Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation
The Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1986, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with no employees and focuses on philanthropic giving across education and wildlife conservation sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.8M
+1.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$153K
+8.2% YoY
Grant Count
16
-5.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
+15.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $162K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation gives primarily for education, with additional funding directed to waterfowl conservation. Specific funding priorities include:
- Educational scholarships and tuition support
- Waterfowl foundation support
- Predator management work
- Matching gifts
- Unrestricted grants to select organizations
Grantmaking
The foundation made 13 grants in 2024. Recent grant recipients and activities include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois and operates nationally, with documented grants to organizations in multiple states including Idaho and Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $2,830,257
- Total Revenues: $205,634
- Total Expenses: $187,644
- Number of Employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,830,257 | $2,789,825 | $2,830,012 |
| Revenue | $205,634 | $107,533 | $69,366 |
| Expenses | $187,644 | $175,910 | $210,293 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $158,624 | $148,418 | $172,772 |
| Net Investment Income | $157,483 | $72,409 | $49,718 |
| Distributable Amount | $162,217 | $161,457 | $165,555 |
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
80 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Blues Kids Foundation ($25,000), Saint Leonard's Ministries ($25,000), Francisco Mendoza ($13,141).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Blues Kids Foundation Mephis, TN | Blues Camp | $25,000 |
| University of Idaho Moscow, ID | Lynara J. Bennett Scholarship | $10,000 |
| University of Illinois Chicago, IL | Ryann Inniss Scholarship | $2,250 |
| Francisco Mendoza West Palm Beach, FL | Francisco Mendoza Scholarship | $13,141 |
| Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA | The Mellin Family Scholarship Fund | $5,000 |
| Abolitionist Law Center Pittsburg, PA | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Chicago Zoological Society Brookfield, IL | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Saint Leonard's Ministries Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Sista's with a PhD 501 Dallas, TX | Operating Costs and Project Development | $10,000 |
| Garwood Volunteer Fire Department Garwood, TX | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan B Mellin | President | — | — |
| Debra M Mcoy | Secratary | — | — |
| Naoma Donnelley | Director | — | — |
| Laren Donnelley | Director | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: 30 S Wacker Dr Ste 2875, Chicago, IL 60606-7482
Phone: 312-726-3110
EIN: 36-3487746
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation fund?
The foundation gives primarily for education, with additional funding directed to waterfowl conservation. Specific funding priorities include: • Educational scholarships and tuition support • Waterfowl foundation support • Predator management work • Matching gifts • Unrestricted grants to select organizations
How do I apply for a grant from Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation?
The foundation made 13 grants in 2024. Recent grant recipients and activities include: • **Abolitionist Law Center** — $10,000 (Unrestricted, 2024) • **University of Idaho** — $10,000 (Lynara J. Bennett Scholarship, 2024) • **Best Friends Animal Society** — $10,000 (Operational Support, 2024) • **Delta Waterfowl Foundation** — Grant recipient (2024) The foundation also provides tuition support for Nicholas Lane and Alexis Gurschke, supports the Mellin Family Scholarship Fund, and funds the Lyna…
Where does Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois and operates nationally, with documented grants to organizations in multiple states including Idaho and Colorado.
What size grants does Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $153K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $162K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation's EIN?
Mary Barnes Donnelley Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3487746. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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