The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation
The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Glencoe, Illinois. In 2024, it made grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in the arts, education, health, and community services.
Key facts about The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation
In short: The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation gave $1.4M across 37 grants in 2024 (avg $37K), mostly in Illinois. 22% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 36-3566590
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,371,050
- Grants made (2024)
- 37
- Average grant
- $37,055
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (8 of 37, 2024)
- Total assets
- $15,470,443
- Primary geography
- Illinois (79% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$15.5M
+24.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+43.5% YoY
Grant Count
37
-15.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$37K
+70.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $721K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 37 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $42K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $16K repeat.
- 65% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−3%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 190% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations in several fields. For example, Writers Theatre describes its mission as creating intimate connections through performances and programs. BUILD says it works with youth facing systemic obstacles through youth development and violence prevention and intervention. Christopher House describes its work as providing personalized education and family support, while Chicago Public Media says it produces independent local journalism to support local communities and democracy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 37 grants totaling $1,371,050. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $250,000, with a median of $15,000. Among its largest grants were $250,000 to Friends of Glencoe Golf Club, $165,000 to Writers Theatre, $125,000 to Vahatra - Field Museum, and $100,000 each to American Associates Ben Gurion University, Chicago Botanical Garden, and Northshore University Health System.
Other 2024 grants included $50,000 each to BUILD, Christopher House, Environmental Law & Policy Center, and Jewish United Fund; $35,000 to Chicago Public Media; and $30,000 to California Academy of Science.
How to Apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 11% to New York, 4% to California, and 3% to the District of Columbia. The remaining 2% is listed with an unspecified state.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $955K (2023) to $1.5M (2022). In 2024 it made 37 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Friends of Glencoe Golf Club ($250K). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
221 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 168 grants of 221 (76%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of Glencoe Golf Club Glencoe, IL | Community | $250,000 |
| Writers Theatre Glencoe, IL | ARTS | $165,000 |
| Vahatra - Field Museum Chicago, IL | Community | $125,000 |
| American Associates Ben Gurion University New York, NY | Educational | $100,000 |
| Chicago Botanical Garden Cglencoe, IL | Educational | $100,000 |
| Northshore University Health System Evanston, IL | HEALTH | $100,000 |
| Build Inc Chicago, IL | Community | $50,000 |
| Christopher House Chicago, IL | Community | $50,000 |
| Environmental Law & Policy Center Chicago, IL | Community | $50,000 |
| Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL | Religious | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $15,470,443 | $4,511,230 | $1,463,344 | $1,371,050 |
| 2023 | $12,401,696 | $3,132,215 | $1,035,088 | $955,375 |
| 2022 | $11,426,697 | $3,677,600 | $1,503,157 | $1,468,900 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $15,470,443 | $12,401,696 | $11,426,697 |
| Revenue | $4,511,230 | $3,132,215 | $3,677,600 |
| Expenses | $1,463,344 | $1,035,088 | $1,503,157 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,371,050 | $955,375 | $1,468,900 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,611,906 | $838,920 | $3,186,029 |
| Distributable Amount | $720,624 | $576,619 | $534,900 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Paul Goodman as president and Gillian Goodman as vice-president/secretary.
The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation is led by Paul Goodman, President on the 2024 filing; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Paul Goodman
President
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Gillian Goodman
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Ellis M. Goodman (2020–2023) — President & Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 69 Park Avenue, Glencoe, IL 60022
Phone: (312) 565-6558
Frequently asked questions about The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation
How much does The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation give each year?
The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation gave $1.4M across 37 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $955K across 44 grants.
What is The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $37,055, across 37 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation give grants?
The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (13 grants), New York, NY (5 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and Glencoe, IL (2 grants).
Does The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 37 grants with a stated purpose on The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community" (16 grants), "Religious" (6 grants) and "Educational" (4 grants).
Who are The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Friends of Glencoe Golf Club ($250,000), Writers Theatre ($165,000) and Vahatra - Field Museum ($125,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation?
The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation reported $15.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $721K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations in several fields. For example, Writers Theatre describes its mission as creating intimate connections through performances and programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Ellis Goodman Family Foundation's EIN?
The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3566590. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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