The Cynthia Elkins Foundation
The Cynthia Elkins Foundation is a private foundation based in Schererville, Indiana. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations working in areas including public policy, education, social services, disability inclusion, the arts, and support for military communities.
The Cynthia Elkins Foundation at a glance
In short: The Cynthia Elkins Foundation gave $746K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $28K), top state Illinois. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $745,500
- -0.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- -34.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $27,611
- +50.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $144,976
- -49.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (3 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (44% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Cynthia Elkins Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 42 W Serenity Lane, Schererville, IN 46375
Phone: (312) 364-8725
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Cynthia Elkins Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cato Institute ($225K). Together the top 10 received $633K.
Grant Size Distribution
171 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 154 grants of 171 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 44% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 44% to recipients in Washington, DC. The remaining reported shares were Indiana (3%), Wisconsin (3%), and New York (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Cynthia Elkins Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 27 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $30K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $13K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $218K (2020) to $789K (2022). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $746K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cato Institute Washington, DC | General Use | $225,000 |
| Daniel Murphy Scholarships Chicago, IL | General Use | $100,000 |
| United States Holocaust Museum Washington, DC | General Use | $100,000 |
| Urban Iniciatives Chicago, IL | General Use | $41,000 |
| Brave Space Alliance Chicago, IL | General Use | $39,000 |
| Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL | General Purpose | $36,000 |
| NSSRA Foundation Highland Park, IL | General Use | $25,000 |
| Marian University Indianapolis, IN | General Purpose | $25,000 |
| Western Golf Association Evans Scho Glenview, IL | General Use | $21,500 |
| The Art Center of Highland Park Highland Park, IL | General Use | $20,000 |
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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 | $144,976 | $667,355 | $758,015 | $745,500 | 27 | $745,500 | $283,250 | $25,973 |
| 2024 | $287,149 | $781,899 | $759,855 | $750,800 | 41 | $750,800 | $283,045 | $31,905 |
| 2023 | $336,892 | $768,674 | $692,584 | $682,000 | 37 | $682,000 | $3,165 | $39,105 |
| 2022 | $326,988 | $874,764 | $803,111 | $788,800 | 32 | $788,800 | $81,349 | $33,761 |
| 2021 | $349,788 | $895,348 | $477,551 | $468,500 | 34 | — | $392,701 | $44,316 |
| 2020 | $275,492 | $135,643 | $222,297 | $218,200 | 19 | — | $135,643 | $32,225 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cynthia Elkins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26K for 2025 — 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the Cato Institute describes its mission as advancing individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Brave Space Alliance describes itself as a Chicago social services agency serving South and West Side communities, while the NSSRA Foundation says it facilitates participation by disabled adults and children in recreation programs.
Other 2025 recipients describe missions that include supporting people impacted by trauma and adversity (Canopy Center), providing education in the contemporary visual arts (The Art Center of Highland Park), and promoting disability inclusion (The Nora Project). The Pat Tillman Foundation says it supports military service members, veterans, and spouses through scholarships and leadership development; the Navy SEAL Foundation says it supports warriors, veterans, and families of Naval Special Warfare.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $745,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $225,000, with a median of $10,000. Notable awards included $225,000 to the Cato Institute, $100,000 each to Daniel Murphy Scholarships and the United States Holocaust Museum, $41,000 to Urban Initiatives, and $39,000 to Brave Space Alliance.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Stephen Elkins as president, Leslie Elkins as vice president, Shannon Elkins as secretary, and Robyn Hulfeld as treasurer.
The Cynthia Elkins Foundation is led by Stephen Elkins, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Stephen Elkins
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Leslie Elkins
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Robyn Hulfeld
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Shannon Elkins
Secretary
On filings since 2020
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Cynthia Elkins Foundation
How much does The Cynthia Elkins Foundation give each year?
The Cynthia Elkins Foundation gave $746K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $751K across 41 grants.
What is The Cynthia Elkins Foundation's typical grant size?
The Cynthia Elkins Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $27,611, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Cynthia Elkins Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does The Cynthia Elkins Foundation give grants?
The Cynthia Elkins Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was District of Columbia (44%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (9 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Highland Park, IL (2 grants).
Does The Cynthia Elkins Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Cynthia Elkins Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Cynthia Elkins Foundation's largest grantees?
The Cynthia Elkins Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cato Institute ($225,000), Daniel Murphy Scholarships ($100,000) and United States Holocaust Museum ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Cynthia Elkins Foundation?
The Cynthia Elkins Foundation reported $145K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $746K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $26K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Cynthia Elkins Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the Cato Institute describes its mission as advancing individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cynthia Elkins Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Cynthia Elkins Foundation's EIN?
The Cynthia Elkins Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4118927. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Cynthia Elkins 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Cynthia Elkins Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Cynthia Elkins Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-cynthia-elkins-foundation-morg_524452657ff24c2fa739c859a1afdc89
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364118927_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Cynthia Elkins Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-cynthia-elkins-foundation-morg_524452657ff24c2fa739c859a1afdc89},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 The Cynthia Elkins 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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