Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker CHICAGO, IL EIN: 23-7028857 Website

The Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation is a private family foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, established in 1969. Operating as a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation functions as a social impact investor dedicated to supporting community-based organizations that improve the lives of under-resourced populations.

Key facts about Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation

EIN: 23-7028857
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $3,318,955
Grants made (2024): 113
Average grant: $29,371
Median grant: $10,000
Total assets: $16,568,393
Primary geography: Illinois (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026.

Who Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation's 113 itemized 2024 grants were Illinois (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (113 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$16.6M

-8.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.3M

-3.7% YoY

Grant Count

113

-11.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$29K

+9.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation reported a distributable amount of $827K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Youth services and youth development
Community development and revitalization
Health equity and cancer disparities
Arts and cultural organizations
Organizations serving under-resourced populations

The foundation has made a strategic decision to fund organizations providing direct service to people in their communities, recognizing that people living and working in these communities understand their needs best.

Grantmaking

The foundation is an active grantmaker, having made 127 grants in the most recent reporting year. Recent grants include:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports organizations in Chicago and Los Angeles, with particular emphasis on Chicago's communities. Recent strategic investments have focused on Chicago's Greater Englewood community.

Grant Distribution by State

Illinois $15.4M (100%)

States

Illinois

Cities

Chicago

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $16,568,393
Total Revenues: $1,860,954
Total Expenses: $3,448,828

As of 2023:

Total Assets: $18,200,000
Total Liabilities: $0
Total Giving: $3,445,733

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$16,568,393	$18,156,267	$22,905,881
Revenue	$1,860,954	$-1,173,822	$-2,414,997
Expenses	$3,448,828	$3,575,792	$4,360,377
Qualifying Distributions	$3,327,905	$3,453,485	$3,542,064
Net Investment Income	$1,669,606	$655,263	—
Distributable Amount	$827,264	$944,234	$1,173,527

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

631 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Connections for the Homeless ($450,000), Feinberg School of Medicine Batlle Discretionary ($225,000), West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation ($215,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
CONNECTIONS FOR THE HOMELESS CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL UNRESTRICTED, EXEMPT PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION	$450,000
FEINBERG SCHOOL OF MEDICINE BATLLE DISCRETIONARY CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL UNRESTRICTED, EXEMPT PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION	$225,000
WEST COAST SPORTS MEDICINE FOUNDATION CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL UNRESTRICTED, EXEMPT PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION	$215,000
BETTER GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL UNRESTRICTED, EXEMPT PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION	$100,000
CORNELL UNIVERSITY CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL UNRESTRICTED, EXEMPT PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION	$100,000
DOVETAIL PROJECT CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL UNRESTRICTED, EXEMPT PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION	$100,000
FRIENDS OF ELNET CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL UNRESTRICTED, EXEMPT PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION	$100,000
YOUNG CHICAGO AUTHORS CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL UNRESTRICTED, EXEMPT PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION	$100,000
CHAMAH CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL UNRESTRICTED, EXEMPT PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION	$75,000
ECHOES OF HOPE CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL UNRESTRICTED, EXEMPT PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION	$75,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Janice Feinberg - President of the Feinberg Foundation
Rhonda Feinberg - Trustee and breast cancer survivor
Joseph Feinberg - Trustee

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JANICE FEINBERG	PRESIDENT, ASST SEC, TREAS	30	—
JOSEPH FEINBERG	VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY	4	—
RHONDA FEINBERG	DIRECTOR	1	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation has been actively engaged in strategic philanthropic initiatives:

**Health Equity Work**: Made a significant gift to Northwestern University's Center for Health Equity Transformation to address cancer disparities affecting Black women in Chicago, inspired by connections made through the television series *The Chi*.

**Community Development**: Focusing investments in Chicago's Greater Englewood community as part of strategic community revitalization efforts.

**Arts Education**: Recognized as a committed supporter of The People's Music School, championing youth music education in under-resourced communities.

**Black History Month**: Provided a $300,000 donation to The Dovetail Project to kick off Black History Month programming.

The Dovetail Project Kicks Off Black History Month With $300,000 Donation

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation fund?

The foundation is committed to effective community and cultural investments through its philanthropy. The organization prioritizes funding direct service providers and community-based organizations working on the ground in their communities. Key focus areas include: • Youth services and youth development • Community development and revitalization • Health equity and cancer disparities • Arts and cultural organizations • Organizations serving under-resourced populations The foundation has made a…

How do I apply for a grant from Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation?

The foundation is an active grantmaker, having made 127 grants in the most recent reporting year. Recent grants include: • Connections for the Homeless: $450,000 • Young Chicago Authors: $100,000 • Better Government Association: $100,000 • The Dovetail Project: $300,000 • Timeline Theatre (among other grantees) Total giving in 2023 was $3,445,733, with total grants made in 2024 reaching approximately $1.8 million across 127 grants.

Where does Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation make grants?

What size grants does Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation award?

In 2024, Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation awarded 113 grants totaling $3.3M — an average of about $29K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation reported a distributable amount of $827K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation's EIN?

Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7028857. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.