The Magic Charitable Foundation
The Magic Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Mettawa, Illinois. Its 2025 grants supported charitable organizations working in areas including mental health, emergency assistance, health care, conservation, education, food and social services, and youth programs.
The Magic Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: The Magic Charitable Foundation gave $132K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), top state Illinois. 41% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $132,000
- +6.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- +16.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,714
- -8.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,250
- Total assets
- $1,204,933
- +16.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (11 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (45% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Magic Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 27115 N Meadowoods Ln, Mettawa, IL 60048
Phone: (847) 362-2640
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Magic Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was National Alliance on Mental Illness ($11K). Together the top 10 received $75K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($8,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
107 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 107 grants of 107 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Illinois accounted for 45% of grant dollars, followed by Virginia (15%), the District of Columbia (10%), New York (8%), and Tennessee (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Magic Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 27 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−16%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $100K (2020) to $158K (2022). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $132K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Alliance on Mental Illness Arlington, VA | To build better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. | $11,000 |
| American Red Cross Washington, DC | To prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies. | $10,000 |
| The Margo Fowler Family Foundation Deerfield, IL | To assisting people with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and other rare neurodegenerative disorders by providing education and support services for individuals and families affected by these diseases; funding research for diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and cures; and raising awareness through advocacy and promotional efforts. | $10,000 |
| The Conservation Fund Arlington, VA | To create innovative solutions that drive nature-based action for climate protection, sustainable economies, and vibrant communities. | $9,000 |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospita Memphis, TN | To advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. | $8,000 |
| Ann Robert H Lurie Children's Hospi Chicago, IL | To deliver exceptional, kid-friendly care to every child who needs it and to build safer spaces where children can grow up and thrive. | $7,000 |
| 2 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $8,000 |
| BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding Ed C Harvard, IL | To bring hope, joy and unlimited possibilities through the healing power of the horse. | $5,000 |
| Nourishing Hope Chicago, IL | To nourish hope through food, mental health, and social services so that all can thrive. | $5,000 |
| Project Heal Parkville, MD | To breakdown systemic, healthcare, and financial barriers to eating disorder healing. | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Magic Charitable 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,204,933 | $323,260 | $152,736 | $132,000 | 28 | $136,350 | $303,056 | $130,643 |
| 2024 | $1,038,306 | $237,304 | $145,422 | $124,000 | 24 | $128,030 | $218,859 | $127,540 |
| 2023 | $948,444 | $201,368 | $113,279 | $100,000 | 30 | $103,435 | $189,981 | $107,126 |
| 2022 | $860,355 | $36,743 | $173,571 | $158,000 | 13 | $161,055 | $32,778 | $106,561 |
| 2021 | $992,278 | $184,728 | $128,297 | $114,000 | 12 | $117,325 | $175,337 | $125,863 |
| 2020 | $939,022 | $67,937 | $112,658 | $100,000 | 10 | — | $56,138 | $103,003 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Magic Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $131K for 2025 — 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 2025 recipients included organizations addressing a range of needs. For example, Nourishing Hope describes its mission as providing food, mental health support, and social services to help neighbors thrive. YWCA Evanston/North Shore describes programs including domestic violence services, affordable housing, women’s leadership and economic empowerment, and aquatics. The National Alliance on Mental Illness received a grant to build better lives for people affected by mental illness; The Conservation Fund received one to advance nature-based climate protection, sustainable economies, and vibrant communities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $132,000. Awards ranged from $2,000 to $11,000, with a median of $4,250.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $11,000 to the National Alliance on Mental Illness; $10,000 each to the American Red Cross and The Margo Fowler Family Foundation; and $9,000 to The Conservation Fund. Other recipients included St Jude Children's Research Hospita ($8,000), Ann Robert H Lurie Children's Hospi ($7,000), an individual recipient de Sales Catholic School ($5,000), BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding Ed C ($5,000), Nourishing Hope ($5,000), Project Heal ($5,000), YWCA EvanstonNorth Shore ($5,000), and Doctors Without Borders ($4,500).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Monica Nicholas as President; Michael J Nicholas as Treasurer; David M Nicholas as Secretary; and Erin L Trella and Kelly C Luby as Directors.
The Magic Charitable Foundation is led by Monica Nicholas, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Monica Nicholas
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Erin L Trella
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kelly C Luby
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
David M Nicholas
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Michael J Nicholas
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Magic Charitable Foundation
How much does The Magic Charitable Foundation give each year?
The Magic Charitable Foundation gave $132K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $124K across 24 grants.
What is The Magic Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The Magic Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,250, and its average grant was $4,714, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Magic Charitable Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Magic Charitable Foundation give grants?
The Magic Charitable Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (15%) and District of Columbia (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (4 grants), New York, NY (4 grants), Arlington, VA (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Magic Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on The Magic Charitable Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Magic Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The Magic Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include National Alliance on Mental Illness ($11,000), American Red Cross ($10,000) and The Margo Fowler Family Foundation ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($8,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Magic Charitable Foundation?
The Magic Charitable Foundation reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $136K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $131K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Magic Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 recipients included organizations addressing a range of needs. For example, Nourishing Hope describes its mission as providing food, mental health support, and social services to help neighbors thrive. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Magic Charitable 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 Magic Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The Magic Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4375952. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Magic Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 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 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 22, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 6, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Magic Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Magic Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-magic-charitable-foundation-morg_2ca4d29d22964721a84660d4c607f260
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_274375952_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Magic Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-magic-charitable-foundation-morg_2ca4d29d22964721a84660d4c607f260},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Magic Charitable 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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