Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Palatine, IL EIN: 36-4001246

Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Palatine, Illinois. It makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Key facts about Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation

In short: Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation gave $70K across 31 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Illinois. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
36-4001246
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$70,472
Grants made (2025)
31
Average grant
$2,273
Median grant
$1,050
New grantees (estimate)
23% first-time grantees (7 of 30, 2025)
Total assets
$84,993
Primary geography
Illinois (60% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
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. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$85K

+30.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$70K

-17.3% YoY

Grant Count

31

+6.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$2K

-22.7% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $87K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?

23%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 7 of 30 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $3K. How we count

Medians: $517 first-time, $2K repeat.

  • 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 91% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 81% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of causes: Ronald McDonald House Global describes its work as supporting families when children need healthcare; Wounded Warrior Project says it serves post-9/11 veterans, service members, and their families; and Best Friends Animal Society says it works to reduce homelessness among pets. Other 2025 recipients include organizations serving first responders and their families, children and young adults with shortened life expectancy, and people affected by domestic violence.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 31 grants totaling $70,472. Awards ranged from $200 to $15,000, with a median of $1,050. It made 29 grants totaling $85,258 in 2024 and 28 grants totaling $68,801 in 2023.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, Illinois recipients received 60% of grant dollars, Florida recipients 18%, New York recipients 12%, and recipients in Utah and Michigan 2% each.

Grant Distribution by State

16states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.

Cities

ChicagoNew YorkPalatineKissimmeeWest Palm BeachArlingtonHillsdaleKanabTampaJacksonvilleStaten IslandWashingtonLive OakDallasFort LauderdaleGlenviewMemphisVernon HillsBoca RatonCulver City

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$25K$50K$75K$100K22 grants2020 18 grants2021 25 grants2022 28 grants2023 29 grants2024 31 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $11K (2020) to $85K (2024). In 2025 it made 31 grants totaling $70K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Palatine Opportunity Center: $15KPalatine Opportunity Center$15KJewish United Fund: $11KJewish United Fund$11KGive Kids the World Village: $7KGive Kids the World Village$7KFriends of the Israel Defense Fund: $5KFriends of the Israel DefenseFund$5KRonald McDonald House Charities Inc: $4KRonald McDonald HouseCharities Inc$4KBear Necessities: $3K across 2 grantsBear Necessities$3K · 2 grantsMy Block My Hood My City: $3KMy Block My Hood My City$3KTunnel to Towers: $3KTunnel to Towers$3KJane's Room: $3KJane's Room$3KWounded Warrior Project: $2KWounded Warrior Project$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Palatine Opportunity Center ($15K). Together the top 10 received $55K.

Grant Size Distribution

131 grants across all recorded years

131<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 131 grants of 131 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Palatine Opportunity Center Palatine, ILSupport Organization's Mission$15,000
Jewish United Fund Chicago, ILSupport Organization's Mission$11,025
Give Kids the World Village Kissimmee, FLSupport Organization's Mission$6,614
Friends of the Israel Defense Fund New York, NYSupport of Organization's Mission$5,338
Ronald McDonald House Charities Inc Chicago, ILSupport Organization's Mission$4,160
My Block My Hood My City Chicago, ILSupport Organization's Mission$2,832
Bear Necessities Chicago, ILSupport Organization's Mission$2,629
Tunnel to Towers Staten Island, NYSupport Organization's Mission$2,625
Jane's Room Glenview, ILSupport Organization's Mission$2,576
Wounded Warrior Project Jacksonville, FLSupport Organization's Mission$2,260

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grants Total
2025 31 $70,472
2024 29 $85,258
2023 28 $68,801
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$50K$100K$150K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$84,993$65,003$76,068
Revenue$93,567$88,096$64,292
Expenses$73,995$91,801$74,151
Qualifying Distributions$70,472$85,258$68,801
Net Investment Income$20,044$12,911$11,779
Distributable Amount$86,546$67,858$47,125

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 29, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Jennifer Spethmann, Maurice Grosby, and Marilyn Goldberg Cohen as trustees.

Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Jennifer Spethmann

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marilyn Goldberg Cohen

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Maurice Grosby

    Trustee

    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.

Contact

Mailing address: 600 N North Court, Palatine, IL 60067
Phone: (847) 564-9446

Frequently asked questions about Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation

How much does Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation give each year?

Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation gave $70K across 31 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $85K across 29 grants.

What is Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?

Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,050, and its average grant was $2,273, across 31 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation that year got $1K on average.

Where does Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation give grants?

Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (18%) and New York (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (7 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and West Palm Beach, FL (2 grants).

Does Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 31 grants with a stated purpose on Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Organization's Mission" (30 grants).

Who are Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?

Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Palatine Opportunity Center ($15,000), Jewish United Fund ($11,025) and Give Kids the World Village ($6,614), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation?

Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation reported $85K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $70K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $87K (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.

What does Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation fund?

The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Tessie Grosby Charitable 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 Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation's EIN?

Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4001246. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Tessie Grosby Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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