The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner
The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner is a private foundation based in Glenview, Illinois. It made 22 grants totaling $120,200 in filing year 2025, supporting charitable organizations in Illinois, Wisconsin, Georgia, California, and Florida.
The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner at a glance
In short: The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner gave $120K across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Illinois. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $120,200
- +30.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- -12.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,464
- +48.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $3,102,548
- +30.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (4 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (56% 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 Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2020 Chestnut Drive Apt 204, Glenview, IL 60025
Phone: (847) 729-1595
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Moose Charities ($20K). Together the top 10 received $102K.
Grant Size Distribution
124 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 124 grants of 124 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois (56%), Wisconsin (25%), Georgia (13%), California (2%), and Florida (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 22 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $9K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 77% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 84% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $90K (2021) to $120K (2025). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $120K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Moose Charities Mooseheart, IL | Operating Fund | $20,000 |
| Red Arrow Foundation Woodruff, WI | Operating Fund | $15,000 |
| Zoological Society of Kewaunee County Inc Kewaunee, WI | Operating Fund | $15,000 |
| Bright Futures Foundation Atlanta, GA | Operating Fund | $10,000 |
| CDGA Lemont, IL | Operating Fund | $10,000 |
| The Wetlands Initiative Chicago, IL | Operating Fund | $10,000 |
| Schwaben Ac Buffalo Grove, IL | Operating Fund | $8,000 |
| Evans Scholars Foundation Glenview, IL | Operating Fund | $7,000 |
| Misericordia Foundation Chicago, IL | Operating Fund | $5,000 |
| Glenview Lions Club Glenview, IL | Operating Fund | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner?
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 | $3,102,548 | $821,859 | $143,799 | $120,200 | 22 | $121,856 | $192,518 | $144,603 |
| 2024 | $2,369,315 | $266,814 | $111,931 | $92,200 | 25 | $93,668 | $112,486 | $123,418 |
| 2023 | $2,213,484 | $221,654 | $135,280 | $115,200 | 30 | $116,840 | $66,793 | $105,623 |
| 2022 | $2,124,327 | $252,945 | $141,190 | $118,500 | 24 | $120,013 | $99,769 | $105,505 |
| 2021 | $2,013,345 | $327,342 | $107,099 | $90,300 | 23 | $91,680 | $175,300 | $111,236 |
| 2020 | $1,792,552 | $193,819 | $117,515 | $99,000 | 21 | — | $45,466 | $88,887 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner reported a distributable amount of $145K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied purposes. For example, Moose Charities describes its work as supporting and operating charitable activities connected with Moose organizations; The Wetlands Initiative says it works to restore Midwest wetlands, improve water quality, and support wildlife habitat and biodiversity; and Evans Scholars Foundation says it provides scholarships and educational opportunities for caddies.
Other 2025 recipients include Misericordia Foundation, which says it raises funds to contribute to Misericordia Home, and K9 Companions, which says it works to prevent animal cruelty and provide trained service dogs to veterans. These are the recipient organizations’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave 22 grants totaling $120,200. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $20,000, with a median of $2,000. The grants listed in the filing were for operating funds.
Among the largest grants were $20,000 to Moose Charities in Mooseheart, Illinois; $15,000 each to Red Arrow Foundation and Zoological Society of Kewaunee County in Wisconsin; and $10,000 each to Bright Futures Foundation in Georgia, CDGA in Illinois, and The Wetlands Initiative in Illinois. Other recipients included Schwaben AC ($8,000), Evans Scholars Foundation ($7,000), Misericordia Foundation ($5,000), Glenview Lions Club ($2,000), Illinois Firefighters Alliance ($2,000), and Illinois Police Association ($2,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Anne Gardner as director, president, and treasurer; John Gardner as director and vice president; and Thomas Gardner as director and secretary.
The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner is led by Anne Gardner, Director, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Anne Gardner
Director, President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Gardner
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Gardner
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/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.
Frequently asked questions about The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner
How much does The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner give each year?
The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner gave $120K across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $92K across 25 grants.
What is The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner's typical grant size?
The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $5,464, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner that year got $9K on average.
Where does The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner give grants?
The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner gives mostly in Illinois: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wisconsin (25%) and Georgia (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (3 grants), Glenview, IL (3 grants) and Atlanta, GA (2 grants).
Does The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (22 of 22) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner's largest grantees?
The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner's largest 2025 grantees include Moose Charities ($20,000), Red Arrow Foundation ($15,000) and Zoological Society of Kewaunee County Inc ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner?
The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $122K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $145K (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 The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner's EIN?
The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4158438. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner 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 July 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-donald-f-and-elizabeth-gardner-morg_34574bd697b24ce6af182c1d77756f33
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364158438_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-donald-f-and-elizabeth-gardner-morg_34574bd697b24ce6af182c1d77756f33},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Donald F and Elizabeth Gardner'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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