Smart Family Foundation of Illinois
Smart Family Foundation of Illinois is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization focused on supporting charitable causes across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$40.7M
-3.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.0M
-2.4% YoY
Grant Count
68
+15.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$59K
-15.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Smart Family Foundation of Illinois reported a distributable amount of $4.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
The foundation primarily directs grants to organizations in Illinois, New York, and Maryland.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants to preselected charitable organizations.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Illinois, New York, and Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of most recent filing (2024):
- Total assets: $40,731,293
- Total revenues: $3,144,248
- Total expenses: $4,875,747
- Number of employees: 2
Contact Information:
- Address: 179 E Lake Shore Dr Unit 16e, Chicago, IL 60611-1900
- Telephone: 312-664-1122
- EIN: 81-2433446
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $40,731,293 | $42,184,098 | $42,673,898 |
| Revenue | $3,144,248 | $2,768,267 | $270,248 |
| Expenses | $4,875,747 | $4,590,435 | $4,908,965 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,145,963 | $4,135,369 | $4,203,748 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,700,114 | $3,646,230 | $144,917 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,726,591 | $4,022,271 | $4,124,297 |
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
246 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Johns Hopkins University ($310,000), Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ($300,000), Kenyon College ($255,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKAT ISRAEL TEANECK, NJ | FOOD BANK | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NEW YORK, NY | CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & OTHER EDUCATIONAL | $10,000 |
| ARTS CLUB OF CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & OTHER EDUCATIONAL | $50,000 |
| BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART BALTIMORE, MD | CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & OTHER EDUCATIONAL | $100,000 |
| BRAIN RESEARCH FOUNDATION CHICAGO, IL | CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & OTHER EDUCATIONAL | $25,000 |
| CHESAPEAKE LEGAL ALLIANCE ANNAPOLIS, MD | NATURE PRESERVATION | $10,000 |
| CHICAGO SINAI CONGREGATION CHICAGO, IL | CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & OTHER EDUCATIONAL | $50,000 |
| COLBY COLLEGE WATERVILLE, ME | CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & OTHER EDUCATIONAL | $10,000 |
| COMMUNITY HEALTH CHICAGO, IL | HEALTH SERVICES | $5,000 |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NY | CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & OTHER EDUCATIONAL | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by the following directors:
- Robert Feitler (Director and President)
- Richard Feitler (Director)
- Pamela Hoehn-Saric (Director)
- Robert Feitler Jr. (Director)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBERT FEITLER | DIRECTOR AND CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| RICHARD FEITLER | DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT | 10 | $100,000 |
| PAMELA HOEHN-SARIC | DIRECTOR | 10 | $100,000 |
| ROBERT FEITLER JR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Smart Family Foundation of Illinois fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services The foundation primarily directs grants to organizations in Illinois, New York, and Maryland.
How do I apply for a grant from Smart Family Foundation of Illinois?
**Grant Activity:** • Total annual giving: $4,005,000 (most recent filing) • Number of grants: 46 grants made in the most recent year • Typical award range: $1,000–$1,020,000 • Recent notable grants include: • $1,000,000 to Chaarg at University of Illinois at Chicago (Cultural, Historical & Other Educational) • $310,000 to Johns Hopkins University (Cultural, Historical & Other Educational) • $255,000 to Kenyon College (Cultural, Historical & Other Educational) The foundation makes grants to pre…
Where does Smart Family Foundation of Illinois make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Illinois, New York, and Maryland.
What size grants does Smart Family Foundation of Illinois award?
In 2024, Smart Family Foundation of Illinois awarded 68 grants totaling $4.0M — an average of about $59K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Smart Family Foundation of Illinois required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Smart Family Foundation of Illinois reported a distributable amount of $4.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Smart Family Foundation of Illinois's EIN?
Smart Family Foundation of Illinois's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-2433446. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Smart Family Foundation of Illinois's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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