The MCJ Amelior Foundation is a private family foundation based in Morristown, New Jersey. Founded in 1983 by philanthropist and humanitarian Ray Chambers, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization designated for charitable, educational, scientific, and philanthropic purposes. The foundation maintains a staff of approximately 3-6 employees and operates without a public website.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$74.0M
+35.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.8M
+20.6% YoY
Grant Count
149
-10.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$39K
+35.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mcj Amelior Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's philanthropic portfolio focuses on:
- Education — including early childhood education, elementary and secondary education, and child educational development
- Health — including reproductive health care, youth pregnancy prevention, and disease prevention and treatment
- Community Development — including public safety and crime prevention
- Economic Development — with emphasis on workforce skills and economic opportunity
- Support for Vulnerable Populations — including women and girls, economically disadvantaged individuals, homeless people, low-income people, people with disabilities, and people living with HIV/AIDS
- Global Health Initiatives — through the founder's involvement with international health organizations
The foundation emphasizes promoting harmony, understanding, education, and workplace skills among the less fortunate.
Grantmaking
The vast majority of grants are for general operating support.
Average Grant
amount: approximately $17,000
Grant Types
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
While the foundation does not set formal geographic limitations on its grantmaking, it demonstrates significant geographic priorities:
- Primary Focus: Newark, New Jersey
- Strong Presence: New Jersey and New York receive a significant portion of funding
- National Scope: Grants support organizations across the United States, including major areas such as Los Angeles and Chicago
- Global Engagement: The founder's involvement extends to global health efforts and economic development initiatives in Central America, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific region
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $73,952,936
- Total Revenue: $11,922,404
- Total Expenses: $8,791,005
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Total Giving: $5,782,871
Historical Context: The foundation has maintained substantial assets and consistent grantmaking activity over multiple years, with financial data available from 2011 onward.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $73,952,936 | $54,421,147 | $52,776,695 |
| Revenue | $11,922,404 | $3,142,815 | $3,657,876 |
| Expenses | $8,791,005 | $7,244,204 | $4,284,619 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $7,371,479 | $6,044,065 | $3,815,405 |
| Net Investment Income | $10,488,133 | $2,199,193 | $4,215,175 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,561,194 | $4,752,384 | $4,799,918 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Clinton Health Access Initiative Inc ($516,700), America's Frontier Fund ($250,000), Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 50CAN INC WASHINGTON, DC | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| AFRICAN COMMUNITY CONSERVATION FOUNDATION PALM BEACH, FL | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, DC | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| AMERICA'S FRONTIER FUND ARLINGTON, VA | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $250,000 |
| ASSOCIATED HUMANE SOCIETIES INC NEWARK, NJ | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA IRVING, TX | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF ESSEX HUDSON NEWARK, NJ | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| BLINKNOW FOUNDATION MENDHAM, NJ | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| BOSTON COLLEGE TRUSTEES CHESTNUT HILL, MA | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF NEWARK INC NEWARK, NJ | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $28,800 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Personnel:
- Christine Chambers Gilfillan — Director and President (compensation: $280,000 as of 2023)
- Suzanne M. Spero — Director/Vice President/Executive Director
- Charles Rubin — Director
- N'Kaela M Webster — Project Manager (compensation: $57,000 as of 2023)
- Charisma K Derias — Executive Assistant (compensation: $81,469 as of 2023)
Founder: Ray Chambers, the foundation's founder and chairman, is a philanthropist and humanitarian deeply involved in global health efforts through his work with the World Health Organization, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, and Malaria No More, as well as economic development initiatives through public-private partnerships.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUZANNE M SPERO | PRESIDENT | 40 | $300,042 |
| CHRISTINE CHAMBERS GILFILLAN | DIRECTOR/CO-CHAIR | 40 | $305,030 |
| CHARLES RUBIN | DIRECTOR | 40 | — |
| WENDY C BERRY-MCWEENY | DIRECTOR/CONSULTANT | 2 | — |
| ANTHONY J ROMANO | DIRECTOR/ASST. SECRETARY/TREASURER | 5 | — |
| JENNIFER G CHAMBERS | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| MERCEL P CHAMBERS | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| MICHAEL J CHAMBERS | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| PATRICIA A CHAMBERS | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| RAYMOND G CHAMBERS | DIRECTOR/CO-CHAIR | 5 | — |
| TINA BROWN CHAMBERS | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| BARBARA B COLEMAN | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| MICHAEL GILFILLAN | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| MICHAEL GILFILLAN JR | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| PATRICK GILFILLAN | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| JOHN T SHERIDAN | DIRECTOR/VP/SECRETARY/TREASURER | 5 | — |
| NATALIE GILFILLAN | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Mcj Amelior Foundation fund?
The foundation's philanthropic portfolio focuses on: • **Education** — including early childhood education, elementary and secondary education, and child educational development • **Health** — including reproductive health care, youth pregnancy prevention, and disease prevention and treatment • **Community Development** — including public safety and crime prevention • **Economic Development** — with emphasis on workforce skills and economic opportunity • **Support for Vulnerable Populations** —…
How do I apply for a grant from The Mcj Amelior Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 141-186 grants in recent years • Total giving of approximately $5.78 million (2024) • Average grant amount: approximately $17,000 • Median grant amount: approximately $7,500 • Typical award range: $25–$1,009,200 **Grant Types:** The vast majority of grants are for general operating support. **Recent Grantees (2024):** • Indo-Pacific Partnership for Prosperity — $595,000 • New Jersey Children's Foundation — $584,125 • Clinton Health Access Initiative — $516,700 • Malar…
Where does The Mcj Amelior Foundation make grants?
While the foundation does not set formal geographic limitations on its grantmaking, it demonstrates significant geographic priorities: • **Primary Focus:** Newark, New Jersey • **Strong Presence:** New Jersey and New York receive a significant portion of funding • **National Scope:** Grants support organizations across the United States, including major areas such as Los Angeles and Chicago • **Global Engagement:** The founder's involvement extends to global health efforts and economic developm…
What size grants does The Mcj Amelior Foundation award?
In 2024, The Mcj Amelior Foundation awarded 149 grants totaling $5.8M — an average of about $39K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Mcj Amelior Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Mcj Amelior Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Mcj Amelior Foundation's EIN?
The Mcj Amelior Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2497895. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Mcj Amelior Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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