The Berner Charitable and Scholarship
The Berner Charitable and Scholarship Foundation is a private foundation established in 1994 and based in La Grange, Illinois. Operating as a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation focuses on providing scholarship awards and supporting education and health-related causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$313K
-2.4% YoY
Grant Count
42
-8.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$7K
+6.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation provides scholarship awards to residents of the United States who are attending or planning to attend any U.S. college or university. Scholarship selection is based on scholastic achievements (or potential for scholastic achievement), financial need, and demonstrated quality of leadership.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Undergraduate applicants must have graduated from high school with a "C" average or better
- Graduate applicants must have graduated from college with a "C" average or better
- All applicants must enroll as full-time students and carry a full-time course load
Primary Funding Areas:
- Education and health associations
- Scholarship funds and student financial aid
- Youth-focused community services
- Services to the blind and visually impaired
- Parkinson's research
- Diabetes research
- Cardiovascular health research
- Special Olympics
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$5,000
Average Grant
$11,700
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Georgia, Illinois, and Alabama.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $7,003,628
- Total revenues: $715,195
- Total expenses: $532,423
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $6,809,877
- Total revenues: $253,467
- Total expenses: $568,515
Staffing:
- 1-2 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
238 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Cancer Society ($50,000), American Heart Association ($50,000), Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY KENNESAW, GA | CANCER RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, AND PATIENT SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION DALLAS, TX | CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH RESEARCH | $50,000 |
| CARTWRIGHT CAROLINE WILLIAMSBURG, KY | SCHOLARSHIP AWARD | $5,000 |
| CASEY AMY BIRMINGHAM, AL | SCHOLARSHIP AWARD | $5,000 |
| CASEY JACOB DENVER, CO | SCHOLARSHIP AWARD | $5,000 |
| CASEY JAMIE TUSCALOOSA, AL | SCHOLARSHIP AWARD | $5,000 |
| CHICAGO LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND CHICAGO, IL | SERVICES TO BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED | $50,000 |
| DUNCAN NOAH TIFTON, GA | SCHOLARSHIP AWARD | $2,500 |
| FULLER GRACYN ATHENS, GA | SCHOLARSHIP AWARD | $5,000 |
| HAMEL ANNA DEKALB, IL | SCHOLARSHIP AWARD | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Ruben R. Vernof (Trustee)
- Linda M. Neylon (Trustee)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RUBEN R VERNOF | TRUSTEE | 2 | $25,000 |
| LINDA M NEYLON | TRUSTEE | 10 | $60,000 |
Contact Information
Address: PO Box 711 La Grange, IL 60525-0711
Phone: 312-782-5885
EIN: 36-3923844
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Berner Charitable and Scholarship fund?
The foundation provides scholarship awards to residents of the United States who are attending or planning to attend any U.S. college or university. Scholarship selection is based on scholastic achievements (or potential for scholastic achievement), financial need, and demonstrated quality of leadership. **Eligibility Requirements:** • Undergraduate applicants must have graduated from high school with a "C" average or better • Graduate applicants must have graduated from college with a "C" aver…
How do I apply for a grant from The Berner Charitable and Scholarship?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 60 grants in 2023 • Total giving in 2024: $313,333 • Total giving in 2023: $568,515 • Typical award range: $1,667–$95,000 • Median grant size: $5,000 • Average grant size: $11,700 **Recent Grantees (2023-2024):** • American Heart Association (Cardiovascular Health Research): $50,000 • The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired (Services to Blind and Visually Impaired): $50,000 • Breakthrough T1D/JDRF (Diabetes Research): $7,500
Where does The Berner Charitable and Scholarship make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Georgia, Illinois, and Alabama.
What size grants does The Berner Charitable and Scholarship award?
In 2024, The Berner Charitable and Scholarship awarded 42 grants totaling $313K — an average of about $7K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Berner Charitable and Scholarship's EIN?
The Berner Charitable and Scholarship's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3923844. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Berner Charitable and Scholarship'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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