John M Simpson Foundation
The John M Simpson Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2024, it reported making 23 grants totaling $360,208 to charitable organizations, including organizations in Arizona, Massachusetts, and California.
John M Simpson Foundation at a glance
In short: John M Simpson Foundation gave $360K across 23 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Arizona. 22% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $360,208
- +7.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 23
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $15,661
- +7.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $5,526,247
- +3.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (5 of 23, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (75% 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 John M Simpson 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 for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 30 S Wacker Drive Suite 2875, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 726-3110
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John M Simpson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Reid Park Zoological Society ($50K). Together the top 10 received $254K.
Grant Size Distribution
125 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 122 grants of 125 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Arizona (75%), followed by Massachusetts (19%) and California (6%). Recipients in Illinois received 0% of grant dollars that year.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
Cities
Is John M Simpson Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 23 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 78% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+3%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 107% 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 $278K (2020) to $360K (2024). In 2024 it made 23 grants totaling $360K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Reid Park Zoological Society Tucson, AZ | Otter Habitat, Redwood Tree & Antarctic Cave | $50,000 |
| Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA | The Melin Family Scholarship Fund | $50,000 |
| Watotoworld Haverhill, MA | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Daraja Educational Foundation San Rafael, CA | Match Program | $20,000 |
| Child and Family Resources Inc Tucson, AZ | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| YWCA Southern Arizona Tucson, AZ | Teen Court | $20,000 |
| Sol Dog Lodge and Training Center Tucson, AZ | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Sister Jose Womens Center Tucson, AZ | Match Event | $20,000 |
| Youth on Their Own Tucson, AZ | Matching Program | $20,000 |
| Ability Dogs of Arizona Tucson, AZ | Unrestricted | $14,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,526,247 | $748,784 | $439,620 | $360,208 | 23 | $369,503 | $627,132 | $345,373 |
| 2023 | $5,317,281 | $188,562 | $401,043 | $335,129 | 23 | $344,104 | $144,075 | $333,954 |
| 2022 | $5,397,247 | $174,065 | $401,316 | $325,106 | 25 | $334,321 | $108,588 | $334,286 |
| 2021 | $5,594,802 | $834,963 | $406,323 | $350,111 | 31 | $353,586 | $763,954 | $337,000 |
| 2020 | $4,975,482 | $-169,963 | $331,024 | $278,075 | 23 | — | $101,301 | $286,922 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John M Simpson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $345K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working in areas such as animal protection, education, youth homelessness, services for unhoused women, behavioral health, literacy, housing support, and pet food assistance. These are descriptions of grantee organizations, not stated foundation priorities.
For example, Reid Park Zoological Society describes its mission as connecting people with animals to inspire the protection of wild animals and wild places. Youth On Their Own supports the graduation and continued success of youth experiencing homelessness in Pima County. Sister Jose Women’s Center describes its work as caring for unhoused women in a welcoming environment. Other 2024 grantees describe work in behavioral health (COPE Community Services), literacy (an individual recipient), housing and support services (Old Pueblo Community Services), and pet food assistance for pet owners in need (Cody’s Friends).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 23 grants totaling $360,208. Grant amounts ranged from $208 to $50,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest awards included $50,000 to Reid Park Zoological Society for its otter habitat, redwood tree, and Antarctic cave, and $50,000 to Boston College for the Melin Family Scholarship Fund. Other grants included $20,000 each to WatotoWorld, Daraja Educational Foundation, Child and Family Resources, YWCA Southern Arizona, Sol Dog Lodge and Training Center, Sister Jose Women’s Center, and Youth On Their Own.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jonathan B Mellin as president, Debra M Coy as secretary, Mark Liyeos as treasurer, and Susan Simpson and Howard B Simpson as directors.
John M Simpson Foundation is led by Jonathan B. Mellin, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jonathan B. Mellin
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Howard B. Simpson
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Susan Simpson
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Debra M. Coy
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mark Liyeos
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Susan S. Cavender (2020–2022) — Director
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 John M Simpson Foundation
How much does John M Simpson Foundation give each year?
John M Simpson Foundation gave $360K across 23 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $335K across 23 grants.
What is John M Simpson Foundation's typical grant size?
John M Simpson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $15,661, across 23 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John M Simpson Foundation that year got $17K on average.
Where does John M Simpson Foundation give grants?
John M Simpson Foundation gives mostly in Arizona: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (19%) and California (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tucson, AZ (16 grants).
Does John M Simpson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 70% of John M Simpson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are John M Simpson Foundation's largest grantees?
John M Simpson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Reid Park Zoological Society ($50,000), Boston College ($50,000) and Watotoworld ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is John M Simpson Foundation?
John M Simpson Foundation reported $5.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $370K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $345K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John M Simpson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working in areas such as animal protection, education, youth homelessness, services for unhoused women, behavioral health, literacy, housing support, and pet food assistance. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John M Simpson 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 John M Simpson Foundation's EIN?
John M Simpson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6071621. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does John M Simpson 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 October 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 November 11, 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 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John M Simpson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-m-simpson-foundation-morg_a3ac715319d04dceb05470e83e1e3b17
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366071621_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John M Simpson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-m-simpson-foundation-morg_a3ac715319d04dceb05470e83e1e3b17},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 John M Simpson 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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