Lavin Family Foundation
The Lavin Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1964 by the family that founded the Alberto Culver Company. Based in Chicago, Illinois, the foundation operates under the banner of "Innovative Philanthropy at Work" to create new, entrepreneurial initiatives that extend its philanthropic reach beyond traditional funding channels. The foundation is directed by the second and third generations of the Lavin family.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$3.7M
-24.3% YoY
Grant Count
41
-10.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$89K
-15.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is rooted in measurable impact and strengthening communities through forward-thinking, collaborative initiatives. Core funding priorities include:
- Health Care: Support for health care organizations and rehabilitative services for those in need
- Education: Funding for educational opportunities, with particular emphasis on K-12 education and support for under-resourced schools
- Family Services: Programs designed to strengthen families, with specific focus on helping mothers and children
- Human Services: Support for nonprofits, schools, universities, medical institutions, synagogues, and churches
- Women's Advancement: Programs helping women advance in the workplace, with emphasis on working mothers
The foundation has demonstrated flexibility in its priorities, adapting to emerging community needs. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation launched the "Feed It Forward" initiative despite not traditionally focusing on food access, recognizing an urgent need to support both struggling families and local restaurants.
Grantmaking
The foundation launched the "Feed It Forward" initiative in mid-March 2020, committing over $2 million to support impacted local charities and restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. This initiative provided meals to those in need while financially supporting independent, locally-owned restaurants. The program engaged over 50 independent restaurants and caterers across the Chicago area.
Grant Range
s and Activity:**
Average Grant
approximately $112,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's giving is primarily concentrated in the Greater Chicago area, with some support extended nationally. Recent grantmaking has also included support in New York and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Annual Giving (2023-2024):
- Total assets: $50,260,566 (2024)
- Total assets: $46.7 million (2023)
- Annual giving: $4,826,000 (2023)
- Revenue: $6,809,890 (2023)
- Expenses: $5,405,637 (2023)
- Total liabilities: $0 (2023)
Tax Status:
- Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since November 1964
- EIN: 36-6106074
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
228 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Carol Lavin Bernick is identified as a principal leader of the foundation. She is the former executive chairman of Alberto-Culver Company and founded Enchanted Backpack in 2017. The foundation is directed by multiple generations of the Lavin and Bernick families, emphasizing hands-on engagement with grantees and community needs.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAROL BERNICK | PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| ELIZABETH HUBER | VICE PRESIDENT AND SECRETA | 0.5 | — |
| KAREN S LAVIN | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| CRAIG L BERNICK | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| PETER A BERNICK | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| PRESTON LAVIN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation demonstrated significant responsive grantmaking during the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2020, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot publicly thanked the Lavin Family Foundation for donating more than $2 million to charities and nonprofits through the "Feed It Forward" initiative. This program empowered numerous organizations across the Chicago area to engage over 50 independent restaurants and caterers, providing meal provisions through April, May, and beyond 2020.
Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine Make Record-Breaking $12 Million ScholarshipOne Family Illinois, an organization serving children in foster care, was among the recipients of this initiative's support, helping foster parents who had assumed additional caregiving roles during the pandemic.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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