Kaufman Family Foundation
The Kaufman Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Kenilworth, Illinois. Established in 2018, it operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across multiple focus areas.
Key facts about Kaufman Family Foundation
- EIN
- 82-4077901
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $624,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 34
- Average grant
- $18,353
- Median grant
- $5,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (15 of 34, 2024)
- Total assets
- $4,876,456
- Primary geography
- Illinois (74% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Kaufman Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Kaufman Family Foundation's 34 itemized 2024 grants were Illinois (74%), New York (10%) and Montana (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (13 grants), New York, NY (4 grants), Bozeman, MT (2 grants) and Helena, MT (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Kaufman Family Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 34 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 303% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 239% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). 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 Kaufman Family Foundation
- How to evaluate Kaufman Family Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.9M
+1.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$624K
-15.5% YoY
Grant Count
34
+17.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$18K
-27.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Kaufman Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $262K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grant-making priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Arts and Creative Writing
- Historic Buildings
- Journalism
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Illinois
- New York
- Montana
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 34 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | Amount (2024) |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,876,456 |
| Total Revenue | $715,000 |
| Total Expenses | $663,000 |
| Total Liabilities | $0 |
| Total Giving | $624,000 |
The foundation maintains a strong financial position with no outstanding liabilities and consistent annual giving activity.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,876,456 | $4,824,791 | $4,144,036 |
| Revenue | $714,549 | $1,479,911 | $1,404,247 |
| Expenses | $662,884 | $799,156 | $244,102 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $627,175 | $738,100 | $232,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $465,643 | $1,237,533 | $1,273,274 |
| Distributable Amount | $262,267 | $203,740 | $176,133 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- 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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
103 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Old Town School of Folk Music ($160,000), Chicago Symphony Orchestra ($120,000), The University of Chicago ($70,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC Chicago, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $160,000 |
| CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Chicago, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $120,000 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Chicago, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $70,000 |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $37,500 |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND (JUF) Chicago, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| GVLT Bozeman, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| TEMPLE JEREMIAH Northfield, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| NTEF Lacey, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO Chicago, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $12,000 |
| THE LOWELL SCHOOL Whitestone, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by family members:
- Kenneth Kaufman – President and Director (founder; chair and managing director of Kaufman Hall, a health care consulting firm)
- Barbara Kaufman – Director, Vice President & Treasurer
- Rebecca Kaufman – Director, Secretary
- Sara Kaufman Elsasser – Director, Assistant Secretary
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Kaufman | Director, President | 1 | — |
| Barbara Kaufman | Director, VP & Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Rebecca Kaufman | Director, Secretary | 1 | — |
| Sara Kaufman Elsasser | Director, Assistant Secretary | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Kaufman Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's grant-making priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Arts and Creative Writing • Historic Buildings • Journalism
How do I apply for a grant from Kaufman Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving: $624,000 (2024) • Typical award range: $1,000–$160,000 • The foundation distributes grants primarily to nonprofit organizations aligned with its focus areas **Financial Position:** • Total assets: $4,876,456 (2024) • Total expenses: $663,000 (2024) • Total revenue: $715,000 (2024)
Where does Kaufman Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Illinois • New York • Montana
What size grants does Kaufman Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Kaufman Family Foundation awarded 34 grants totaling $624K — an average of about $18K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Kaufman Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Kaufman Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $262K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Kaufman Family Foundation's EIN?
Kaufman Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-4077901. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.