The Griffith Family Foundation
The Griffith Family Foundation is a private foundation located in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 filing reports grants to organizations working in areas including food access, conservation, climate action, and other charitable purposes.
The Griffith Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Griffith Family Foundation gave $275K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $275,006
- -11.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- +11.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $13,750
- -20.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,025
- Total assets
- $2,962,564
- +5.1% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Illinois (57% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Griffith Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing says to contact the foundation and lists “SEE ATTACHED STATEMENT” for the form and materials. It states that awards are subject to no restrictions other than those imposed by law or statute.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists October 1. That deadline is a past cycle as of September 28, 2026.
- Deadline
- The filing lists October 1.
- Contact
Application contact: The Griffith Family Foundation
Mailing address: 1 Griffith Center, Alsip, IL 60803-3495
Phone: (708) 371-0900
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Griffith Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
81 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 72 grants of 81 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois (57%), Wisconsin (16%), Washington, DC (11%), New Mexico (8%), and Minnesota (4%). These are the shares reported for the listed recipient states and district.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Griffith Family Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 210% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $211K (2022) to $523K (2020). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $275K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 20 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $275,006 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,962,564 | $464,973 | $291,267 | $275,006 | 20 | $283,137 | $55,584 | $135,117 |
| 2023 | $2,819,831 | $341,793 | $320,576 | $310,029 | 18 | $315,302 | — | $133,733 |
| 2022 | $2,764,366 | $635,107 | $220,667 | $211,397 | 14 | $216,034 | — | $113,559 |
| 2021 | $2,338,926 | $657,474 | $316,240 | $305,286 | 12 | $310,763 | — | $93,095 |
| 2020 | $2,029,942 | $536,326 | $531,846 | $523,370 | 17 | — | $166 | $84,955 |
| 2019 | $1,993,212 | $622,752 | $415,994 | $415,834 | 15 | — | $158 | $79,576 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Griffith Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $135K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants include support for organizations whose work spans different areas. For example, the an individual recipient describes its mission as ending hunger in partnership with community organizations and individuals. The Geneva Lake Conservancy says it works to preserve and advocate for Walworth County waterways, natural areas, and working lands. Project Drawdown describes its mission as advancing science-based climate solutions and strategies.
Other 2024 grantees include the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, American Conservation Coalition, Christ in the Desert, an individual recipient Camp, and Friends of Kishwauketoe.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $275,006. The grants ranged from $510 to $100,000, with a median grant of $5,025. Its reported grantmaking totaled $310,029 across 18 grants in 2023 and $211,397 across 14 grants in 2022.
The largest 2024 grants included $100,000 to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and $50,000 to the an individual recipient, both in Chicago; $25,000 to the American Conservation Coalition in Washington, DC; and $23,000 to Christ in the Desert in Abiquiu, New Mexico.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists Brian Griffith as President, Lois Jo Griffith as Vice President, Joseph R. Maslick as Executive VP, David Kim as Secretary, Joseph Sinclair as Treasurer, and Bill Cahill as Assistant Secretary.
The Griffith Family Foundation is led by Brian Griffith, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brian Griffith
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
David Kim
Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Joseph R. Maslick
Executive Vice President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Lois Jo Griffith
Vice President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Joseph Sinclair
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Bill Cahill
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: William C. Frost (2019–2022) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Nancy E. Rossmiller (2019) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 Griffith Family Foundation
How much does The Griffith Family Foundation give each year?
The Griffith Family Foundation gave $275K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $310K across 18 grants.
What is The Griffith Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Griffith Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,025, and its average grant was $13,750, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Griffith Family Foundation give grants?
The Griffith Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 57% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wisconsin (16%) and District of Columbia (11%).
How large is The Griffith Family Foundation?
The Griffith Family Foundation reported $3.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $283K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $135K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Griffith Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations whose work spans different areas. For example, the an individual recipient describes its mission as ending hunger in partnership with community organizations and individuals. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Griffith Family Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says to contact the foundation and lists “SEE ATTACHED STATEMENT” for the form and materials. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Griffith Family Foundation's EIN?
The Griffith Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6162494. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
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 2019 (received by the IRS June 8, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Griffith Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-griffith-family-foundation-morg_4e646c98c74948f8af2eed7d023a2c65
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366162494_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Griffith Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-griffith-family-foundation-morg_4e646c98c74948f8af2eed7d023a2c65},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Griffith Family Foundation'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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