Oppenheimer Family Foundation
The Oppenheimer Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation based in Ojai, California. Incorporated in 1953 in Illinois, the foundation has maintained tax-exempt status since March 1955. It operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic giving across multiple sectors and geographic regions.
Key facts about Oppenheimer Family Foundation
- EIN
- 36-6054015
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $300,615
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- Average grant
- $15,822
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 19, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (92% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Oppenheimer Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Oppenheimer Family Foundation's 19 itemized 2024 grants were Illinois (92%) and California (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (9 grants) and Ojai, CA (7 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Oppenheimer Family Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 19 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 95% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+3%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Oppenheimer Family Foundation
- How to evaluate Oppenheimer Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$301K
+14.5% YoY
Grant Count
19
-17.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
+38.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on giving primarily for the arts, education, the environment, and social services. Specific funding interests include:
- Arts and culture
- Arts services
- Arts education
- General education
- Environment
- Philanthropy and nonprofits
- Information and communications
- Communication media
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics:
Grant Range
$5,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation provides funding across multiple U.S. states and cities, including:
States: California, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, New York
Cities: Brookfield, Brooklyn, Chicago, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, Durham, Fort Lauderdale, Glen Ellyn, Lake Forest, Lakeland, Oakland, Ojai, Washington
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 19 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- Total assets (2024): $1,848,651
Annual Activity (2024):
- Total revenues: $349,954
- Total expenses: $339,168
- Total giving: $300,615
- Investment income and dividends: $35,384
- Grants and contributions received: $2,400
Staffing:
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
83 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Miscellaneous Available Upon Request ($119,115), Lake Forest College ($100,000), Her Story Theater ($10,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MISCELLANEOUS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST Chicago, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE | $119,115 |
| LAKE FOREST COLLEGE Lake Forest, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE | $100,000 |
| HER STORY THEATER Chicago, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE | $10,000 |
| LIVE THE SPIRIT RESIDENCY Chicago, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE | $10,000 |
| MERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC Chicago, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE | $10,000 |
| CHICAGO JAZZ PHILHARMONIC Chicago, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| HYDE PARK JAZZ FESTIVAL Chicago, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| JAZZ INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO Chicago, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| MADD RHYTHM Chicago, IL | GENERAL CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| OJAI VALLEY LAND CONSERVANCY Ojai, CA | GENERAL CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by a volunteer board:
- Edward H. Oppenheimer – President
- James Oppenheimer – Vice President
- Harry J. Oppenheimer – Vice President
- William J. Garmisa – Secretary
Leadership team members work on a voluntary or minimal compensation basis.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edward H Oppenheimer | President | 2 | — |
| James Oppenheimer | Vice-President | 2 | — |
| Harry J Oppenheimer | Vice-President | 5 | — |
| William J Garmisa | Secretary | 2 | — |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: 1064 Rancho Drive Ojai, CA 93023-1627
Telephone: 312-943-9484
EIN: 36-6054015
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Oppenheimer Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on giving primarily for the arts, education, the environment, and social services. Specific funding interests include: • Arts and culture • Arts services • Arts education • General education • Environment • Philanthropy and nonprofits • Information and communications • Communication media • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from Oppenheimer Family Foundation?
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics: **Grant Activity:** • Made 24 grants in 2024 • Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $200,000 • Median grant size: $5,000 • Maximum recent grant: $119,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • Lake Forest College: $100,000 • Her Story Theater NFP: $10,000 • Merit School of Music: $10,000 **Financial Giving:** • Total distributions (2024): $300,615 • Total giving (2023): $299,000
Where does Oppenheimer Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation provides funding across multiple U.S. states and cities, including: **States:** California, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, New York **Cities:** Brookfield, Brooklyn, Chicago, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, Durham, Fort Lauderdale, Glen Ellyn, Lake Forest, Lakeland, Oakland, Ojai, Washington
What size grants does Oppenheimer Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Oppenheimer Family Foundation awarded 19 grants totaling $301K — an average of about $16K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.