The Howard B Bernick Foundation
The Howard B Bernick Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 filing reports grants to qualified charities, with recipients in Illinois, Florida, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
The Howard B Bernick Foundation at a glance
In short: The Howard B Bernick Foundation gave $663K across 25 grants in 2024 (avg $27K), mostly in Illinois. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $662,700
- -26.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 25
- -16.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $26,508
- -11.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,281,275
- +11.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (5 of 25, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (72% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Howard B Bernick Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Contact Howard B. Bernick with a letter stating the organization’s activities and a copy of its determination. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Awards are restricted to qualified charities under Section 501(c)(3).
- Contact
Application contact: Howard B Bernick
Mailing address: 401 N Michigan Ave Suite 1818, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 464-1188
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Howard B Bernick Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Jewish United Fund ($300K). Together the top 10 received $583K.
Grant Size Distribution
156 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 139 grants of 156 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 72% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 20% to recipients in Florida. New York received 4%, while Virginia and Washington, DC each received 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Howard B Bernick Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 25 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $31K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 526% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $632K (2021) to $985K (2020). In 2024 it made 25 grants totaling $663K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL | General Support | $300,000 |
| Cast Water Safety Foundation Forest Park, IL | General Support | $110,000 |
| Town of Palm Beach United Way Palm Beach, FL | General Support | $33,000 |
| The Field Museum Chicago, IL | General Support | $30,000 |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation Chicago, IL | General Support | $25,000 |
| The Innovate Palm Beach, FL | General Support | $25,000 |
| Palm Beach Civic Association Palm Beach, FL | General Support | $22,000 |
| Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation New York, NY | General Support | $15,000 |
| Raymond F Kravis Center West Palm Beach, FL | General Support | $12,500 |
| American Heart Association Scarborough, NY | General Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Howard B Bernick Foundation?
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 | $3,281,275 | $945,977 | $667,095 | $662,700 | 25 | $665,300 | $944,577 | $126,494 |
| 2023 | $2,952,826 | $110,434 | $921,866 | $899,010 | 30 | $900,960 | $109,384 | $147,821 |
| 2022 | $3,704,406 | $1,302,964 | $786,031 | $768,800 | 28 | $771,400 | $1,301,564 | $179,182 |
| 2021 | $3,187,473 | $2,111,612 | $634,435 | $632,200 | 34 | $633,650 | $854,522 | $204,014 |
| 2020 | $2,521,409 | $-108,175 | $994,645 | $985,130 | 39 | — | $107,403 | $140,219 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Howard B Bernick Foundation reported a distributable amount of $126K 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 own missions span community services, health, civic engagement, and arts and culture. For example, Jewish United Fund describes providing food, refuge, health care, education, and emergency assistance; the Town of Palm Beach United Way describes investing in education, income, and health programs; and the Raymond F. Kravis Center describes presenting performing arts and fostering arts education. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 25 grants totaling $662,700. Grant amounts ranged from $1,800 to $300,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest grants included $300,000 to Jewish United Fund, $110,000 to CAST Water Safety Foundation, $33,000 to Town of Palm Beach United Way, $30,000 to The Field Museum, and $25,000 to Northwestern Memorial Foundation. The listed purposes for these grants were general support.
Other 2024 recipients included The Innovate ($25,000), Palm Beach Civic Association ($22,000), Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation ($15,000), Raymond F. Kravis Center ($12,500), American Heart Association ($10,000), Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation ($10,000), and Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach ($10,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Howard B. Bernick as trustee/member of the distribution committee. Craig Bernick, Peter Bernick, and Elizabeth Bernick are listed as members of the distribution committee.
The Howard B Bernick Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Howard B. Bernick
Trustee & Member of Dist Com
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Craig Bernick
Member of Dist Committee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Bernick
Member of Dist Committee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Bernick
Member of Dist Committee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Howard B Bernick Foundation
How much does The Howard B Bernick Foundation give each year?
The Howard B Bernick Foundation gave $663K across 25 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $899K across 30 grants.
What is The Howard B Bernick Foundation's typical grant size?
The Howard B Bernick Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $26,508, across 25 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Howard B Bernick Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does The Howard B Bernick Foundation give grants?
The Howard B Bernick Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 72% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Palm Beach, FL (6 grants), Chicago, IL (5 grants), West Palm Beach, FL (3 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Howard B Bernick Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Howard B Bernick Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Howard B Bernick Foundation's largest grantees?
The Howard B Bernick Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Jewish United Fund ($300,000), Cast Water Safety Foundation ($110,000) and Town of Palm Beach United Way ($33,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Howard B Bernick Foundation?
The Howard B Bernick Foundation reported $3.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $665K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $126K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Howard B Bernick Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations whose own missions span community services, health, civic engagement, and arts and culture. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Howard B Bernick Foundation?
Contact Howard B. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Howard B Bernick Foundation's EIN?
The Howard B Bernick Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8042481. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Howard B Bernick Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-howard-b-bernick-foundation-morg_71cd618acd3d4c6a87d84ce1ce6d0799
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_208042481_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Howard B Bernick Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-howard-b-bernick-foundation-morg_71cd618acd3d4c6a87d84ce1ce6d0799},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Howard B Bernick 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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