The Experimental Station
THE EXPERIMENTAL STATION WAS ORGANIZED TO PROMOTE, ENCOURAGE AND FOSTER INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL INITIATIVES OF ALL GENRES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ART AND DESIGN, INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL MODELS, FOOD, AND ALTERNATIVE MEDIA AND JOURNALISM.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.6M
-22.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
-15.2% YoY
Grant Count
30
-43.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$42K
+49.8% YoY
About The Experimental Station
Based on IRS filings
The Experimental Station is a nonprofit organization focused on Community Improvement & Capacity Building, based in CHICAGO, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $1.6M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 30 grants totaling $1.3M. Net investment income was $9K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,560,262 | $2,011,911 | $1,500,794 |
| Revenue | $3,071,505 | $3,197,963 | $3,208,325 |
| Expenses | $3,261,695 | $3,073,469 | $3,305,824 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $8,948 | $230 | $1,753 |
| 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
152 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Green City Market ($177,500), Cermak Produce No 7 Inc ($173,175), One Stop Foods & Liquor Inc ($134,287).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| GREEN CITY MARKET CHICAGO, IL | SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMER'S MARKET | $177,500 |
| CERMAK PRODUCE NO 7 INC CHICAGO, IL | SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMER'S MARKET | $173,175 |
| ONE STOP FOODS & LIQUOR INC CHICAGO, IL | SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMER'S MARKET | $134,287 |
| A&S SUPERMERCADO INC AKA MI MEXICO CHICAGO, IL | SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMER'S MARKET | $109,000 |
| THE LAND CONNECTION CHAMPAIGN, IL | SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMER'S MARKET | $83,950 |
| COMMON GROUND FOOD CO-OP URBANA, IL | SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMER'S MARKET | $75,738 |
| ALBERTSON'S COMPANY INC LOS ANGELEA, CA | SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMER'S MARKET | $68,324 |
| NEIGHBORHOOD CO-OP GROCERY CARBONDALE, IL | SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMER'S MARKET | $64,525 |
| SUGAR BEET FOOD CO-OP OAK PARK, IL | SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMER'S MARKET | $63,867 |
| UPTOWN FARMERS MARKET NFP CHICAGO, IL | SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMER'S MARKET | $32,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARTIN FRIEDMAN | PRESIDENT | 6 | — |
| EMMITT HOUSE | VICE PRESIDENT | 6 | — |
| MULUBWA MUNKANTA | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| BETH LOEB | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| STEVE WIESENTHAL | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| CORLISS KING | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| JILL INGRASSIA | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| RICHARD WRIGHT | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| CONSTANCE SPREEN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $109,168 |
| DAN PETERMAN | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Experimental Station?
The Experimental Station is a nonprofit organization focused on Community Improvement & Capacity Building, based in CHICAGO, IL. It holds $1.6M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is The Experimental Station?
As of 2024, The Experimental Station holds $1.6M in total assets with $3.1M in annual revenue. It awarded 30 grants totaling $1.3M in 2024.
Where does The Experimental Station operate?
The Experimental Station has awarded grants in California, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio.
What size grants does The Experimental Station award?
In 2024, The Experimental Station awarded 30 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $42K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Experimental Station's EIN?
The Experimental Station's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 32-0017985. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Experimental Station's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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