Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Chicago, IL EIN: 36-4442342

The Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations including organizations working in cancer research, cultural programming, food assistance, reproductive health, and Holocaust remembrance.

Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation at a glance

In short: Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation gave $373K across 57 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in New York. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$372,860
+31.7% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
57
-3.4% vs 2024
Average grant
$6,541
+36.4% vs 2024
Median grant
$2,500
Total assets
$5,165,072
+3.2% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
19% first-time grantees (11 of 57, 2025)
Primary geography
New York (78% 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 Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson 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: 1 N Franklin St 625, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 960-2524

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Breast Cancer Research Foundation: $50KBreast Cancer ResearchFoundation$50KThe Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center: $50KThe Temple Emanu-El StreickerCultural Center$50KUS Holocaust Memorial Museum: $50KUS Holocaust Memorial Museum$50KElluminate: $40KElluminate$40KUJA Federation of New York: $30KUJA Federation of New York$30KADL Fighting Hate for Good: $15KADL Fighting Hate for Good$15KCity Harvest: $10KCity Harvest$10KMarlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan: $10KMarlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan$10KMoving Traditions: $10KMoving Traditions$10KPlanned Parenthood Federation of America: $10KPlanned Parenthood Federationof America$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Breast Cancer Research Foundation ($50K). Together the top 10 received $275K.

Grant Size Distribution

253 grants across all recorded years

244<$50K8$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 244 grants of 253 (96%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, recipients in New York received 78% of grant dollars and recipients in Washington, DC, received 14%. Recipients in Pennsylvania received 3%, California 2%, and recipients in an unspecified state 1%.

Grant Distribution by State

16states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 57 itemized grants.

Cities

New YorkPound RidgeLos AngelesWashingtonElkins ParkBrooklynStanfordChicagoYonkersAnn ArborNW WashingtonTeaneckArlingtonGreenwichSilver SpringBostonBrooklineCedarhurstHarpswellPhiladelphia

Is Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation open to new grantees?

19%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 11 of 57 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $6K. How we count

Medians: $3K first-time, $2K repeat.

  • 75% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+15%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 157% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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

$0$200K$400K$600K19 grants2019 23 grants2020 21 grants2021 55 grants2022 61 grants2023 59 grants2024 57 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $225K (2019) to $406K (2023). In 2025 it made 57 grants totaling $373K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Breast Cancer Research Foundation New York, NYAll contributions made for the intent established by the various charities$50,000
The Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center New York, NYAll contributions made for the intent established by the various charities$50,000
US Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington, DCAll contributions made for the intent established by the various charities$50,000
Elluminate New York, NYAll contributions made for the intent established by the various charities$40,000
UJA Federation of New York New York, NYAll contributions made for the intent established by the various charities$30,000
ADL Fighting Hate for Good New York, NYAll contributions made for the intent established by the various charities$15,000
City Harvest Brooklyn, NYAll contributions made for the intent established by the various charities$10,000
Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan New York, NYAll contributions made for the intent established by the various charities$10,000
Moving Traditions Elkins Park, PAAll contributions made for the intent established by the various charities$10,000
Planned Parenthood Federation of America New York, NYAll contributions made for the intent established by the various charities$10,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$5,165,072$544,066$333,753$372,86057$372,875$546,947$237,834
2024$5,004,759$458,397$284,817$283,03559$283,076$472,199$233,275
2023$4,881,179$211,134$507,565$406,25961$406,285$96,333$235,009
2022$5,077,610$46,487$336,272$325,37855$325,404$148,581$238,393
2021$5,391,915$398,513$285,716$282,24021$282,240$397,640$274,434
2020$5,322,470$144,054$244,894$244,62523—$143,800$241,732
2019$5,521,830$1,461,292$235,024$224,78019—$964,969$235,465

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $238K 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

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grantees describe a range of missions: for example, Elluminate says it empowers feminist Jewish women leaders and philanthropists to advance equity and social justice, while Moving Traditions says it emboldens Jewish youth to thrive through personal wellbeing, caring relationships, and a Jewish and feminist vision of equity and justice. Other supported organizations include the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, City Harvest, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 57 grants totaling $372,860. Awards ranged from $5 to $50,000, with a median of $2,500. Its largest reported grants were $50,000 each to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center, and U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Other notable 2025 grants included $40,000 to Elluminate, $30,000 to UJA Federation of New York, and $15,000 to ADL Fighting Hate for Good.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson as president and director, Allen Adamson as vice president and director, and Robert Trattner as secretary and treasurer.

Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation is led by Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson, President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson

    President & Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Allen Adamson

    Vice President & Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robert Trattner

    Secretary & Treasurer

    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 Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation

How much does Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation give each year?

Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation gave $373K across 57 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $283K across 59 grants.

What is Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation's typical grant size?

Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $6,541, across 57 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation that year got $8K on average.

Where does Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation give grants?

Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation gives mostly in New York: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (34 grants), Pound Ridge, NY (3 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).

Does Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 57 grants with a stated purpose on Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation's largest grantees?

Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Breast Cancer Research Foundation ($50,000), The Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center ($50,000) and US Holocaust Memorial Museum ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation?

Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation reported $5.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $373K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $238K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation fund?

No foundation mission statement is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson 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 Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation's EIN?

Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4442342. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson 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

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 28, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 6, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 3, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 12, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
  7. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 22, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/madelyn-bucksbaum-adamson-foundation-morg_e8532c1859824fb58023149379523cd6

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364442342_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/madelyn-bucksbaum-adamson-foundation-morg_e8532c1859824fb58023149379523cd6},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson 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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