Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation
The Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2024, it reported 13 grants totaling $300,000 to charitable organizations.
Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation at a glance
In short: Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation gave $300K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $23K), top state Illinois. 0% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $300,000
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $23,077
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $3,783,191
- -3.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (33% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 353 N Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: (312) 923-2789
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Threshold Foundation ($60K). Together the top 10 received $280K.
Grant Size Distribution
65 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 55 grants of 65 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois (33%), New York (20%), Minnesota (18%), Massachusetts (10%), and Indiana (7%). The listed grants also included recipients in Washington, Vermont, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 13 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. How we count
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−14%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 108% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $300K (2022) to $350K (2021). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $300K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Threshold Foundation Brewster, NY | General | $60,000 |
| International Rescue Committee Albert Lea, MN | General | $55,000 |
| Chicago Community Trust Chicago, IL | General | $40,000 |
| Peace Development Fund Amherst, MA | General | $30,000 |
| Environmental Law & Policy Center Chicago, IL | General | $30,000 |
| Rescue Release and Restore Chicago, IL | General | $20,000 |
| Companis Seattle, WA | General | $15,000 |
| Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago, IL | General | $10,000 |
| Farm & Wilderness Plymouth, VT | General | $10,000 |
| Power of Hope Bolinas, CA | General | $10,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,783,191 | $226,694 | $369,211 | $300,000 | 13 | $309,053 | $163,470 | $286,611 |
| 2023 | $3,923,109 | $82,730 | $383,433 | $300,000 | 13 | $291,628 | $48,395 | $264,853 |
| 2022 | $4,195,342 | $137,789 | $367,278 | $300,000 | 13 | $309,446 | $68,127 | $269,207 |
| 2021 | $4,424,397 | $181,952 | $420,022 | $350,000 | 13 | $357,753 | $110,120 | $308,332 |
| 2020 | $4,660,015 | $149,126 | $414,634 | $350,000 | 13 | — | $91,749 | $264,629 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $287K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants included organizations whose stated missions cover a range of work. For example, Threshold Foundation describes its mission as fostering environmental sustainability and community empowerment through grantmaking and partnerships. Peace Development Fund describes its work as promoting peace and social justice by partnering with community-based organizations and social justice movements. Reins of Life Inc. states that it aims to improve the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities through equine-assisted therapy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $300,000 through 13 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $60,000, with a median grant of $15,000. The largest listed grants were $60,000 to Threshold Foundation, $55,000 to International Rescue Committee, $40,000 to Chicago Community Trust, and $30,000 each to Peace Development Fund and Environmental Law & Policy Center. The filing lists the purposes of these grants as general.
Other 2024 grants included $20,000 to Rescue Release and Restore; $15,000 to Companis; $10,000 each to Old Town School of Folk Music, Farm & Wilderness, Power of Hope, and North Coast Cultural Association; and $5,000 to Chesterton Art Center. Reins of Life Inc. also reports receiving $5,000 from the foundation in 2024; it describes its mission as improving the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities through equine-assisted therapy.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists H Debra Levin and Benjamin G Abelson as trustees.
Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Benjamin G. Abelson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
H. Debra Levin
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation
How much does Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation give each year?
Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation gave $300K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $300K across 13 grants.
What is Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation's typical grant size?
Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $23,077, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation give grants?
Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (20%) and Minnesota (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (4 grants) and Chesterton, IN (2 grants).
Does Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation's largest grantees?
Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Threshold Foundation ($60,000), International Rescue Committee ($55,000) and Chicago Community Trust ($40,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation?
Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation reported $3.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $309K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $287K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included organizations whose stated missions cover a range of work. For example, Threshold Foundation describes its mission as fostering environmental sustainability and community empowerment through grantmaking and partnerships. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation's EIN?
Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1704170. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Stuart & Benjamin Abelson 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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Stuart & Benjamin Abelson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/stuart-and-benjamin-abelson-foundation-morg_dd377ac525974dc5832c301b3f19cd3f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201704170_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Stuart \& Benjamin Abelson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/stuart-and-benjamin-abelson-foundation-morg_dd377ac525974dc5832c301b3f19cd3f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Stuart & Benjamin Abelson 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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