The Akers Foundation
The Akers Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. It makes charitable contributions to 501(3) organizations and supports organizations whose recorded grant purposes include community service, religious institutions, education, music education, and cancer research.
The Akers Foundation at a glance
In short: The Akers Foundation gave $38K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Illinois. 43% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $37,659
- +23.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- -9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,255
- +35.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $276
- Total assets
- $178,239
- -10.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (13 of 30, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (73% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Akers Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its filing lists James Akers as the contact, gives the form and materials as “TO PTOMOTE,” and states that there are no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: James Akers
Mailing address: 5757 Gulf Ogf Mexico Dr, Apt 111, Longboat, FL 34228
Phone: (312) 475-1131
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Akers Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Jewish Federation of Chicago ($8K). Together the top 10 received $32K.
Grant Size Distribution
153 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 153 grants of 153 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went primarily to Illinois recipients (73%), followed by recipients in New York (9%), Michigan (9%), Ohio (3%), and Massachusetts (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Akers Foundation open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 13 of 30 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $645; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $187 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 40% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 35% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2022 it paid out 402% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $18K (2019) to $38K (2025). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $38K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish Federation of Chicago Chicago, IL | To Serve Comunnity | $8,000 |
| Congregationor Shalom Vernon Hills, IL | Religious Institution | $7,304 |
| Cranbrook Horizons Upward Bound Bloomfield Hills, MI | To Promote Education | $3,500 |
| Temple Sholom Chicago, IL | Religious Institution | $3,205 |
| Uniting Voices Chicago Chicago, IL | Music Education | $3,000 |
| Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL | To Serve the Community | $2,513 |
| Israel Cancer Research Fund New York, NY | To Promote Cancer Research | $1,553 |
| Solomon Schechter Day School Northbrook, IL | To Promote Education | $1,401 |
| Brandeis University Waltham, MA | To Promote Education | $1,000 |
| Rochelle Zell Jewish High School Deerfield, IL | To Promote Education | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $178,239 | $20,528 | $40,448 | $37,659 | 30 | $38,715 | $1,554 | — |
| 2024 | $198,159 | $-12,145 | $33,084 | $30,493 | 33 | $31,513 | $2,358 | — |
| 2023 | $243,388 | $17,796 | $39,018 | $36,601 | 30 | $37,613 | $5,970 | — |
| 2022 | $264,610 | $38,011 | $33,412 | $27,950 | 33 | $28,847 | — | $7,169 |
| 2021 | $262,444 | $39,301 | $32,339 | $25,456 | 27 | $26,350 | — | — |
| 2020 | $253,049 | $27,130 | $27,692 | $21,125 | 25 | — | — | — |
| 2019 | $253,644 | $18,336 | $30,681 | $17,647 | 28 | — | — | $14,907 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for religious institutions, educational organizations, community service, music education, and cancer research.
The grantees describe their own work in varied terms. Israel Cancer Research Fund says it supports cancer research in Israel; Brandeis University describes itself as a research university and liberal arts college; and Rochelle Zell Jewish High School says its endowment fund supports the school. Other supported organizations include Jewish National Fund, which describes its work as building a prosperous future for the land of Israel and its people, and Growing Wings, which says it provides educational, mental health, and social services to certain military personnel in Israel.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $37,659. Grant amounts ranged from $36 to $8,000, with a median of $276.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $8,000 to Jewish Federation of Chicago for community service; $7,304 to Congregation Or Shalom for a religious institution; $3,500 to Cranbrook Horizons Upward Bound to promote education; $3,205 to Temple Sholom for a religious institution; and $3,000 to Uniting Voices Chicago for music education. Other grants included $2,513 to Jewish United Fund, $1,553 to Israel Cancer Research Fund for cancer research, and $1,401 to Solomon Schechter Day School to promote education.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James Akers as president and Renee Akers as trustee.
The Akers Foundation is led by James Akers, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James Akers
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Renee Akers
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Sherry Akers (2019) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 The Akers Foundation
How much does The Akers Foundation give each year?
The Akers Foundation gave $38K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $30K across 33 grants.
What is The Akers Foundation's typical grant size?
The Akers Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $276, and its average grant was $1,255, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Akers Foundation that year got $645 on average.
Where does The Akers Foundation give grants?
The Akers Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (9%) and Michigan (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (9 grants), New York, NY (6 grants) and Deerfield, IL (2 grants).
Does The Akers Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on The Akers Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Promote Education" (9 grants), "Religous Institution" (3 grants) and "Religious Institution" (3 grants).
Who are The Akers Foundation's largest grantees?
The Akers Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Jewish Federation of Chicago ($8,000), Congregationor Shalom ($7,304) and Cranbrook Horizons Upward Bound ($3,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Akers Foundation?
The Akers Foundation reported $178K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $21K.
What does The Akers Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for religious institutions, educational organizations, community service, music education, and cancer research. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Akers Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Akers Foundation's EIN?
The Akers Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6549129. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 3, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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