Linder Family Foundation
The Linder Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Lake Villa, Illinois. Its 2025 grants supported charitable organizations addressing hunger, literacy and education, disaster relief, veterans, animals, and healthcare, among other stated purposes.
Key facts about Linder Family Foundation
In short: Linder Family Foundation gave $68K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Illinois. 53% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 84-2879235
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $68,345
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- Average grant
- $4,556
- Median grant
- $2,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 53% first-time grantees (8 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $803,600
- Primary geography
- Illinois (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states on its 2024 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$804K
-7.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$68K
+72.1% YoY
Grant Count
15
+150.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
-31.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Linder Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $41K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Linder Family Foundation open to new grantees?
53%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 15 grantees (53%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 27% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 80% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 226% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in several areas. For example, Bernie’s Book Bank says it supplies children with free, high-quality books to build home libraries. Animal Wellness Foundation says it focuses on animal protection, with companion-animal care at its core. The Los Angeles Fire Department says its foundation maintains a museum and educates the public about the department’s history.
Other 2025 grants included support for hunger relief, veterans, animals, healthcare, and adaptive sports. These are the purposes listed for individual grants, not a stated mission of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 15 grants totaling $68,345. Grant amounts ranged from $345 to $20,000, with a median grant of $2,500.
Notable 2025 grants included $20,000 to Northern IL Food Bank for “Solve Hunger” and $15,000 to Bernie’s Book Bank for literacy and education. The foundation also gave $5,000 each to the Los Angeles Fire Department and LA Regional Food Bank for disaster relief, $5,000 to Habitat for Humanity for support for military veterans, and $5,000 to Animal Wellness Foundation for disaster relief.
How to Apply
The foundation states on its 2024 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. The filing lists Greg W Linder as the person to contact.
Ready to take the next step with Linder Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 53% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 26% to California, 10% to Wisconsin, 4% to Ohio, and 4% to Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $26K (2020) to $68K (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $68K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Northern IL Food Bank ($20K). Together the top 10 received $65K.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 59 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Northern IL Food Bank Geneva, IL | Solve Hunger | $20,000 |
| Bernie's Book Bank Lake Bluff, IL | Support for Literacy and Education | $15,000 |
| Los Angeles Fire Department Los Angeles, CA | Disaster Relief | $5,000 |
| La Regional Food Bank Los Angeles, CA | Disaster Relief | $5,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity La Crosse, WI | Support for Military Veterans | $5,000 |
| Animal Wellness Foundation Marina Del Ray, CA | Disaster Relief | $5,000 |
| Cincinnati Zoo Cincinnati, OH | Support for Animals | $2,500 |
| Mayo Foundation Rochester, MN | Support for Healthcare | $2,500 |
| Pasadena Humane Society Pasadena, CA | Support for Animals | $2,500 |
| ASPCA New York, NY | Prevention of Cruelty to Animals | $2,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $803,600 | $30,847 | $92,370 | $68,345 | 15 |
| 2024 | $865,729 | $41,219 | $68,789 | $39,702 | 6 |
| 2023 | $893,297 | $381,313 | $71,630 | $47,761 | 14 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $803,600 | $865,729 | $893,297 |
| Revenue | $30,847 | $41,219 | $381,313 |
| Expenses | $92,370 | $68,789 | $71,630 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $92,344 | $63,436 | $71,604 |
| Net Investment Income | $30,821 | $41,193 | $381,287 |
| Distributable Amount | $40,840 | $42,999 | $40,204 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 24, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Greg W Linder as director, PR; Margaret E Linder as secretary; and Stephen J Linder as treasurer.
Linder Family Foundation is led by Greg W. Linder, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Greg W. Linder
Director & President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Stephen J. Linder
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
$16K (2023) → $0 (2025)
Margaret E. Linder
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $16K, to Stephen J Linder (Treasurer).
Contact
Application contact: Greg W Linder
Mailing address: 39163 Gelden Lane, Lake Villa, IL 60046
Phone: (224) 261-6691
Frequently asked questions about Linder Family Foundation
How much does Linder Family Foundation give each year?
Linder Family Foundation gave $68K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $40K across 6 grants.
What is Linder Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Linder Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $4,556, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Linder Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Linder Family Foundation give grants?
Linder Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (26%) and Wisconsin (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Linder Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Linder Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support for Animals" (3 grants) and "Disaster Relief" (3 grants).
Who are Linder Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Linder Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Northern IL Food Bank ($20,000), Bernie's Book Bank ($15,000) and Los Angeles Fire Department ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Linder Family Foundation?
Linder Family Foundation reported $804K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $92K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $41K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Linder Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in several areas. For example, Bernie’s Book Bank says it supplies children with free, high-quality books to build home libraries. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Linder Family Foundation?
The foundation states on its 2024 filing that it 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 Linder Family Foundation's EIN?
Linder Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-2879235. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Linder 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.
Here's the math on researching Linder Family Foundation by hand.
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