Pakula-Axelrad Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Highland Park, IL EIN: 36-6018850

Pakula-Axelrad Foundation is a private foundation, based in Highland Park, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $122K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $11K. Net investment income was $22K.

Pakula-Axelrad Foundation at a glance

In short: Pakula-Axelrad Foundation gave $11K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$10,595
+47.7% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
9
+50.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$1,177
-1.5% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,030
Total assets
$121,610
+8.4% vs 2024
Primary geography
Illinois (72% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Pakula-Axelrad Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 9 recipients in 2025

Am Shalom Temple: $4KAm Shalom Temple$4KRavinia Festival: $2KRavinia Festival$2KSarasota Memorial Healthcare Founda: $2KSarasota Memorial HealthcareFounda$2KInvest for Kids: $1KInvest for Kids$1KHighland Park Community Foundation: $1KHighland Park CommunityFoundation$1KIthaca College: $1KIthaca College$1KAmerican Cancer Hope Lodge: $264American Cancer Hope Lodge$264JFCS of the Suncoast: $250JFCS of the Suncoast$250Highland Park Library: $250Highland Park Library$250

The largest 2025 recipient was Am Shalom Temple ($4K). Together the top 9 received $11K.

Grant Size Distribution

34 grants across all recorded years

34<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 34 grants of 34 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.

Cities

ChicagoGlencoeHighland ParkSarasotaTampaIthacaCatasauguaCatasauquaEvanstonHagerstownNorthbrookWashington

How Pakula-Axelrad Foundation gives

  • Giving grew 43% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$5K$10K$15K2 grants2019 7 grants2020 5 grants2021 6 grants2022 8 grants2023 6 grants2024 9 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2019) to $11K (2025). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $11K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Am Shalom Temple Glencoe, ILSupport Religious Services$3,600
Ravinia Festival Highland Park, ILSupport of Community Musicians$1,667
Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Founda Sarasota, FLSupport Community Health Initiatives$1,500
Invest for Kids Chicago, ILAnnual Conference to Benefit Youth$1,034
Highland Park Community Foundation Highland Park, ILFor Victims of the HL Park Shooting$1,030
Ithaca College Ithaca, NYSupport of College Programs$1,000
American Cancer Hope Lodge Hagerstown, MDSupport Cancer Research and Patients$264
JFCS of the Suncoast Sarasota, FLProvide Childern with Counselling$250
Highland Park Library Highland Park, ILSupport Public Library$250
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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$121,610$22,191$12,794$10,5959$12,384$21,841$12,342
2024$112,213$-36,208$9,189$7,1736$8,434$2,265$10,231
2023$157,610$22,014$9,953$8,4848$9,695$21,836$8,610
2022$145,549$6,761$9,754$7,4306$8,697$5,737$9,742
2021$148,542$2,599$10,015$8,2005$9,571$2,396$11,887
2020$155,958$18,030$11,653$9,0607—$17,098$9,805
2019$149,581$32,518$9,427$6,0002—$30,427$7,774

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pakula-Axelrad Foundation reported a distributable amount of $12K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Pakula-Axelrad Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • James Axelrad

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Axelrad

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Brian Axelrad (2019–2024) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Pakula-Axelrad Foundation

How much does Pakula-Axelrad Foundation give each year?

Pakula-Axelrad Foundation gave $11K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $7K across 6 grants.

What is Pakula-Axelrad Foundation's typical grant size?

Pakula-Axelrad Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,030, and its average grant was $1,177, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Pakula-Axelrad Foundation give grants?

Pakula-Axelrad Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 72% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (17%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Highland Park, IL (3 grants) and Sarasota, FL (2 grants).

Does Pakula-Axelrad Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on Pakula-Axelrad Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are Pakula-Axelrad Foundation's largest grantees?

Pakula-Axelrad Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Am Shalom Temple ($3,600), Ravinia Festival ($1,667) and Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Founda ($1,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 64% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Pakula-Axelrad Foundation?

Pakula-Axelrad Foundation reported $122K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $12K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Pakula-Axelrad Foundation's EIN?

Pakula-Axelrad Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6018850. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

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

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 6, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 30, 2025)
  7. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Pakula-Axelrad 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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