, Treasurer & Director → Vice President, Treasurer & Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
16 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert D. Tuerk
Director
On filings since 2019
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family
How much does James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family give each year?
James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family gave $3.2M across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.8M across 49 grants.
What is James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family's typical grant size?
James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family's median grant in 2025 was $52,500, and its average grant was $61,000, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family that year got $46K on average.
Where does James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family give grants?
James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family gives mostly in Illinois: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (38 grants) and River Forest, IL (2 grants).
Does James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family give general operating support?
Yes: 90% of James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (47 of 52) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family's largest grantees?
James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family's largest 2025 grantees include Planned Parenthood of Illinois ($250,000), Barack Obama Foundation ($200,000) and Timeline Theatre ($155,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family?
James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family reported $33.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family?
The foundation 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 James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family's EIN?
James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1639401. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 26, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-p-and-brenda-s-grusecki-family-morg_c0b2ed912db14482b17ed4221c559c3b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_161639401_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-p-and-brenda-s-grusecki-family-morg_c0b2ed912db14482b17ed4221c559c3b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 P and Brenda S Grusecki Family'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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