Robert & Susan Star Foundation
The Robert & Susan Star Foundation is a private foundation based in Highland Park, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports 19 grants totaling $17,750 to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Illinois.
Robert & Susan Star Foundation at a glance
In short: Robert & Susan Star Foundation gave $18K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $934.211), mostly in Illinois. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $17,750
- +262.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +46.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $934
- +147.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $250
- Total assets
- $157,386
- -3.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (6 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Robert & Susan Star Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation contributes only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1539 Linden Avenue, Highland Park, IL 60035
Phone: (847) 831-4109
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert & Susan Star Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American College of Chest Physicians ($10K). Together the top 10 received $16K.
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 87 grants of 87 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 6% to Massachusetts, 1% to Washington, DC, 1% to California, and less than 1% to Montana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Robert & Susan Star Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 19 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $450. How we count
Medians: $375 first-time, $250 repeat.
- 53% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+13%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 146% 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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5K (2024) to $18K (2025). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $18K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American College of Chest Physicians Glenview, IL | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Build Inc Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Mass Teacher Resources Woburn, MA | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Misericordia Family Association Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $500 |
| Waking in the Schools - Wits Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $500 |
| North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic Highland Park, IL | Unrestricted | $500 |
| Writers Theatre Glencoe, IL | Unrestricted | $500 |
| University of Chicago Law School Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $500 |
| Chicago Botanical Garden Glencoe, IL | Unrestricted | $300 |
| Jewish Child and Family Services Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $250 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $157,386 | $13,904 | $19,783 | $17,750 | 19 | $18,757 | $12,878 | $12,832 |
| 2024 | $163,265 | $3,970 | $6,700 | $4,900 | 13 | $5,800 | $3,070 | $12,130 |
| 2023 | $165,995 | $3,144 | $12,150 | $10,450 | 20 | $11,300 | $2,294 | $10,285 |
| 2022 | $175,001 | $2,839 | $15,685 | $15,685 | 20 | $15,685 | $2,839 | $9,047 |
| 2021 | $187,847 | $228 | $8,463 | $6,785 | 15 | — | — | $10,384 |
| 2020 | $195,432 | $9,634 | $8,350 | $6,850 | 12 | — | $8,884 | $8,914 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert & Susan Star Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13K 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 2025 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as chest-disease education and research, youth development, theatre, legal services, disability inclusion, and services for older adults. For example, the American College of Chest Physicians describes its mission as championing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases; BUILD says it works with youth facing systemic obstacles; and North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic says it provides free legal services in domestic violence, housing, and immigration.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 19 grants totaling $17,750. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $10,000, with a median grant of $250.
Its largest reported grants were $10,000 to the American College of Chest Physicians and $2,000 to BUILD INC. Other recipients included Mass Teacher Resources ($1,000); Misericordia Family Association, Waking in the Schools–WITS, North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic, Writers Theatre, and University of Chicago Law School ($500 each); and Chicago Botanical Garden ($300). The listed grants were unrestricted.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Susan A Star as director/president and Robert M Star as director/secretary.
Robert & Susan Star Foundation is led by Susan A. Star, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Susan A. Star
Director & President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert M. Star
Director & 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.
Frequently asked questions about Robert & Susan Star Foundation
How much does Robert & Susan Star Foundation give each year?
Robert & Susan Star Foundation gave $18K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $5K across 13 grants.
What is Robert & Susan Star Foundation's typical grant size?
Robert & Susan Star Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $250, and its average grant was $934, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert & Susan Star Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Robert & Susan Star Foundation give grants?
Robert & Susan Star Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (8 grants), Glencoe, IL (2 grants) and Highland Park, IL (2 grants).
Does Robert & Susan Star Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Robert & Susan Star Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Robert & Susan Star Foundation's largest grantees?
Robert & Susan Star Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include American College of Chest Physicians ($10,000), Build Inc ($2,000) and Mass Teacher Resources ($1,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Robert & Susan Star Foundation?
Robert & Susan Star Foundation reported $157K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $19K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $13K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Robert & Susan Star Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as chest-disease education and research, youth development, theatre, legal services, disability inclusion, and services for older adults. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert & Susan Star Foundation?
The foundation contributes only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Robert & Susan Star Foundation's EIN?
Robert & Susan Star Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3208973. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Robert & Susan Star 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.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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