Marsteller Family Foundation
The Marsteller Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Lake Forest, Illinois. Its 2025 filing states that it provides funding for educational scholarships and programs.
Marsteller Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Marsteller Family Foundation gave $200K across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Illinois. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $199,500
- -9.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- +37.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,045
- -34.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,541,403
- +2.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (8 of 31, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% 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 Marsteller Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 585 Bank Lane 3000, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Phone: (847) 234-5000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Marsteller Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Metropolitan Museum of Art ($38K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $147K.
Grant Size Distribution
152 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 149 grants of 152 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars in the 2025 filing went to recipients listed in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Marsteller Family Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 31 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 71% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 30% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 124% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $179K (2021) to $287K (2022). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $200K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Frick Collection Lake Forest, IL | General Support | $35,000 |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art Lake Forest, IL | General Support | $25,000 |
| Whitney Museum Lake Forest, IL | General Support | $15,000 |
| Alvin Ailey Ameri Dance Heater Scholarship Fund Lake Forest, IL | Scholarship Fund | $10,000 |
| Barnard College Lake Forest, IL | Marsteller Internship Program | $10,000 |
| Cardigan Mountain School Lake Forest, IL | General Support | $10,000 |
| Childrens Museum of Phoenix Lake Forest, IL | General Support | $10,000 |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art Lake Forest, IL | Dept of European Paintings | $10,000 |
| Vassar College Library Lake Forest, IL | John Stuart Gordon Presidential Initiatives Fund | $7,500 |
| American Friends of Attingham Lake Forest, IL | General Support | $6,500 |
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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 | $2,541,403 | $283,848 | $216,451 | $199,500 | 33 | $199,500 | $252,897 | $161,424 |
| 2024 | $2,474,006 | $367,703 | $236,803 | $220,000 | 24 | $220,945 | $351,845 | $150,204 |
| 2023 | $2,343,106 | $143,995 | $225,339 | $209,500 | 31 | $209,500 | $128,156 | $140,740 |
| 2022 | $2,424,450 | $93,755 | $303,680 | $286,792 | 32 | $286,792 | $77,415 | $159,277 |
| 2021 | $2,634,375 | $362,368 | $201,582 | $179,000 | 32 | $179,000 | $339,786 | $174,254 |
| 2020 | $2,473,589 | $355 | $234,069 | $212,000 | 29 | — | $50,712 | $163,268 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Marsteller Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $161K 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
The foundation describes its direct charitable activity as funding “various educational scholarships and programs.” Its 2025 grants included general support for museums and other organizations, as well as support for scholarship funds, an internship program, and a college library initiative.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 33 grants totaling $199,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $35,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
Among its largest reported grants were $35,000 to the Frick Collection for general support, $25,000 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for general support, and $15,000 to the Whitney Museum for general support. Other grants included $10,000 to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Scholarship Fund for its scholarship fund, $10,000 to Barnard College for the Marsteller Internship Program, and $7,500 to Vassar College Library for the John Stuart Gordon Presidential Initiatives Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John Stuart Gordon as president, Elizabeth M Gordon as executive vice president, Thomas E Gordon as treasurer, and Antonia Sivyer as secretary. It also lists Jay L Owen and Georgie Hanlin as directors.
Marsteller Family Foundation is led by John Stuart Gordon, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John Stuart Gordon
President
Vice President & Secretary → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jay L. Owen
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Georgie Hanlin
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth M. Gordon
Executive Vice President
President & Director → Executive Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Antonia Sivyer
Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas E. Gordon
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Tom Gordon (2020–2022) — Treasurer
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.
Frequently asked questions about Marsteller Family Foundation
How much does Marsteller Family Foundation give each year?
Marsteller Family Foundation gave $200K across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $220K across 24 grants.
What is Marsteller Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Marsteller Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,045, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Marsteller Family Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Marsteller Family Foundation give grants?
Marsteller Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lake Forest, IL (33 grants).
Does Marsteller Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 61% of Marsteller Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Marsteller Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Marsteller Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Metropolitan Museum of Art ($37,500 across 3 grants), Frick Collection ($35,000) and Whitney Museum ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Marsteller Family Foundation?
Marsteller Family Foundation reported $2.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $200K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $161K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Marsteller Family Foundation fund?
The foundation describes its direct charitable activity as funding “various educational scholarships and programs.” Its 2025 grants included general support for museums and other organizations, as well as support for scholarship funds, an internship program, and a college library initiative. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Marsteller Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Marsteller Family Foundation's EIN?
Marsteller Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3193322. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Marsteller 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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