Stuart R Abelson Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Chicago, IL EIN: 36-3799447

Stuart R Abelson Foundation is a private foundation, based in Chicago, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $301K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 2 grants totaling $45K. Net investment income was $50K.

Stuart R Abelson Foundation at a glance

In short: Stuart R Abelson Foundation gave $45K across 2 grants in 2024 (avg $23K), mostly in New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$45,000
+32.8% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
2
+0.0% vs 2023
Average grant
$22,500
+32.8% vs 2023
Median grant
$22,500
Total assets
$300,521
+0.0% vs 2023
Primary geography
New York (56% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.

Who Stuart R Abelson Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 2 recipients in 2024

American Civil Liberties Union Inc: $25KAmerican Civil Liberties UnionInc$25KFacets Multimedia Incorporated: $20KFacets Multimedia Incorporated$20K

The largest 2024 recipient was American Civil Liberties Union Inc ($25K). Together the top 2 received $45K.

Grant Size Distribution

9 grants across all recorded years

9<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 9 grants of 9 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.

Cities

ChicagoNew YorkBrewster

How Stuart R Abelson Foundation gives

  • Giving fell 37% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 82% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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$20K$40K$60K$80K2 grants2019 0 grants2020 3 grants2021 2 grants2022 2 grants2023 2 grants2024

From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $28K (2019) to $72K (2021). In 2024 it made 2 grants totaling $45K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
American Civil Liberties Union Inc New York, NYGeneral Operating Purposes$25,000
Facets Multimedia Incorporated Chicago, ILGeneral Operating Purposes$20,000
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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
2024$300,521$54,334$54,184$45,0002$49,334$50,015$60,412
2023$300,509$43,174$46,963$33,8752$40,285$36,662$50,324
2022$304,130$39,501$43,063$30,0002$35,774$33,549$44,643
2021$307,859$62,906$85,759$71,5653$78,550$55,697$40,763
2020$330,446$35,642$8,646———$31,684$31,565
2019$303,443$36,847$36,937$28,1552—$32,654$39,150

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stuart R Abelson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $60K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Stuart R Abelson Foundation is led by Benjamin G. Abelson, V. President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Benjamin G. Abelson

    V. President, Treasurer & Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Jesse F. Abelson

    President & Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • H. Debra Levin

    Secretary & Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 R Abelson Foundation

How much does Stuart R Abelson Foundation give each year?

Stuart R Abelson Foundation gave $45K across 2 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $34K across 2 grants.

How large is Stuart R Abelson Foundation?

Stuart R Abelson Foundation reported $301K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $49K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $60K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

Where does Stuart R Abelson Foundation operate?

Stuart R Abelson Foundation has awarded grants in Illinois, New York.

What is Stuart R Abelson Foundation's EIN?

Stuart R Abelson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3799447. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.

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

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 8, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 15, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 4, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 2, 2025)
  7. 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 Stuart R 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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