Jentes Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Chicago, IL EIN: 36-3566107

Jentes Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 filing lists 19 grants totaling $397,607, supporting charitable organizations including arts, education, health, media, and food organizations.

Key facts about Jentes Family Foundation

In short: Jentes Family Foundation gave $398K across 19 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), mostly in Illinois. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
36-3566107
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$397,607
Grants made (2024)
19
Average grant
$20,927
Median grant
$11,253
New grantees (estimate)
16% first-time grantees (3 of 19, 2024; small sample)
Total assets
$6,013,247
Primary geography
Illinois (66% of itemized 2024 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, 2024; updated October 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$6.0M

+3.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$398K

-36.4% YoY

Grant Count

19

-29.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$21K

-9.7% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jentes Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $540K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Jentes Family Foundation open to new grantees?

16%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 3 of 19 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $23K. How we count

Medians: $11K first-time, $14K repeat.

  • 84% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−11%). Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 74% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2024). 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants include support for organizations whose stated missions span the arts, youth writing and education, reproductive and sexual health care, and early learning. For example, Hyde Park Art Center says its purpose is to stimulate and sustain visual arts in Chicago, while Links Hall says it encourages artistic innovation and public engagement in the performing arts. Young Chicago Authors says it cultivates young people’s voices through writing, publication, and performance education; Start Early says it advances quality early learning for families.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 19 grants totaling $397,607. Grants ranged from $4,788 to $101,152, with a median of $11,253. The largest awards included $101,152 to Hyde Park Art Center and $74,882 to Bryn Mawr College. Other notable grants included $20,943 to Metropolitan Peace Academy, $20,898 to 826 National, $20,014 to 826 Chi, and $20,000 to Cabinet of Curiosity.

How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, grant dollars by recipient state were reported as 66% to Illinois, 19% to Pennsylvania, 7% to New York, 5% to California, and 3% to an unidentified state designation.

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.

Cities

ChicagoNew YorkBryn MawrSan FranciscoOak ParkBrooklynEvanstonSaint PaulAspenBrroklyn

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K$800K23 grants2019 17 grants2020 25 grants2021 33 grants2022 27 grants2023 19 grants2024

From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $337K (2019) to $752K (2022). In 2024 it made 19 grants totaling $398K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Hyde Park Art Center: $101KHyde Park Art Center$101KBryn Mawr College: $75KBryn Mawr College$75KMetropolitan Peace Academy: $21KMetropolitan Peace Academy$21K826 National: $21K826 National$21K826 Chi: $20K826 Chi$20KCabinet of Curiosity: $20KCabinet of Curiosity$20KLinks Hall: $16KLinks Hall$16KDoctors Without Borders: $16KDoctors Without Borders$16KPlanned Parenthood: $16KPlanned Parenthood$16KGreater Food Chicago Depository: $11KGreater Food ChicagoDepository$11K

The largest 2024 recipient was Hyde Park Art Center ($101K). Together the top 10 received $317K.

Grant Size Distribution

121 grants across all recorded years

105<$50K12$50–100K3$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 105 grants of 121 (87%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Hyde Park Art Center Chicago, ILTo Further Program Services$101,152
Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, PATo Further Progrem Services$74,882
Metropolitan Peace Academy Chicago, ILTo Further Program Services$20,943
826 National San Francisco, CATo Further Program Services$20,898
826 Chi Chicago, ILTo Further Program Services$20,014
Cabinet of Curiosity Oak Park, ILTo Further Program Services$20,000
Links Hall Chicago, ILTo Further Program Services$16,075
Doctors Without Borders New York, NYTo Further Program Services$16,056
Planned Parenthood Chicago, ILTo Further Program Services$16,056
Greater Food Chicago Depository Chicago, ILTo Further Program Services$11,253

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $6,013,247 $365,449 $517,896 $397,607
2023 $5,820,948 $201,115 $731,785 $625,369
2022 $6,049,882 -$11,683 $870,520 $752,140
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$500K$1M$1.5M2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$6,013,247$5,820,948$6,049,882
Revenue$365,449$201,115$-11,683
Expenses$517,896$731,785$870,520
Qualifying Distributions$401,814$631,500$752,140
Net Investment Income$238,466$157,661—
Distributable Amount$540,128$467,723$516,701

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 19, 2020)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists William R. Jentes as president, treasurer, and director, and Justine O. Jentes as director and secretary.

Jentes Family Foundation is led by William R. Jentes, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • William R. Jentes

    President, Treasurer & Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Justine O. Jentes

    Director & Secretary

    Director → Director & Secretary, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (3)
  • Former: Donald G. Kempf Jr. (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: Justin O. Jentes (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Janet O. Jentes (2019–2020) — Secretary & Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 55 E Pearson 4102, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 642-0006

Frequently asked questions about Jentes Family Foundation

How much does Jentes Family Foundation give each year?

Jentes Family Foundation gave $398K across 19 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $625K across 27 grants.

What is Jentes Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Jentes Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $11,253, and its average grant was $20,927, across 19 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jentes Family Foundation that year got $12K on average.

Where does Jentes Family Foundation give grants?

Jentes Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (19%) and New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (12 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).

Does Jentes Family Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Jentes Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Further Program Services" (18 grants).

Who are Jentes Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Jentes Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Hyde Park Art Center ($101,152), Bryn Mawr College ($74,882) and Metropolitan Peace Academy ($20,943), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Jentes Family Foundation?

Jentes Family Foundation reported $6.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $402K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $540K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Jentes Family Foundation fund?

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants include support for organizations whose stated missions span the arts, youth writing and education, reproductive and sexual health care, and early learning. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Jentes Family 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 Jentes Family Foundation's EIN?

Jentes Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3566107. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.

Does Jentes 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.

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