Lee Family Foundation
The Lee Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Lake Bluff, Illinois. It made 67 grants totaling $275,025 in 2025, supporting charitable organizations in Illinois and other states.
Lee Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Lee Family Foundation gave $275K across 67 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Illinois. 22% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $275,025
- -2.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 67
- +9.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,105
- -10.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $7,128,297
- +15.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (15 of 67, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (60% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Lee Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 108 W Witchwood Ln, Lake Bluff, IL 60044
Phone: (847) 234-0108
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lee Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mainstay Therapeutic Farm ($20K). Together the top 10 received $125K.
Grant Size Distribution
324 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 324 grants of 324 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 60% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 18% to Wisconsin, 6% to Texas, 5% to Washington, DC, and 4% to California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 67 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Lee Family Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 67 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $212K (2019) to $337K (2023). In 2025 it made 67 grants totaling $275K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mainstay Therapeutic Farm Richmond, IL | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Northern Illinois Food Bank Geneva, IL | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Citizens for Self Governence Houston, TX | Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| Prager University Foundation Sherman Oaks, CA | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| The Cradle Foundation Evanston, IL | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| The Heritage Foundation Washington, DC | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Alliance for the Great Lakes Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Camp Edwards YMCA East Troy, WI | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Salvation Army East Troy, WI | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Chicago Botanic Gardens Glencoe, IL | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,128,297 | $324,332 | $285,367 | $275,025 | 67 | $275,025 | $322,336 | $318,696 |
| 2024 | $6,184,360 | $383,722 | $283,805 | $281,129 | 61 | $281,129 | $381,727 | $303,927 |
| 2023 | $5,873,092 | $165,165 | $338,505 | $336,516 | 72 | $336,516 | $163,176 | $282,303 |
| 2022 | $6,169,155 | $162,347 | $280,767 | $267,300 | 62 | $267,310 | $159,241 | $299,049 |
| 2021 | $6,795,361 | $440,891 | $270,936 | $263,100 | 62 | $263,100 | $436,760 | $291,119 |
| 2020 | $5,482,307 | $130,641 | $248,391 | $245,858 | 54 | — | $131,503 | $242,873 |
| 2019 | $4,682,291 | $123,461 | $215,924 | $212,246 | 47 | — | $121,946 | $217,000 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lee Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $319K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
A mission statement for the foundation is not provided. Its grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Northern Illinois Food Bank says it provides meals and resources through a network of pantries and programs, while Alliance for the Great Lakes describes its mission as protecting, conserving, and restoring the Great Lakes. The Cradle Foundation says it raises funds to support The Cradle’s adoption programs and services. Other 2025 grantees included organizations whose stated missions concern community needs, conservation, and public policy.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 67 grants totaling $275,025. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $20,000, with a median of $2,500. Recent grant totals were $336,516 across 72 grants in 2023 and $281,129 across 61 grants in 2024.
Among its largest 2025 grants, Northern Illinois Food Bank received $20,000; Alliance for the Great Lakes, United Way of Lake County, The Cradle Foundation, The Heritage Foundation, and Prager University Foundation each received $10,000. These grants were listed as unrestricted.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists David R Lee and Justin L Lee as trustees.
Lee Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David R. Lee
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Justin L. Lee
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Lee Family Foundation
How much does Lee Family Foundation give each year?
Lee Family Foundation gave $275K across 67 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $281K across 61 grants.
What is Lee Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Lee Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $4,105, across 67 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lee Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Lee Family Foundation give grants?
Lee Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wisconsin (18%) and Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lake Forest, IL (10 grants), Lake Bluff, IL (8 grants), Chicago, IL (7 grants) and East Troy, WI (4 grants).
Does Lee Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Lee Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (67 of 67) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Lee Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Lee Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Mainstay Therapeutic Farm ($20,000), Northern Illinois Food Bank ($20,000) and Citizens for Self Governence ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Lee Family Foundation?
Lee Family Foundation reported $7.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $275K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $319K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Lee Family Foundation fund?
A mission statement for the foundation is not provided. Its grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lee Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Lee Family Foundation's EIN?
Lee Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4234640. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Lee Family 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 12, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 29, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Lee Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Lee Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lee-family-foundation-morg_8b7385589e694a499773ec1a8bc62f93
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364234640_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Lee Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/lee-family-foundation-morg_8b7385589e694a499773ec1a8bc62f93},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Lee Family 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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