The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable

PALM BEACH, FL EIN: 36-3381401

The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable Foundation is a private foundation established in 1985 in Illinois and currently based in Palm Beach, Florida. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across multiple focus areas.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$92.3M

+66.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.3M

+198.4% YoY

Grant Count

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$2.3M

+198.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable reported a distributable amount of $3.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Primary funding interests include:

Medical advancement and health
Education
Women and girls
Community and economic development
Religion and Judaism
International human rights
Human services
Philanthropy and voluntarism

Grantmaking

Applications should be submitted in writing.

Grant Range

s & Activity:**

Average Grant

$5,000–$14,000

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds initiatives in Florida, Illinois, New York, and California. Florida, Illinois, and New York account for approximately 72% of all grants, with grantmaking reaching organizations across eight states.

Grant Distribution by State

Florida $3.3M (93%)

Illinois $134K (4%)

New York $68K (2%)

California $37K (1%)

District of Columbia $2K (0%)

Georgia $1K (0%)

Pennsylvania $1K (0%)

Connecticut $50 (0%)

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Georgia Illinois New York Pennsylvania

Cities

AtlantaBala CynwydBoca RatonBoynton BeachBrooklynChicagoChigagoDunwoodyEncinitasEvanstonFort LauderdaleFort PierceGlenviewJensen BeachNew HavenNew YorkNiagara FallsNorthfieldOrangePalm Beach

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Most Recent Financial Data (2024):

Total assets: $92,294,274
Total revenues: $20,472,907
Total expenses: $2,856,242
Total grants and contributions: $17,508,748
Investment income and dividends: $1,679,968

Historical Growth: Total assets have grown from $2.4 million in 2011 to $92.3 million in 2024.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$92,294,274	$55,585,230	$52,329,597
Revenue	$20,472,907	$53,565	$50,880,522
Expenses	$2,856,242	$1,268,006	$226,007
Qualifying Distributions	$2,523,192	$956,157	$225,500
Net Investment Income	$2,664,298	$1,559,123	$213,111
Distributable Amount	$3,518,553	$2,815,995	$541,769

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 1 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

82 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include See Detailed Statement ($2,262,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
SEE DETAILED STATEMENT PALM BEACH, FL	GENERAL PURPOSE	$2,262,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Susan K. Schulman – President ($120,000 compensation, 2024)
Elyse Knapp Sollender – Treasurer/Vice President ($120,000 compensation, 2023)

The foundation employs two staff members.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
ELYSE KNAPP SOLLENDER	PRESIDENT, TREASURER	40	$120,000
SUSAN KNAPP SCHULMAN	VICE-PRESIDENT	40	$120,000
JOHN W RANDOLPH JR	DIRECTOR	0.3	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation made a $25 million gift to the University of Chicago to support the construction of a 10-story medical research facility, reflecting its commitment to advancing medical research and innovation.

$25 million gift from Jules and Gwen Knapp will help build 10-story medical

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable fund?

The foundation's mission is to enhance and empower medical advancement, neurodivergent populations, underserved communities, Jewish organizations, and women and children, while honoring the legacy of the founders, Jules and Gwen Knapp. Primary funding interests include: • Medical advancement and health • Education • Women and girls • Community and economic development • Religion and Judaism • International human rights • Human services • Philanthropy and voluntarism

How do I apply for a grant from The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable?

**Grant Sizes & Activity:** • Total assets: $92.3 million (as of 2024) • Annual giving: $758,000 (2023) • Average grant size: $5,000–$14,000 • Median grant: $500 • Typical awards range: $757,950–$2,262,000 • The foundation has made 114 grants totaling $1.6 million to 65 unique organizations **Application Process:** Applications should be submitted in writing.

Where does The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable make grants?

What size grants does The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable award?

In 2024, The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable awarded 1 grants totaling $2.3M — an average of about $2.3M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable reported a distributable amount of $3.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable's EIN?

The Jules and Gwen Knapp Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3381401. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.