The Sauer Family Foundation
The Sauer Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations working in areas that include animal welfare, health, hunger relief, disaster response, children’s well-being and education.
The Sauer Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Sauer Family Foundation gave $148K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $15K), top state New Jersey. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $148,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- Average grant
- $14,800
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $2,842,285
- +15.4% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (17% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Sauer Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 220 E Illinois St 5202, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 521-2607
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Sauer Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Eleventh Hour Rescue ($25K). Together the top 10 received $148K.
Grant Size Distribution
10 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 10 grants of 10 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grants went to organizations in several states. By share of grant dollars, the largest recipient-state shares were New Jersey and New York at 17% each, followed by Illinois at 16%, and Texas and Virginia at 14% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Sauer Family Foundation gives
- In 2024 it paid out 118% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $148K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Eleventh Hour Rescue Flanders, NJ | To save the lives of innocent dogs and cats on death row. | $25,000 |
| American Heart Association Dallas, TX | To fight heart disease and stroke and help families and communities thrive. | $20,000 |
| Center for Missing Exploited Childr Alexandria, VA | To safeguard the security and well-being of society's most vulnerable members: our children. | $20,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | To end hunger by connecting our neighbors with healthy food and advancing solutions that address the root causes of hunger. | $20,000 |
| American Red Cross Washington, DC | Shelter, feed and provide comfort to people affected by disasters; supply blood; teach skills that save lives; distribute international humanitarian aid; and support veterans, military members and their families. | $20,000 |
| Breast Cancer Research Foundation New York, NY | Prevent and cure breast cancer by advancing the worlds most promising research. | $20,000 |
| Kingston Animal Shelter Kingston, MA | To enhance, educate, and promote animal safety and welfare within the community through compassion, respect, and kindness. | $10,000 |
| Sesame Workshop New York, NY | To help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. | $5,000 |
| Fred Rogers Company Pittsburgh, PA | To create quality childrens media that models an enthusiasm for learning and earns the trust of parents and caregivers. | $5,000 |
| Fourth Church Day School Chicago, IL | To encourage life-long learning by respecting and educating the whole child. | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Sauer Family 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,842,285 | $330,797 | $154,650 | $148,000 | 10 | $150,778 | $61,818 | $128,175 |
| 2023 | $2,463,352 | $2,454,446 | $3,667 | — | — | $3,667 | $10,268 | $19,998 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sauer Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $128K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants went to organizations with varied purposes. The American Heart Association describes its mission as promoting “a world of longer, healthier lives,” while the Greater Chicago Food Depository says its mission is to end hunger and that it works with community organizations and individuals. Sesame Workshop describes its mission as helping children grow smarter, stronger and kinder. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $148,000 through 10 grants. Grants ranged from $3,000 to $25,000, with a median of $20,000.
Notable 2024 grants included $25,000 to Eleventh Hour Rescue; $20,000 each to the American Heart Association, Center for Missing Exploited Childr, Greater Chicago Food Depository, American Red Cross and Breast Cancer Research Foundation; and $10,000 to Kingston Animal Shelter.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jonathan P Sauer, Kristal L Sauer and Erica Simons as directors.
The Sauer Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Erica Simons
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Jonathan P Sauer
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Kristal L Sauer
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2024. "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 Sauer Family Foundation
How much does The Sauer Family Foundation give each year?
The Sauer Family Foundation gave $148K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
What is The Sauer Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Sauer Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $14,800, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Sauer Family Foundation give grants?
The Sauer Family Foundation's top state is New Jersey, with 17% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (17%) and Illinois (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants) and Chicago, IL (2 grants).
Does The Sauer Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The Sauer Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Sauer Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Sauer Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Eleventh Hour Rescue ($25,000), American Heart Association ($20,000) and Center for Missing Exploited Childr ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Sauer Family Foundation?
The Sauer Family Foundation reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $151K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $128K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Sauer Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Sauer Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Sauer Family Foundation's EIN?
The Sauer Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 93-4669540. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2024.
Does The Sauer 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.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2023–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Sauer Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-sauer-family-foundation-morg_daab10c8cefe46beaa17bc801a71d20d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_934669540_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Sauer Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-sauer-family-foundation-morg_daab10c8cefe46beaa17bc801a71d20d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Sauer Family 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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