Oppenheimer Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Ojai, CA EIN: 36-6054015

The Oppenheimer Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Ojai, California. Its 2024 grants supported organizations in Illinois and California, including a college, music and arts organizations, and a parks organization.

Oppenheimer Family Foundation at a glance

In short: Oppenheimer Family Foundation gave $130K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Illinois. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$130,200
-56.7% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
15
-21.1% vs 2024
Average grant
$8,680
-45.1% vs 2024
Median grant
$5,000
Total assets
$641,097
+130.2% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
13% first-time grantees (2 of 15, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Illinois (69% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Oppenheimer Family Foundation

How to Apply

The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applications should include a brief description of the grantee’s funding needs; the board may then request specific data. Each case is considered separately at the board’s discretion.

Review Cycle
Applications are accepted at any time.
Deadline
Applications are accepted at any time.
Contact

Application contact: Oppenheimer Family Foundation Co H
Mailing address: PO Box 277, Highland Park, IL 60035
Phone: (312) 943-9484

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Oppenheimer Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Miscellaneous Available Upon Request: $57KMiscellaneous Available UponRequest$57KOjai Valley Land Conservancy: $11KOjai Valley Land Conservancy$11KCapoeira El Paso: $11KCapoeira El Paso$11KMadd Rhythms: $10KMadd Rhythms$10KMerit School of Music: $6KMerit School of Music$6KHyde Park Jazz Festival: $6KHyde Park Jazz Festival$6KJazz Institute of Chicago: $5KJazz Institute of Chicago$5KWDCB Public Radio: $5KWDCB Public Radio$5KOjai Music Festival: $4KOjai Music Festival$4KOjai Valley Community Hospital: $4KOjai Valley Community Hospital$4K

The largest 2025 recipient was Miscellaneous Available Upon Request ($57K). Together the top 10 received $118K.

Grant Size Distribution

88 grants across all recorded years

80<$50K4$50–100K4$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 80 grants of 88 (91%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 8% to recipients in California. Listed recipients include organizations in Chicago, Lake Forest, and Ojai.

Grant Distribution by State

9states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.

Cities

ChicagoOjaiLake ForestBrookfieldGlen EllynBrooklynDurhamFt LauderdaleBrooklineDeerfield BeachDelray BeachEl PasoEtnaLakelandNew YorkOak ParkOaklandWashington

Is Oppenheimer Family Foundation open to new grantees?

13%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 2 of 15 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $8K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $4K repeat.

  • 87% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 65% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 151% 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

$0$250K$500K$750K$1M24 grants2020 17 grants2021 14 grants2022 23 grants2023 19 grants2024 15 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $130K (2025) to $906K (2020). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $130K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Miscellaneous Available Upon Request Chicago, ILGeneral Charitable$56,500
Ojai Valley Land Conservancy Ojai, CAGeneral Charitable$11,100
Capoeira El Paso El Paso, TXGeneral Charitable$10,800
Madd Rhythms Chicago, ILGeneral Charitable$10,000
Merit School of Music Chicago, ILGeneral Charitable$6,000
Hyde Park Jazz Festival Chicago, ILGeneral Charitable$5,800
Jazz Institute of Chicago Chicago, ILGeneral Charitable$5,000
WDCB Public Radio Glen Ellyn, ILGeneral Charitable$5,000
Ojai Music Festival Ojai, CAGeneral Charitable$4,000
Ojai Valley Community Hospital Ojai, CAGeneral Charitable$4,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$641,097$519,163$156,504$130,20015$130,200$490,259$86,460
2024$278,438$349,954$339,168$300,61519$300,615$308,984$89,856
2023$267,652$226,418$298,808$262,50023$272,020$201,730$88,428
2022$340,042$365,385$401,640$371,75014$380,810$346,431$100,753
2021$376,297$230,160$324,276$292,10017$302,131$201,408$114,544
2020$470,413$919,366$938,683$906,05024—$897,423$108,868

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Oppenheimer Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $86K 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

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for varied organizations. Lake Forest College describes its mission as providing post-secondary education leading to a baccalaureate degree. Merit School of Music says it works to remove barriers to high-quality music education for young people. The Jazz Institute of Chicago says its mission is to preserve and perpetuate jazz performance, education, and culture. Friends of the Parks says it mobilizes Chicago residents to support an equitable park system.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 19 grants totaling $300,615. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $119,115, with a median grant of $5,000. Its largest listed awards were $119,115 to Miscellaneous Available Upon Request and $100,000 to Lake Forest College, both for general charitable purposes. Other grants included $10,000 each to Her Story Theater, Live the Spirit Residency, and Merit School of Music. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 15 grants totaling $130,200.

The foundation made 23 grants totaling $262,500 in 2023 and 17 grants totaling $292,100 in 2021.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Edward H. Oppenheimer as president; James Oppenheimer and Harry J. Oppenheimer as vice-presidents; and William J. Garmisa as secretary.

Oppenheimer Family Foundation is led by Edward H. Oppenheimer, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Edward H. Oppenheimer

    President

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Harry J. Oppenheimer

    Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    $2K (2021) → $0 (2025)

  • William J. Garmisa

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: James Oppenheimer (2020–2024) — Vice President

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2023 IRS filing

Harry J Oppenheimer — Vice-President: $3KHarry J OppenheimerVice-President$3KJames Oppenheimer — Vice-President: $2KJames OppenheimerVice-President$2K

The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $3K, to Harry J Oppenheimer (Vice-President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Oppenheimer Family Foundation

How much does Oppenheimer Family Foundation give each year?

Oppenheimer Family Foundation gave $130K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $301K across 19 grants.

What is Oppenheimer Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Oppenheimer Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $8,680, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Oppenheimer Family Foundation that year got $10K on average.

Where does Oppenheimer Family Foundation give grants?

Oppenheimer Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (23%) and Texas (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Ojai, CA (7 grants) and Chicago, IL (5 grants).

Does Oppenheimer Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Oppenheimer Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Oppenheimer Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Oppenheimer Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Miscellaneous Available Upon Request ($56,500), Ojai Valley Land Conservancy ($11,100) and Capoeira El Paso ($10,800), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Oppenheimer Family Foundation?

Oppenheimer Family Foundation reported $641K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $130K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $86K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Oppenheimer Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for varied organizations. Lake Forest College describes its mission as providing post-secondary education leading to a baccalaureate degree. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Oppenheimer Family Foundation?

The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Oppenheimer Family Foundation's EIN?

Oppenheimer Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6054015. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

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

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 2, 2026)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 7, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 18, 2022)
  4. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 7, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 25, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Oppenheimer Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/oppenheimer-family-foundation-morg_b127d3e2c09f4f16a9bcebad6befc7d7

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366054015_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Oppenheimer Family Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/oppenheimer-family-foundation-morg_b127d3e2c09f4f16a9bcebad6befc7d7},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-11-06. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}

The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.

Figures come from Oppenheimer Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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