The Okner-Robbins Foundation
The Okner-Robbins Foundation is a private foundation based in Lake Forest, Illinois. Its 2023 filing is marked as the organization’s final return, indicating that it has terminated or is winding down; it therefore appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
The Okner-Robbins Foundation at a glance
In short: The Okner-Robbins Foundation gave $204K across 20 grants in 2023 (avg $10K), mostly in Illinois. 30% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $203,673
- +53.7% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 20
- +5.3% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $10,184
- +46.0% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (6 of 20, 2023; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Okner-Robbins Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2023 filing said to send a written request to David Robbins. It listed no deadlines or award restrictions and said the foundation did not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Because the filing is marked as the foundation’s final return, these instructions should not be treated as current.
- Contact
Application contact: David Robbins
Mailing address: 1300 West Cascade Ct S, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Phone: (847) 573-6083
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Okner-Robbins Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was ATT ($20K). Together the top 10 received $145K.
Grant Size Distribution
85 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 85 grants of 85 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2023 grant dollars went to recipients listed in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Okner-Robbins Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 6 of 20 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 70% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2020 to 2023 (+9%). Method
- In 2023 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2023). 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 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $133K (2022) to $204K (2023). In 2023 it made 20 grants totaling $204K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Organized Charities Lake Forest, IL | Support | $21,573 |
| ATT Lake Forest, IL | Support | $20,000 |
| Chicago Community Kollel Lake Forest, IL | Support | $20,000 |
| Northern Light Kollel Lake Forest, IL | Support | $20,000 |
| Ohr Yaakov of America Lake Forest, IL | Supportsupport | $17,000 |
| South Bend Hebrew Day School Lake Forest, IL | Support | $15,000 |
| UJA Lake Forest, IL | Support | $12,500 |
| Chicago Kollel Lake Forest, IL | Support | $10,000 |
| Chicago Center for Torah & Chesed Lake Forest, IL | Support | $10,000 |
| Chicago Chesed Fund Lake Forest, IL | Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Okner-Robbins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | $69,585 | $210,397 | $203,673 | 20 | $203,673 | $64,746 | $3,343 |
| 2022 | $140,812 | $50,577 | $139,229 | $132,500 | 19 | $132,500 | $46,377 | $10,856 |
| 2021 | $229,464 | $-21,132 | $157,292 | $145,850 | 21 | $145,850 | $1,623 | $20,459 |
| 2020 | $407,888 | $29,503 | $190,045 | $186,100 | 25 | — | $25,573 | $20,808 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Okner-Robbins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3K for 2023 — 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 2023 grants included support for organizations whose own stated missions address needs in the Jewish community. For example, the Chicago Chesed Fund says it raises and distributes funds, goods, food, and assistance to poverty-stricken members of the Jewish community. The Ark describes its mission as helping Chicagoland Jews facing adversity navigate toward self-reliance, while Shalva says it supports people experiencing or healing from domestic abuse through counseling, referrals, supportive services, and community education.
The foundation also gave to Keshet, which describes its work as providing opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in activities and milestones from childhood through adulthood.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $203,673. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $21,573, with a median of $10,000. Among the largest were $21,573 to Miscellaneous Organized Charities; $20,000 each to ATT, Chicago Community Kollel, and Northern Light Kollel; and $17,000 to Ohr Yaakov of America.
Other reported 2023 grants included $10,000 to Chicago Chesed Fund, $5,000 to Keshet, $2,000 to The Ark, and $1,000 to Shalva Inc.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing lists David Robbins as president, treasurer, and director; Joel Oakner as secretary; and Ellyn Robbins as director.
The Okner-Robbins Foundation is led by David Robbins, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2023 report compensation.
Officers on the 2023 filing
David Robbins
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ellyn Robbins
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joel Oakner
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2023. "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 Okner-Robbins Foundation
How much does The Okner-Robbins Foundation give each year?
The Okner-Robbins Foundation gave $204K across 20 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $133K across 19 grants.
What is The Okner-Robbins Foundation's typical grant size?
The Okner-Robbins Foundation's median grant in 2023 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,184, across 20 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Okner-Robbins Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does The Okner-Robbins Foundation give grants?
The Okner-Robbins Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lake Forest, IL (20 grants).
Does The Okner-Robbins Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2023: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on The Okner-Robbins Foundation's 2023 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support" (19 grants).
Who are The Okner-Robbins Foundation's largest grantees?
The Okner-Robbins Foundation's largest 2023 grantees include ATT ($20,000), Chicago Community Kollel ($20,000) and Northern Light Kollel ($20,000), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
What does The Okner-Robbins Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2023 grants included support for organizations whose own stated missions address needs in the Jewish community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Okner-Robbins Foundation?
The 2023 filing said to send a written request to David Robbins. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is The Okner-Robbins Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2023, The Okner-Robbins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Okner-Robbins Foundation's EIN?
The Okner-Robbins Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3870305. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 21, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Okner-Robbins 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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