The Howard B Bernick Foundation is a private family foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 2007, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking in designated geographic areas.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.3M
+11.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$663K
-26.3% YoY
Grant Count
25
-16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$27K
-11.5% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation primarily provides support to nonprofit organizations in the Palm Beach, Florida and Chicago, Illinois metropolitan areas.
Areas of interest include:
- Social services
- Jewish agencies
- Health
- Education
- Children and youth
- Arts and culture
Types of support provided include general operating support and project support.
Grantmaking
Based on the most recent available financial data, the foundation distributed approximately $899,010 in total giving. The foundation maintains active grantmaking operations with regular grant cycles.
Review Cycle
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in two primary metropolitan areas:
- Chicago, Illinois
- Palm Beach, Florida
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $3.28 million
- Total Revenue: $945,977
- Total Expenses: $667,095
- Total Liabilities: $0
Prior Year Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $2,952,826
- Total Giving: $899,010
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,281,275 | $2,952,826 | $3,704,406 |
| Revenue | $945,977 | $110,434 | $1,302,964 |
| Expenses | $667,095 | $921,866 | $786,031 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $665,300 | $900,960 | $771,400 |
| Net Investment Income | $944,577 | $109,384 | $1,301,564 |
| Distributable Amount | $126,494 | $147,821 | $179,182 |
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
156 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jewish United Fund ($300,000), Cast Water Safety Foundation ($110,000), Town of Palm Beach United Way ($33,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AFRIKIDS INC CAROL GABLES, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION SCARBOROUGH, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BAPTIST HEALTH MIAMI CANCER INSTITUTE MIAMI, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,800 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $6,500 |
| CAST WATER SAFETY FOUNDATION FOREST PARK, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $110,000 |
| FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,600 |
| HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY WEST PALM BEACH, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $300,000 |
| LIVE LIKE JAKE FOUNDATION PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Howard B. Bernick serves as a key figure associated with the foundation. He is President of Bernick Holdings, Inc. and Bernick Advisory Ltd. His professional background includes serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Alberto-Culver LLC from 1986 to 2006. He has held directorships at various organizations including The Field Museum of Natural History, St. Ives Laboratories, Inc., and The HAVI Group LP.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOWARD B BERNICK | TRUSTEE/MEMBER OF DIST COM | 1 | — |
| CRAIG BERNICK | MEMBER OF DIST COMMITTEE | 1 | — |
| PETER BERNICK | MEMBER OF DIST COMMITTEE | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH BERNICK | MEMBER OF DIST COMMITTEE | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 401 N Michigan Ave Ste 1818, Chicago, IL 60611-4225
Telephone: 312-464-1188
EIN: 20-8042481
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Howard B Bernick Foundation fund?
The foundation primarily provides support to nonprofit organizations in the Palm Beach, Florida and Chicago, Illinois metropolitan areas. Areas of interest include: • Social services • Jewish agencies • Health • Education • Children and youth • Arts and culture Types of support provided include general operating support and project support.
How do I apply for a grant from The Howard B Bernick Foundation?
Based on the most recent available financial data, the foundation distributed approximately $899,010 in total giving. The foundation maintains active grantmaking operations with regular grant cycles. Recent grant announcements indicate the foundation has awarded grants in amounts of $200,000 and $300,000 in recent grant rounds.
Where does The Howard B Bernick Foundation make grants?
The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in two primary metropolitan areas: • Chicago, Illinois • Palm Beach, Florida
What size grants does The Howard B Bernick Foundation award?
In 2024, The Howard B Bernick Foundation awarded 25 grants totaling $663K — an average of about $27K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Howard B Bernick Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Howard B Bernick Foundation reported a distributable amount of $126K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
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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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