Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable
The Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable Foundation is a private foundation established in 1983 and based in Skokie, Illinois. The foundation holds 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and operates as a family foundation with a focus on educational and religious giving.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$949K
-3.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$66K
+58.3% YoY
Grant Count
19
+35.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
+16.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable reported a distributable amount of $26K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary program area is donations to 501(c)(3) institutions engaged in educational and religious activities. Their grantmaking priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
The foundation made approximately 11 grants in the most recent reporting period.
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $180 to $47,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, New Jersey, and Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of February 2025:
- Total Assets: $949,124
- Total Revenues: $49,018
- Total Expenses: $83,969
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Number of Employees: 0
Contact Information:
- Address: 8833 Gross Point Road, Skokie, IL 60077-1859
- Telephone: 847-679-0700
- EIN: 36-3224787
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $949,124 | $983,836 | $978,876 |
| Revenue | $49,018 | $54,396 | $111,006 |
| Expenses | $83,969 | $49,436 | $102,599 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $71,311 | $42,172 | $88,357 |
| Net Investment Income | $36,360 | $47,232 | $100,764 |
| Distributable Amount | $26,440 | $31,807 | $56,678 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
78 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Jewish United Fund ($42,375), Kiryat Shemona Foundation ($5,000), Keren Menachem ($5,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AIPAC CHICAGO, IL | EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS | $1,800 |
| HTC SKOKIE, IL | EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS | $1,030 |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND CHICAGO, IL | EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS | $42,375 |
| YOUNG ISRAEL OF HOLLYWOOD HOLLYWOOD, FL | EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS | $667 |
| MIDWEST NCSY SKOKIE, IL | EDUCATION AND RELIGIOUS | $360 |
| P'EYLIM LEV L'ACHIM LAKEWOOD, NJ | EDUCATION AND RELIGIOUS | $360 |
| CHICAGO CHESED FUND LINCOLNWOOD, IL | EDUCATION AND RELIGIOUS | $500 |
| LEKET TEANECK, NJ | EDUCATION AND RELIGIOUS | $1,000 |
| FRIENDS OF SDEROT | EDUCATION AND RELIGIOUS | $250 |
| HATZALAH CHICAGO LINCOLNWOOD, IL | EDUCATION AND RELIGIOUS | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is managed by trustees Elliott Robinson and Freda Robinson.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELLIOTT ROBINSON | PRESIDENT | — | — |
| FREDA ROBINSON | SECRETARY | — | — |
| COLMAN GINSPARG | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable fund?
The foundation's primary program area is donations to 501(c)(3) institutions engaged in educational and religious activities. Their grantmaking priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable?
**Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $180 to $47,000. **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made $66,345 in total giving in the most recent fiscal year (ending February 2025). Recent grants include: • Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago: $42,375 (Educational and Religious) • Keren Menachem: $5,000 (Education and Religious) • Kiryat Shemona Foundation: $5,000 (Education and Religious) The foundation made approximately 11 grants in the most recent reporting period.
Where does Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, New Jersey, and Ohio.
What size grants does Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable award?
In 2025, Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable awarded 19 grants totaling $66K — an average of about $3K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable reported a distributable amount of $26K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable's EIN?
Sheldon and Freda Robinson Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3224787. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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