Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation
The Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. It supports charitable organizations through grants; its 2024 filing lists 35 grants totaling $212,225.
Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation gave $212K across 35 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in California. 14% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $212,225
- +10.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 35
- -2.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,064
- +13.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $297,699
- -36.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (5 of 35, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (89% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Contact
Mailing address: 333 W Wacker 6Th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (424) 652-7070
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Wildwood School ($75K). Together the top 10 received $171K.
Grant Size Distribution
178 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 174 grants of 178 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, California organizations received 89% of grant dollars, followed by organizations in New York (5%), Montana (3%), Rhode Island (1%), and Washington, DC (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 35 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 86% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 478% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $161K (2022) to $285K (2020). In 2024 it made 35 grants totaling $212K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wildwood School Los Angeles, CA | Charitable | $75,000 |
| Spirit Rock Meditation Center Woodacre, CA | Charitable | $25,000 |
| St John's Health Center Foundation Santa Monica, CA | Charitable | $25,000 |
| The J Paul Getty Trust Los Angeles, CA | Charitable | $12,500 |
| The Oaks School Hollywood, CA | Charitable | $7,500 |
| Dharma Ground Inc San Anselmo, CA | Charitable | $6,000 |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Moma PS1 Queens, NY | Charitable | $5,000 |
| The Broad Stage Santa Monica, CA | Charitable | $5,000 |
| University of Montana Foundation Missoula, MT | Charitable | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Jerry E Poncher 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $297,699 | $-1,099 | $222,740 | $212,225 | 35 | $212,225 | — | $44,433 |
| 2023 | $466,538 | $28,521 | $213,733 | $193,000 | 36 | $193,000 | $7,376 | $47,866 |
| 2022 | $781,069 | $35,819 | $190,388 | $161,000 | 34 | $161,000 | $8,210 | $68,681 |
| 2021 | $991,798 | $243,846 | $268,769 | $243,500 | 35 | $243,740 | $219,431 | $80,779 |
| 2020 | $1,101,456 | $76,222 | $310,913 | $284,602 | 38 | — | $53,109 | $83,524 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $44K for 2024 — 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations in areas including education, healthcare, arts and culture, and spiritual practice. For example, Wildwood School says it cultivates reflective scholars, bold innovators, and compassionate leaders; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center says its mission is to elevate the health status of the communities it serves; and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association describes its performances and learning programs as intended to inspire and strengthen communities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 35 grants totaling $212,225. Individual grants ranged from $225 to $75,000, with a median grant of $2,500. The largest awards included $75,000 to Wildwood School, $25,000 each to Spirit Rock Meditation Center and St. John’s Health Center Foundation, and $12,500 to the J. Paul Getty Trust. Other grants included $7,500 to The Oaks School; $6,000 to Dharma Ground; and $5,000 each to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, MoMA PS1, The Broad Stage, and the University of Montana Foundation. The listed grant purposes were “charitable.”
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lyle Poncher as president, treasurer, and director, and Kathleen Poncher as vice president.
Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation is led by Lyle Poncher, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lyle Poncher
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kathleen Poncher
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation
How much does Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation give each year?
Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation gave $212K across 35 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $193K across 36 grants.
What is Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $6,064, across 35 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation give grants?
Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (11 grants), Santa Monica, CA (4 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Missoula, MT (2 grants).
Does Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 35 grants with a stated purpose on Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (33 grants).
Who are Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Wildwood School ($75,000), Spirit Rock Meditation Center ($25,000) and St John's Health Center Foundation ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation?
Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation reported $298K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $212K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $44K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations in areas including education, healthcare, arts and culture, and spiritual practice. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation?
Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines.
What is Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation's EIN?
Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6140417. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Jerry E Poncher 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Annenberg Foundation
Conshohocken, PA
The Annenberg Foundation funds arts and culture, education, and environmental work, along with varied community initiatives, with grants across multiple states; in 2024, 58% of grant dollars went to California. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000, though awards ranged widely, and it does not accept unsolicited requests, giving only to preselected charitable organizations.
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
543
Total Given
$53.3M
Wm Keck Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The W.M. Keck Foundation funds high-risk, potentially transformative basic science, engineering, and medical research nationwide, and arts, education, health, and community projects in Southern California. Typical Research Program awards are $1 million to $1.3 million over three years; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
260
Total Given
$69.7M
Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles supports human services, health, education, Jewish life, arts and culture, Israel-related work, and nonprofit capacity and capital projects, with a focus on Los Angeles and also giving in Israel and beyond. Its 2024 itemized grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. General Community grants are by invitation only and do not accept unsolicited applications; current procedures should be verified.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
1,063
Total Given
$142.2M
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation supports nonprofits through discretionary and donor-directed grants, with discretionary priorities including education, health, housing and immigration, alongside other areas such as arts, civic engagement and economic opportunity. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, and its work is focused on Los Angeles County; prospective discretionary applicants are asked to contact the relevant program officer before submitting a letter of intent.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert
Los Angeles, CA
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation funds 501(c)(3) organizations working in areas such as college access, arts education, Jewish life, health, and education and economic development in Israel, primarily in Los Angeles County and Israel. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000, and it says it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$205.9M
Grants
318
Total Given
$13.2M
Orange County Community Foundation
Irvine, CA
The Orange County Community Foundation supports a wide range of causes, including human services, education, health, arts, the environment, and community development, primarily in Orange County and also beyond. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely; it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$743.6M
Grants
975
Total Given
$120.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in Illinois
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jerry-e-poncher-family-foundation-morg_72b0f48ffeda4ee9a88feb30eb49d1e4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366140417_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jerry-e-poncher-family-foundation-morg_72b0f48ffeda4ee9a88feb30eb49d1e4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Jerry E Poncher 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.
Jerry E Poncher Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?