Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation
The Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation is a private foundation based in Bannockburn, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations including a university, a synagogue, a children’s hospital, and charitable and community organizations.
Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation at a glance
In short: Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation gave $555K across 54 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), top state Illinois. 48% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $554,866
- +0.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 54
- +31.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,275
- -23.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $7,630,655
- +3.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (26 of 54, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (45% 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 Joan and Norman Chapman 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. Its 2024 filing lists Steven R. Kolber, Trustee, as the contact for applications. It specifies no required format, but says the organization must provide proof of its Section 501(c) exempt status. Eligible organizations must be other than a private foundation or private operating foundation.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Steven R Kolber Trustee
Mailing address: 2801 Lakeside Drive, Bannockburn, IL 60015
Phone: (847) 446-0676
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Stanford University ($68K). Together the top 10 received $345K.
Grant Size Distribution
188 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 176 grants of 188 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 45% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 13% to California, 11% to Nevada, 7% to Florida, and 6% to Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation open to new grantees?
48%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 26 of 54 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 44% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 63% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 130% 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 $335K (2021) to $555K (2025). In 2025 it made 54 grants totaling $555K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford University Redwood City, CA | General Purpose | $68,333 |
| Am Shalom Glencoe, IL | General Purpose | $51,700 |
| Keep Memory Alive Las Vegas, NV | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Itec Deerfield Beach, FL | General Purpose | $38,083 |
| Make-a-Wish Illinois Chicago, IL | General Purpose | $30,000 |
| Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL | General Purpose | $25,000 |
| McLane Children's Hospital Temple, TX | General Purpose | $25,000 |
| Serenity Foundation Dublin, GA | General Purpose | $22,000 |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation Chicago, IL | General Purpose | $17,500 |
| Evans Scholars Foundation Glenview, IL | General Purpose | $17,000 |
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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 | $7,630,655 | $1,225,486 | $1,011,830 | $554,866 | 54 | $716,095 | $998,751 | $552,836 |
| 2024 | $7,362,999 | $1,798,227 | $1,024,160 | $551,844 | 41 | $551,844 | $1,798,227 | $515,152 |
| 2023 | $6,625,052 | $209,349 | $571,170 | $457,766 | 36 | $457,766 | $209,349 | $480,711 |
| 2022 | $6,950,753 | $306,224 | $438,648 | $340,333 | 32 | $340,333 | $306,224 | $502,507 |
| 2021 | $7,083,177 | $504,958 | $428,396 | $335,250 | 25 | — | $504,958 | $500,420 |
| 2020 | $7,006,738 | $-70,534 | $458,084 | $409,459 | 27 | — | $193,085 | $438,884 |
| 2019 | $7,543,600 | $173,919 | $450,611 | $347,016 | 28 | — | $173,919 | $401,142 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $553K 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 formal mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations working in a range of areas. For example, Evans Scholars Foundation describes its work as providing scholarships and educational opportunities for caddies; The Selfhelp Home describes providing nursing and healthcare for older adults; and Shore Community Services describes offering day, vocational, and residential services for people with developmental disabilities. Other 2025 recipients include organizations whose stated missions address cancer support, pancreatic cancer awareness, education, and Jewish cultural and athletic experiences.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 54 grants totaling $554,866. Grant amounts ranged from $700 to $68,333, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest grants were $68,333 to Stanford University, $51,700 to Am Shalom, $50,000 to Keep Memory Alive, $38,083 to ITEC, and $30,000 to Make-A-Wish Illinois.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Steve Kolber as Director/President, Austin Hirsch as Director/Treasurer/Secretary, and Mel Justak as Officer Director.
Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation is led by Steve Kolber, Director & President since 2021 (on filings since 2019); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Steve Kolber
Director & President
President → Director & President, 2021
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Austin Hirsch
Director, Treasurer & Secretary
Treasurer & Secretary → Director, Treasurer & Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mel Justak
Officer Director
On filings since 2022
3 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 Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation
How much does Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation give each year?
Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation gave $555K across 54 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $552K across 41 grants.
What is Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation's typical grant size?
Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $10,275, across 54 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation give grants?
Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (13%) and Nevada (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (15 grants), Glenview, IL (4 grants), Las Vegas, NV (3 grants) and Temple, TX (2 grants).
Does Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (54 of 54) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation's largest grantees?
Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Stanford University ($68,333), Am Shalom ($51,700) and Keep Memory Alive ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation?
Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation reported $7.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $716K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $553K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation fund?
No formal mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations working in a range of areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Joan and Norman Chapman 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 Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation's EIN?
Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3480507. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Joan and Norman Chapman 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 13, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 20, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/joan-and-norman-chapman-foundation-morg_a29cd5f37c90443b8f6331df4a826974
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363480507_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Joan and Norman Chapman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/joan-and-norman-chapman-foundation-morg_a29cd5f37c90443b8f6331df4a826974},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Joan and Norman Chapman 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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