Nickum Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Hinsdale, IL EIN: 38-3141920

NICKUM FOUNDATION is a private foundation based in Hinsdale, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including education, health, housing, and land-conservation organizations.

Key facts about Nickum Foundation

In short: Nickum Foundation gave $181K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $18K), mostly in Michigan. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
38-3141920
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$181,000
Grants made (2025)
10
Average grant
$18,100
Median grant
$16,750
New grantees (estimate)
20% first-time grantees (2 of 10, 2025)
Total assets
$2,025,088
Primary geography
Michigan (62% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 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 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.0M

-3.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$181K

+20.7% YoY

Grant Count

10

+42.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$18K

-15.5% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Nickum Foundation reported a distributable amount of $191K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Nickum Foundation open to new grantees?

20%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 2 of 10 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $18K. How we count

Medians: $20K first-time, $17K repeat.

  • 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 95% 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 (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included universities and colleges, a hospital foundation, a housing trust, an education foundation, and a land conservancy. The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy describes its mission as protecting significant natural, scenic, and farm lands and advancing land stewardship. Rollins College describes its mission as educating students for global citizenship and responsible leadership, while Northwestern University describes a commitment to teaching, research, and students’ personal and intellectual growth.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $181,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $30,000, with a median of $16,750. The largest listed grants were $30,000 to Housing Trust of Benzie; $25,000 each to Denison University, Frankfort-Elberta Education Foundation, and Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital Foundation; and $20,000 to Cranbrook Schools. Other listed grants included $13,500 to the University of Iowa, $12,500 to Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, and $10,000 each to Northwestern University, Rollins College, and Santa Clara University. All listed grants were for general support.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in Michigan (62%), Ohio (14%), Iowa (7%), Illinois (6%), and Florida (6%). The listed grants also included a recipient in California.

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of all 10 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

Cities

FrankfortBloomfieldChicagoGranvilleEvanstonFrankforstIowa CityWinter ParkNapervilleOak ParkTraverse CityHinsdaleLisleDowners GroveInterlochenSanta Clara

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K12 grants20209 grants202112 grants20228 grants20237 grants202410 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $150K (2020) to $181K (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $181K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Housing Trust of Benzie: $30KHousing Trust of Benzie$30KDenison University: $25KDenison University$25KFrankfort-Elberta Education Foundation: $25KFrankfort-Elberta EducationFoundation$25KPaul Oliver Memorial Hospital Foundation: $25KPaul Oliver Memorial HospitalFoundation$25KCranbrook Schools: $20KCranbrook Schools$20KUniversity of Iowa: $14KUniversity of Iowa$14KGrand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy: $13KGrand Traverse Regional LandConservancy$13KNorthwestern University: $10KNorthwestern University$10KRollins College: $10KRollins College$10KSanta Clara University: $10KSanta Clara University$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Housing Trust of Benzie ($30K). Together the top 10 received $181K.

Grant Size Distribution

46 grants across all recorded years

45<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 45 grants of 46 (98%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Housing Trust of Benzie Frankfort, MIGeneral Support$30,000
Denison University Granville, OHGeneral Support$25,000
Frankfort-Elberta Education Foundation Frankfort, MIGeneral Support$25,000
Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital Foundation Frankfort, MIGeneral Support$25,000
Cranbrook Schools Bloomfield, MIGeneral Support$20,000
University of Iowa Iowa City, IAGeneral Support$13,500
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy Traverse City, MIGeneral Support$12,500
Northwestern University Evanston, ILGeneral Support$10,000
Rollins College Winter Park, FLGeneral Support$10,000
Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CAGeneral Support$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $2,025,088 $130,442 $207,761 $181,000
2024 $2,102,407 $155,098 $173,157 $150,000
2023 $2,119,463 $87,632 $187,556 $165,000
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$100K$200K$300K$400K202020212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$2,025,088$2,102,407$2,119,463
Revenue$130,442$155,098$87,632
Expenses$207,761$173,157$187,556
Qualifying Distributions$182,295$151,277$166,265
Net Investment Income$107,706$133,218$66,341
Distributable Amount$190,934$178,337$156,102

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 5, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Johanna N. McClear as president, Kevin R. McClear as vice president, Chris R. McClear as treasurer, and Richard J. McClear as secretary.

Nickum Foundation is led by Johanna N. McClear, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Johanna N. McClear

    President

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chris R. McClear

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kevin R. McClear

    Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Richard J. McClear

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

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.

Contact

Mailing address: 724 S Madison Street, Hinsdale, IL 60521
Phone: (630) 920-7038

Frequently asked questions about Nickum Foundation

How much does Nickum Foundation give each year?

Nickum Foundation gave $181K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $150K across 7 grants.

What is Nickum Foundation's typical grant size?

Nickum Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $16,750, and its average grant was $18,100, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Nickum Foundation that year got $20K on average.

Where does Nickum Foundation give grants?

Nickum Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Ohio (14%) and Iowa (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Frankfort, MI (3 grants).

Does Nickum Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Nickum Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Nickum Foundation's largest grantees?

Nickum Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Housing Trust of Benzie ($30,000), Denison University ($25,000) and Frankfort-Elberta Education Foundation ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Nickum Foundation?

Nickum Foundation reported $2.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $182K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $191K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Nickum Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included universities and colleges, a hospital foundation, a housing trust, an education foundation, and a land conservancy. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Nickum Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that 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 Nickum Foundation's EIN?

Nickum Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3141920. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Nickum Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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