The Elburn Scholarship Fund
The Elburn Scholarship Fund is a private foundation based in Wheaton, Illinois. Its 2023 filing is marked as a final return, indicating that the fund appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
The Elburn Scholarship Fund at a glance
In short: The Elburn Scholarship Fund gave $991K across 18 grants in 2023 (avg $55K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $990,836
- +1964.2% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 18
- +28.6% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $55,046
- +1505.5% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Elburn Scholarship Fund
- Contact
Application contact: The Elburb Scholarship Fund
Mailing address: 611 Plamondon Ct, Wheaton, IL 60189-6305
Phone: (630) 665-2776
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Elburn Scholarship Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was Comm Found of the Fox River Valley ($942K across 4 grants).
Organizations only. It also paid 14 grants to individuals ($49,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 57 grants of 60 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2023 grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Elburn Scholarship Fund gives
- Giving grew 1424% from 2020 to 2023. Method
- In 2022 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $48K (2022) to $991K (2023). In 2023 it made 18 grants totaling $991K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Comm Found of the Fox River Valley Aurora, IL | Close Out This Account to New Charit | $543,977 |
| Comm Found of the Fox River Valley Aurora, IL | Close Out This Account to New Charit | $264,249 |
| Comm Found of the Fox River Valley Aurora, IL | Close Out This Account to New Charit | $124,650 |
| Comm Found of the Fox River Valley Aurora, IL | Close Out This Account to New Charit | $8,960 |
| 14 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $49,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | $13,316 | $1,002,554 | $990,836 | 18 | $996,997 | $16,664 | — |
| 2022 | $953,727 | $5,776 | $57,607 | $48,000 | 14 | $50,791 | $18,133 | $51,197 |
| 2021 | $1,135,577 | $48,122 | $65,183 | $55,000 | 17 | $55,000 | $28,934 | $53,553 |
| 2020 | $1,055,518 | $31,088 | $71,960 | $65,000 | 11 | — | $24,128 | $52,613 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the fund reported 18 grants totaling $990,836. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $543,977, with a median of $3,000. Four large grants to the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley totaled $941,836; each was designated “CLOSE OUT THIS ACCOUNT TO NEW CHARIT.” The filing also listed grants for education to individual recipients.
The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It describes an application process in which applications were available at an email address and completed forms were to be sent there. The filing lists March 1 as the deadline. That date is past, and the filing is final, so these instructions should not be treated as current.
The filing states that scholarship recipients must be graduates of Kaneland High School who enroll in public universities or community colleges in Illinois.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing lists Donald G Westlake as president, Geordan L Capes as treasurer, and Dawn Westlake as secretary.
The Elburn Scholarship Fund is led by Donald G. Westlake, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2023 report compensation.
Officers on the 2023 filing
Donald G. Westlake
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dawn Westlake
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Geordan L. Capes
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2023. "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 Elburn Scholarship Fund
How much does The Elburn Scholarship Fund give each year?
The Elburn Scholarship Fund gave $991K across 18 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $48K across 14 grants.
What is The Elburn Scholarship Fund's typical grant size?
The Elburn Scholarship Fund's median grant in 2023 was $3,000, and its average grant was $55,046, across 18 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Elburn Scholarship Fund give grants?
The Elburn Scholarship Fund gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Aurora, IL (4 grants).
Does The Elburn Scholarship Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2023: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on The Elburn Scholarship Fund's 2023 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (14 grants) and "Close Out This Account to New Charit" (4 grants).
How do I apply for a grant from The Elburn Scholarship Fund?
The Elburn Scholarship Fund has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Elburn Scholarship Fund's EIN?
The Elburn Scholarship Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3366640. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 28, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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The Elburn Scholarship Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?