Jay Whipple Family Foundation
The Jay Whipple Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Lake Forest, Illinois. In 2025, it reported 22 grants totaling $161,500 to charitable organizations, including food banks, health organizations, schools, and community groups.
Jay Whipple Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Jay Whipple Family Foundation gave $162K across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Illinois. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $161,500
- -32.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,341
- -32.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $832,814
- -5.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (2 of 22, 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 Jay Whipple Family Foundation
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 151, Lake Forest, IL 60045-0151
Phone: (847) 235-2851
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Jay Whipple Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Greater Chicago Food Depository ($30K). Together the top 10 received $133K.
Grant Size Distribution
111 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 110 grants of 111 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois (50%), Tennessee (16%), New York (9%), New Hampshire (9%), and Missouri (8%). Other listed recipients were in Kansas and Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Jay Whipple Family Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 22 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 91% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 109% 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 $105K (2020) to $239K (2024). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $162K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | Job Training andNutrition Education | $30,000 |
| St Judes Children's Research Hospital Memphis, TN | Help Kids BattlingDeadly Diseases | $25,000 |
| Northern Illinois Food Bank Geneva, IL | Feed the Hungry | $20,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | Patient Care | $15,000 |
| Phillips Exeter Academy Exeter, NH | Teaching Fund | $10,000 |
| Harvesters Kansas City, MO | Feed the Hungry | $10,000 |
| Adler Planetarium of Chicago Chicago, IL | Various Projects | $7,500 |
| The Community Church of Lake Forest & Lake Bluff Lake Bluff, IL | Ministry | $5,000 |
| Coalition for the Homeless Chicago, IL | Prevention of homelessness | $5,000 |
| Bishop Seabury Academy Lawrence, KS | College prep | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Jay Whipple Family 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 | $832,814 | $129,569 | $174,993 | $161,500 | 22 | $162,739 | $117,315 | $149,573 |
| 2024 | $878,238 | $168,584 | $251,410 | $239,000 | 22 | $240,240 | $157,414 | $133,777 |
| 2023 | $961,064 | $119,777 | $138,926 | $123,500 | 21 | $124,766 | $105,617 | $118,442 |
| 2022 | $980,213 | $154,639 | $182,835 | $168,000 | 24 | $169,307 | $141,111 | $125,008 |
| 2021 | $1,008,409 | $108,557 | $155,028 | $142,500 | 22 | $143,778 | $97,307 | $130,787 |
| 2020 | $1,054,880 | $74,631 | $117,776 | $104,500 | 19 | — | $62,605 | $114,636 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jay Whipple Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $150K 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 food assistance, health care, education, youth programs, homelessness prevention, and other charitable activities.
The Greater Chicago Food Depository, which received $30,000, describes its mission as ending hunger and says it works with community organizations and individuals. Northern Illinois Food Bank, which received $20,000, says it provides meals and access to nutritious food through a network of food pantries and programs. North Chicago Community Partners, a $5,000 recipient, says it brings people and resources together through schools to support students, families, and communities. Bishop Seabury Academy, also a $5,000 recipient, describes its work as providing college-preparatory education and promoting academic excellence and moral development.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $161,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $30,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
Among its largest reported grants were $30,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository for job training and nutrition education; $25,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for help for children battling deadly diseases; $20,000 to Northern Illinois Food Bank to feed the hungry; and $15,000 to Doctors Without Borders for patient care. Other grants included $10,000 each to Phillips Exeter Academy for its teaching fund and Harvesters to feed the hungry, and $7,500 to the Adler Planetarium of Chicago for various projects.
Additional 2025 recipients included Proctor Academy ($4,000), Chicago Youth Centers ($4,000), Operation Breakthrough ($2,500), and Orphans of the Storm ($1,000). These organizations describe their work as including education and student development, early learning and youth enrichment, support for children and families in poverty, and animal shelter and pet adoption activities, respectively.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jay N. Whipple III as president, secretary, and treasurer; Sara Froman as director; and William C. Whipple as director.
Jay Whipple Family Foundation is led by Jay N. Whipple III, President, Secretary & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jay N. Whipple III
President, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
William C. Whipple
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Sara Froman
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Sara G. Whipple (2020) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Jay Whipple Family Foundation
How much does Jay Whipple Family Foundation give each year?
Jay Whipple Family Foundation gave $162K across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $239K across 22 grants.
What is Jay Whipple Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Jay Whipple Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,341, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jay Whipple Family Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Jay Whipple Family Foundation give grants?
Jay Whipple Family Foundation 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 (16%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (5 grants), Memphis, TN (2 grants), Kansas City, MO (2 grants) and Lake Bluff, IL (2 grants).
Does Jay Whipple Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on Jay Whipple Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Jay Whipple Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Jay Whipple Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Greater Chicago Food Depository ($30,000), St Judes Children's Research Hospital ($25,000) and Northern Illinois Food Bank ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Jay Whipple Family Foundation?
Jay Whipple Family Foundation reported $833K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $163K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $150K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Jay Whipple Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for food assistance, health care, education, youth programs, homelessness prevention, and other charitable activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jay Whipple Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Jay Whipple Family Foundation's EIN?
Jay Whipple Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4212048. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Jay Whipple Family Foundation 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 2020 (received by the IRS September 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 23, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 16, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 22, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Jay Whipple Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Jay Whipple Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Jay Whipple Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jay-whipple-family-foundation-morg_0bad3a4d69964840bbe3b6263a682f7c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364212048_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Jay Whipple Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jay-whipple-family-foundation-morg_0bad3a4d69964840bbe3b6263a682f7c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Jay Whipple Family 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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