The Matthew Zell Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, located at 2 N Riverside Plaza, Suite 600. Established in June 2019, it operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across multiple focus areas.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$49.6M
+36.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.7M
-28.0% YoY
Grant Count
22
+22.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$77K
-41.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Matthew Zell Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming practices
- Entrepreneurship
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on a preselected grantee model, typically selecting recipients rather than accepting unsolicited proposals.
Grant Range
of $10,000 and a maximum grant of $1.5 million
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Illinois
- Missouri
- Wisconsin
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $36.2 million
- Total Revenue: $10.5 million
- Total Investments: $31.8 million
- Total Liabilities: $1.85 million
- Total Contributions: $9.7 million
The foundation has experienced exceptional growth over its five-year history since establishment.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $49,602,566 | $36,238,740 | $26,581,128 |
| Revenue | $15,451,021 | $10,508,387 | $9,611,861 |
| Expenses | $1,092,033 | $3,809,207 | $1,159,131 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,575,579 | $2,483,127 | $402,802 |
| Net Investment Income | $9,269,196 | $2,108,602 | $1,636,430 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,716,674 | $1,668,129 | $904,901 |
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 The Nature Conservancy ($500,000), Imagine H2O Inc ($325,000), Powell Gardens Inc ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Modeling Teachers Association Boothwyn, PA | Education | $5,000 |
| Blue Forest Finance Inc Sacramento, CA | Sustainability | $50,000 |
| Camp Ramah in Wisconsin Inc Chicago, IL | Cultural and Religious | $118,000 |
| Carmel Catholic High School Mundelein, IL | Education | $5,000 |
| Ida Crown Jewish Academy Skokie, IL | Cultural and Religious | $5,000 |
| Imagination Productions Inc (DBA OpenDor Media) Sunrise, FL | Cultural and Religious | $1,000 |
| Imagine H2O Inc San Fransisco, CA | Sustainability | $325,000 |
| Inheiritance Project LTD New York, NY | Cultural and Religious | $5,000 |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago Chicago, IL | Cultural and Religious | $10,000 |
| Maot Chitim Northbrook, IL | Cultural and Religious | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation's leadership structure includes:
- Matthew Zell — President
- Philip Tinkler — Vice President
- Joseph Miron — Vice President
- Lucille McFarland — Vice President & Secretary
- Michael Shiner — Vice President & Treasurer
- Aaron Zell — Director
- Rina Zell — Director
- Raphael Zell — Director
All board members serve one hour per week with no compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Matthew Zell Family Foundation provided major investment support to the Savanna Institute's Tree Crop Improvement Program, designed to boost Midwestern farm profitability and sustainability.
The Savanna Institute launches Tree Crop Improvement Program to ...The foundation made a generous contribution to the Midwest Center for Regenerative Agriculture at Powell Gardens.
Midwest Center for Regenerative Agriculture at Powell Gardens Receives GenerousThe Zell Family Foundation created a landmark endowment for Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management Entrepreneurial Fellows Program.
Zell Family Foundation Creates Landmark Endowment for Kellogg\u2019s Entrepreneurial\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Matthew Zell Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's grantmaking priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming practices • Entrepreneurship
How do I apply for a grant from Matthew Zell Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • In 2023, the foundation made 18 grants with a median grant size of $10,000 and a maximum grant of $1.5 million • Total distributions in 2023: $2.5 million • Grant awards typically range from $1,000 to $1.5 million **Application Process:** The foundation operates on a preselected grantee model, typically selecting recipients rather than accepting unsolicited proposals.
Where does Matthew Zell Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Illinois • Missouri • Wisconsin
What size grants does Matthew Zell Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Matthew Zell Family Foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $1.7M — an average of about $77K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Matthew Zell Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Matthew Zell Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Matthew Zell Family Foundation's EIN?
Matthew Zell Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-2650859. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Matthew Zell Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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