The Fermata Charitable Foundation
The Fermata Charitable Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Elmhurst, Illinois. Established in March 2007, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.0M
+8.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$388K
+2.0% YoY
Grant Count
17
+13.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
-10.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Fermata Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $357K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Housing and supportive services
- Food pantries and food assistance
- Women's shelters
Grantmaking
The foundation does not currently maintain live grant opportunities.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily directs its grantmaking toward organizations in:
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Idaho
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $5,046,195 (as of most recent filing)
Total Giving: $388,200
Revenue: $311,000 (2023)
Expenses: $427,000 (2023)
Total Liabilities: $0 (2023)
The foundation maintains a healthy asset base with no outstanding liabilities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,046,195 | $4,638,335 | $4,752,882 |
| Revenue | $847,462 | $311,087 | $-99,625 |
| Expenses | $466,585 | $427,449 | $231,994 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $401,900 | $388,798 | $172,274 |
| Net Investment Income | $805,473 | $256,813 | $52,291 |
| Distributable Amount | $356,859 | $305,926 | $315,255 |
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
92 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include St Paul Lutheran Church ($305,200), Northern Illinois Food Bank ($20,000), DuPage PADS Inc ($15,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Public Media (WBEZ) Chicago, IL | Program Support | $3,000 |
| DuPage PADS Inc Wheaton, IL | Program Support | $15,000 |
| Emma Goldman Clinic Iowa City, ID | Program Support | $5,000 |
| Esther's Friends Chicago, ID | Program Support | $5,000 |
| NAMI DuPage Community Center Wheaton, IL | Program Support | $8,000 |
| NAMI Johnson County Iowa City, IA | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Northern Illinois Food Bank Geneva, IL | Program Support | $20,000 |
| Outreach House Lombard, IL | Program Support | $2,000 |
| SCARCE Addison, IL | Program Support | $1,000 |
| St Paul Lutheran Church Villa Park, IL | Program Support | $305,200 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
David T. Nass serves as trustee of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaylene R Nass | Co-Trustee | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Fermata Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Housing and supportive services • Food pantries and food assistance • Women's shelters
How do I apply for a grant from The Fermata Charitable Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** The foundation awards typical grants ranging from $500 to $305,200. **Total Annual Giving:** $388,200 in recent grant distributions. The foundation does not currently maintain live grant opportunities.
Where does The Fermata Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily directs its grantmaking toward organizations in: • Illinois • Iowa • Idaho
What size grants does The Fermata Charitable Foundation award?
In 2024, The Fermata Charitable Foundation awarded 17 grants totaling $388K — an average of about $23K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Fermata Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Fermata Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $357K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Fermata Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The Fermata Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-7034733. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Fermata Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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