The Lanter Family Foundation
The Lanter Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2024, it awarded grants to charitable organizations, including groups working with children and youth, families, and communities.
Key facts about The Lanter Family Foundation
In short: The Lanter Family Foundation gave $1.0M across 45 grants in 2024 (avg $23K), top state Missouri. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 84-3602824
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,016,675
- Grants made (2024)
- 45
- Average grant
- $22,593
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $19,073,003
- Primary geography
- Missouri (38% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.1M
-2.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
+24.1% YoY
Grant Count
45
+55.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
-20.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lanter Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $913K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Lanter Family Foundation gives
- 47% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 154% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 116% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supported. Ronald McDonald House Charities describes its work as improving children’s health and well-being and supporting their families. Intentional Sports says it provides Chicago youth with accessible sports, wellness, and education opportunities. Future for Kids describes its programs as mentor-driven out-of-school activities and camps focused on academics, athletics, and ethics for youth facing adversity. Lydia’s House says it provides domestic violence survivors and their children a safe place to heal and an opportunity for sustainable lives.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 45 grants totaling $1,016,675. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $75,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest grants included $75,000 to Ronald McDonald House Charities in St. Louis, $65,000 to Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Kansas City, $60,000 to Thrive AZ in Peoria, and $50,000 each to A Million Stars Inc – College Bound in St. Louis and Amare NFP – Recovery Support Services in Wood River. The listed grant purposes were “general purposes.”
How to Apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with The Lanter Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in Missouri (38%), Arizona (28%), Illinois (28%), Colorado (2%), and Washington, DC (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 45 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $349K (2022) to $1.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 45 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Ronald McDonald House Charities Inc ($75K). Together the top 10 received $467K.
Grant Size Distribution
95 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 80 grants of 95 (84%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald McDonald House Charities Inc St. Louis, MO | General Purposes | $75,000 |
| Fellowship of Christian Athletes Kansas City, MO | General Purposes | $65,000 |
| Thrive AZ Peoria, AZ | General Purposes | $60,000 |
| A Million Stars Inc - College Bound St. Louis, MO | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Amare NFP - Recovery Support Services Wood River, IL | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Southwestern Illinois Jets Basketball Club (Swil) Belleville, IL | General Purposes | $40,000 |
| Mitchell Swaback Charities - Harvest Compassion Center Phoenix, AZ | General Purposes | $35,000 |
| Intentional Sports Chicago, IL | General Purposes | $31,500 |
| Box United - Fight Like a Girl Chicago, IL | General Purposes | $30,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley Phoenix, AZ | General Purposes | $30,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $19,073,003 | $779,737 | $1,224,206 | $1,016,675 |
| 2023 | $19,517,472 | $278,492 | $1,005,899 | $819,272 |
| 2022 | $20,244,879 | $453,100 | $626,524 | $349,059 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,073,003 | $19,517,472 | $20,244,879 |
| Revenue | $779,737 | $278,492 | $453,100 |
| Expenses | $1,224,206 | $1,005,899 | $626,524 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,055,061 | $819,277 | $349,059 |
| Net Investment Income | $627,344 | $233,372 | $305,052 |
| Distributable Amount | $913,078 | $828,443 | $823,922 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Steven W Lanter as president and director; Chris Baer as secretary, treasurer, and director; Lawrence L Lubin as vice president and director; and Emily Lanter as director.
The Lanter Family Foundation is led by Steven W. Lanter, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Steven W. Lanter
President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Baer
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lawrence L. Lubin
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emily Lanter
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/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.
Contact
Mailing address: 333 W Wacker Drive 1700, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 332-1111
Frequently asked questions about The Lanter Family Foundation
How much does The Lanter Family Foundation give each year?
The Lanter Family Foundation gave $1.0M across 45 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $819K across 29 grants.
What is The Lanter Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Lanter Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $22,593, across 45 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Lanter Family Foundation give grants?
The Lanter Family Foundation's top state is Missouri, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Arizona (28%) and Illinois (28%). The most frequent recipient cities were St. Louis, MO (10 grants), Chicago, IL (7 grants), Phoenix, AZ (7 grants) and Scottsdale, AZ (3 grants).
Does The Lanter Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Lanter Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (45 of 45) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Lanter Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Lanter Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Ronald McDonald House Charities Inc ($75,000), Fellowship of Christian Athletes ($65,000) and Thrive AZ ($60,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Lanter Family Foundation?
The Lanter Family Foundation reported $19.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $913K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Lanter Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supported. Ronald McDonald House Charities describes its work as improving children’s health and well-being and supporting their families. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Lanter Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Lanter Family Foundation's EIN?
The Lanter Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-3602824. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Lanter Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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