Karmin Family Charitable Trust
Karmin Family Charitable Trust is a private grantmaking foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. The trust has been tax-exempt since March 2001 and operates as an independent charitable organization.
Key facts about Karmin Family Charitable Trust
- EIN
- 36-7329836
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $148,220
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- Average grant
- $4,632
- Median grant
- $1,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (6 of 32, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (64% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Karmin Family Charitable Trust funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Karmin Family Charitable Trust's 32 itemized 2025 grants were Illinois (64%), District of Columbia (20%) and Pennsylvania (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (13 grants), Palm Desert, CA (3 grants), Glencoe, IL (2 grants) and Rancho Mirage, CA (2 grants). None of its 32 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Promote Org's Activity by Gifts to Gen'l Rev Fund" (32 grants).
Is Karmin Family Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 32 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $675 first-time, $1K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Karmin Family Charitable Trust
- How to evaluate Karmin Family Charitable Trust as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$148K
+74.5% YoY
Grant Count
32
-11.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+96.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust focuses on general charitable purposes. Funding is highly concentrated in this broad category across its grantmaking activities.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains tight relationships with established partners, with only 15% of recent grant recipients being new grantees.
Grant Range
(all years): $500
Ready to take the next step with Karmin Family Charitable Trust?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust concentrates its funding in Illinois, with 70% of all grants awarded statewide. Within Illinois, funding is further concentrated in Chicago (65%), Glencoe (10%), and Highland Park (4%). The foundation has also awarded grants to organizations in California and nine other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 32 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total assets: $764,474 (as of latest tax year 2023)
- Total giving (all years): $428,551
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
159 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Jewish United Fund ($50,500), US Holocaust Museum ($30,000), Ravinia Festival ($10,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| JEWISH UNITED FUND Chicago, IL | PROMOTE ORG'S ACTIVITY BY GIFTS TO GEN'L REV FUND | $50,500 |
| US HOLOCAUST MUSEUM Washington, DC | PROMOTE ORG'S ACTIVITY BY GIFTS TO GEN'L REV FUND | $30,000 |
| RAVINIA FESTIVAL Highland Park, IL | PROMOTE ORG'S ACTIVITY BY GIFTS TO GEN'L REV FUND | $10,000 |
| HIGHER GROUND Elkins Park, PA | PROMOTE ORG'S ACTIVITY BY GIFTS TO GEN'L REV FUND | $10,000 |
| SECURE COMMUNITY NETWORK Chicago, IL | PROMOTE ORG'S ACTIVITY BY GIFTS TO GEN'L REV FUND | $10,000 |
| AM SHALOM Glencoe, IL | PROMOTE ORG'S ACTIVITY BY GIFTS TO GEN'L REV FUND | $6,200 |
| ISRAEL POLICY FORUM New York, NY | PROMOTE ORG'S ACTIVITY BY GIFTS TO GEN'L REV FUND | $5,000 |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY YOUTH SERVICES Chicago, IL | PROMOTE ORG'S ACTIVITY BY GIFTS TO GEN'L REV FUND | $5,000 |
| COUNCIL FOR JEWISH ELDERLY Chicago, IL | PROMOTE ORG'S ACTIVITY BY GIFTS TO GEN'L REV FUND | $3,500 |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE DESERT Rancho Mirage, CA | PROMOTE ORG'S ACTIVITY BY GIFTS TO GEN'L REV FUND | $3,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Ernest A. Karmin is associated with the trust as a principal and was listed in connection with the organization in 2021. The trust is also identified as "Karmin Ernest A & Harriet R Ttees" in IRS filings, indicating Harriet R. Karmin's involvement as a trustee.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harriet Karmin | Trustee | — | — |
| Mark Karmin | Trustee | — | — |
| Jonathan Karmin | Trustee | — | — |
| Anthony Karmin | Trustee | — | — |
| James Karmin | Trustee | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Karmin Family Charitable Trust fund?
The trust focuses on general charitable purposes. Funding is highly concentrated in this broad category across its grantmaking activities.
How do I apply for a grant from Karmin Family Charitable Trust?
**Grant Activity:** • Total grants awarded (all years): $428,551 • Total number of grants (all years): 198 • Median grant size (all years): $500 • Individual grant range: $100 to $80,000 **Recent Activity (Latest Tax Year 2023):** • Total grants awarded: 26 • Median grant size: $775 • Median grant growth: +55% versus previous year • Funding trajectory shows 210% growth in annual giving over six years **New Applicant Approach:** The foundation maintains tight relationships with established partn…
Where does Karmin Family Charitable Trust make grants?
The trust concentrates its funding in Illinois, with 70% of all grants awarded statewide. Within Illinois, funding is further concentrated in Chicago (65%), Glencoe (10%), and Highland Park (4%). The foundation has also awarded grants to organizations in California and nine other states.
What size grants does Karmin Family Charitable Trust award?
In 2025, Karmin Family Charitable Trust awarded 32 grants totaling $148K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Karmin Family Charitable Trust's EIN?
Karmin Family Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7329836. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.