Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation
The Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. In 2024, it reported grants to charitable organizations including groups working in health and research, reproductive health, Jewish community services, education, and the environment.
Key facts about Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation
In short: Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation gave $130K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in Illinois. 9% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 27-1961575
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $130,132
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- Average grant
- $11,830
- Median grant
- $4,254
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Total assets
- $724,829
- Primary geography
- Illinois (58% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$725K
-2.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$130K
+3.6% YoY
Grant Count
11
-8.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
+13.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $161K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 91% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+12%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024 grants included support for organizations whose missions, as described by the organizations themselves, include providing reproductive health care and education (Planned Parenthood of Illinois); investing in breast cancer research (Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation); supporting neuroscience research (Brain Research Foundation); and educating and empowering people to protect and improve the natural and human environment (Sierra Club Foundation).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $130,132. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $50,626, with a median of $4,254.
Among its largest reported grants were $50,626 to CURE Alzheimer’s Fund, $40,078 to Funding Interns ISA NFP, and $15,315 to Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago. Other grants included $5,105 to Planned Parenthood of Illinois, $4,254 each to Brain Research Foundation and Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation, and $4,000 to Sierra Club Foundation. The filing describes the Sierra Club Foundation grant as for the Illinois chapter of Sierra Club, woods and wetland. Several other listed grants are described as general and unrestricted, with the filing referring to in-kind grants.
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Ready to take the next step with Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 58% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 39% to recipients in Massachusetts, and 3% to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $86K (2020) to $130K (2024). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $130K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Cure Alzheimer's Fund ($51K). Together the top 10 received $130K.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 59 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cure Alzheimer's Fund Wellesley Hills, MA | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANTS - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $50,626 |
| Funding Interns Isa NFP Highland Park, IL | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANTS - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $40,078 |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago Chicago, IL | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANTS - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $15,315 |
| Planned Parenthood of Illinois Chicago, IL | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANTS - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $5,105 |
| Brain Research Foundation Chicago, IL | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANTS - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $4,254 |
| Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation Chicago, IL | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANTS - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $4,254 |
| Sierra Club Foundation Oakland, CA | Illinois chapter of Sierra club, woods and wetland | $4,000 |
| Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center Skokie, IL | General & Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| Window to the World Chicago, IL | General & Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| American Society for Technion- Israel Institute of Chicago, IL | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $724,829 | $31,660 | $162,817 | $130,132 |
| 2023 | $745,848 | $24,406 | $154,446 | $125,642 |
| 2022 | $835,084 | $86,524 | $146,694 | $117,500 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $724,829 | $745,848 | $835,084 |
| Revenue | $31,660 | $24,406 | $86,524 |
| Expenses | $162,817 | $154,446 | $146,694 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $138,348 | $133,235 | $125,404 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,191 | $8,141 | $65,634 |
| Distributable Amount | $160,845 | $131,780 | $133,725 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Neil Meltzer as president, director, and secretary. It lists Marlene Gordon and Brian Meltzer as directors and vice presidents. Listed vice presidents are Eric Gordon, Julia Klein, Alan Meltzer, Eric Meltzer, Marty Meltzer, Matthew Meltzer, and Stuart Meltzer.
Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation is led by Neil Meltzer, President, Director & Secretary on every filing since 2020; none of the 11 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Neil Meltzer
President, Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Meltzer
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marlene Gordon
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Trudy Meltzer
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alan Meltzer
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Gordon
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Meltzer
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julia Klein
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marty Meltzer
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Meltzer
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stuart Meltzer
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Frequently asked questions about Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation
How much does Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation give each year?
Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation gave $130K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $126K across 12 grants.
What is Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $4,254, and its average grant was $11,830, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation give grants?
Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (39%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (6 grants).
Does Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 91% of Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Cure Alzheimer's Fund ($50,626), Funding Interns Isa NFP ($40,078) and Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago ($15,315), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 81% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation?
Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation reported $725K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $138K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $161K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; 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 Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation's EIN?
Maurie & Ethel Meltzer Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-1961575. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Maurie & Ethel Meltzer 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.
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