The Makray Family Foundation
The Makray Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its recent grants support charitable organizations including religious organizations, conservation groups, and other nonprofits.
Key facts about The Makray Family Foundation
In short: The Makray Family Foundation gave $1.2M across 25 grants in 2026 (avg $46K), top state Illinois. 20% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 36-4298517
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026
- Annual giving (2026)
- $1,157,000
- Grants made (2026)
- 25
- Average grant
- $46,280
- Median grant
- $30,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (5 of 25, 2026)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (38% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Quick answers about The Makray Family Foundation
How much does The Makray Family Foundation give each year?
The Makray Family Foundation gave $1.2M across 25 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $1.1M across 20 grants.
What is The Makray Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Makray Family Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $30,000, and its average grant was $46,280, across 25 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Makray Family Foundation that year got $26K on average.
Where does The Makray Family Foundation give grants?
The Makray Family Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (33%) and Arkansas (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (3 grants), Santa Rosa, CA (2 grants), Kailuakona, HI (2 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does The Makray Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Makray Family Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Makray Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Makray Family Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Biblical Counseling Center ($166,000), Alzheimer's Association ($100,000) and Moody Bible Institute of Chicago ($100,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
Is The Makray Family Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 5 of 25 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $40K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Makray Family Foundation
- How to evaluate The Makray Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2026 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.2M
+3.6% YoY
Grant Count
25
+25.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$46K
-17.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for organizations working in areas such as religious education and outreach, wildlife and environmental conservation, and Alzheimer’s-related work. For example, the Biblical Counseling Center describes its mission as providing biblical counseling and training to improve individual wellbeing. The International Crane Foundation says it works worldwide to conserve cranes and the ecosystems, watersheds, and flyways on which they depend.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $1,157,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $166,000, with a median of $30,000. Its largest reported grants included $166,000 to Biblical Counseling Center; $100,000 each to the Alzheimer’s Association, Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, and The Orchard Church; and $90,000 to CHP 11-99 Foundation. Each was reported for general purposes.
Ready to take the next step with The Makray Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
For filing year 2026, the reported share of grant dollars by recipient state was Illinois 38%, California 33%, Arkansas 9%, Hawaii 5%, and Arizona 4%. Grants also went to recipients in other states, including Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 25 itemized 2026 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total grants | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $1,157,000 | 25 |
| 2025 | $1,117,000 | 20 |
| 2024 | $982,000 | 21 |
| Metric | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS June 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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 2026
Grant Size Distribution
95 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BIBLICAL COUNSELING CENTER Winfield, IL | GENERAL PURPOSES | $166,000 |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION San Jose, CA | GENERAL PURPOSES | $100,000 |
| MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO Chicago, IL | GENERAL PURPOSES | $100,000 |
| RON HUTCHCRAFT MINISTRIES INC Harrison, AR | GENERAL PURPOSES | $100,000 |
| THE ORCHARD CHURCH Barrington, IL | GENERAL PURPOSES | $100,000 |
| CHP 11-99 FOUNDATION (CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL) Costa Mesa, CA | GENERAL PURPOSES | $90,000 |
| POINT BLUE CONSERVATION SCIENCE Petaluma, CA | GENERAL PURPOSES | $80,000 |
| CULTURE CITY CHURCH Cicero, IL | GENERAL PURPOSES | $50,000 |
| GLOBAL TRAINING NETWORK Peoria, AZ | GENERAL PURPOSES | $50,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION Baraboo, WI | GENERAL PURPOSES | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Paul Makray Jr as president, treasurer, and director, and Carol Donohoe as vice president, secretary, and director.
The Makray Family Foundation is led by Paul Makray Jr., President, Trs & Director on every filing since 2021; none of the 2 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Paul Makray Jr.
President, Trs & Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carol Donohoe
Vice President, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "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
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Makray Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for organizations working in areas such as religious education and outreach, wildlife and environmental conservation, and Alzheimer’s-related work. For example, the Biblical Counseling Center describes its mission as providing biblical counseling and training to improve individual wellbeing. The International Crane Foundation says it works worldwide to conserve cranes and the ecosystems, watersheds, and flyways on whic…
How do I apply for a grant from The Makray Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Makray Family Foundation's EIN?
The Makray Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4298517. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Does The Makray Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.