The Lewis-Sebring Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 1996 and based in Evanston, Illinois. It was founded by Charles Ashby Lewis, a retired Merrill Lynch investment banking executive who served as the firm's vice chairman for much of his nearly 34-year tenure, and his wife Penny Bender Sebring. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since January 1998.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.6M
+47.6% YoY
Grant Count
50
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$31K
+47.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation gives primarily for education and children and social services. Its grantmaking interests include:
- K-12 education
- Higher education
- Youth services
- Arts and culture
- Human services
The foundation has historically focused significant resources on urban education initiatives and maintains a particular commitment to supporting organizations in the Chicago and Evanston areas.
Grantmaking
The foundation has a history of making substantial grants to major institutions. Notable past support includes a $5 million grant to the University of Chicago to support its work improving urban schooling in Chicago and nationwide.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily directs funding toward organizations in the Chicago and Evanston areas, with some support extending to Illinois, the District of Columbia, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $5,160,071
- Total Revenue: $2,067,933
- Total Expenses: $1,702,266
- Net Income: $365,667
- Total Liabilities: $0
Revenue Breakdown (2024):
- Total grants and contributions: $1,800,000
- Investment income and dividends: $267,933
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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
168 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
Board Members:
- Charles A. Lewis (Chairman & Director)
- Penny Bender Sebring (President & Director)
- Kathryn Lewis Varela (Vice-President)
- Lisa S. Carreras (Secretary)
- Peter C. Lewis (Treasurer & Director)
Staff: The foundation operates with one employee.
Founder Background: Charles Ashby Lewis is a graduate of Amherst College and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He later founded Coach House Capital. Penny Bender Sebring is a senior research associate at the University of Chicago and co-founded the Consortium on Chicago School Research as part of the University of Chicago's Urban Education Institute.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KATHRYN LEWIS VARELA | PRESIDENT | 40 | $123,080 |
| LISA S CARRERAS | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| PETER C LEWIS | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| CHARLES A LEWIS | CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| PENNY BENDER SEBRING | VICE CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 2735 Sheridan Road Evanston, IL 60201-1727
Telephone: 847-864-9615
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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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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