The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation
The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation is a private foundation that supports educational initiatives and scholarships, with a demonstrated commitment to advancing access to higher education.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$263K
-33.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$149K
-3.3% YoY
Grant Count
22
+15.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$7K
-16.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation reported a distributable amount of $19K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation focuses on educational funding, with particular emphasis on scholarship programs and support for universities. The foundation has shown commitment to diversity and inclusion in higher education through partnerships with established scholarship programs.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants to educational institutions and scholarship programs. Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has demonstrated grantmaking activity in New York and Pennsylvania, with involvement in national scholarship initiatives through partnerships with established educational organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $262,613 | $396,020 | $543,625 |
| Revenue | $15,186 | $6,609 | $11,197 |
| Expenses | $148,568 | $154,022 | $168,634 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $148,525 | $153,650 | $168,525 |
| Net Investment Income | $15,143 | $14,832 | $11,085 |
| Distributable Amount | $19,409 | $30,463 | $32,629 |
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
113 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Newberry Library - Conversations ($30,000), Chicago Symphony Orchestra ($15,000), Lyric Opera - Annual Campaign ($15,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO (SUSTAINING FELLOWS) CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL | $6,000 |
| BGA-BETTER GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL | $2,500 |
| BRAIN RESEARCH FOUNDATIONN BOBINS CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL | $1,000 |
| CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL | $2,500 |
| CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL | $15,000 |
| CHIKAMING OPEN LANDS SAWYER, MI | GENERAL | $1,000 |
| IIT - THE MIES VAN DER ROHE SOCIETY CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL | $500 |
| INTRINSIC SCHOOLS OF CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL | $2,500 |
| LATIN SCHOOL OF CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MELVIN GRAY | PRESIDENT | 0.1 | — |
| SUE GRAY | VICE-PRES. | 0.1 | — |
| STEVEN F GRAY | SECRETARY | 0.1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Stony Brook University announced a $1 million grant from The Gray Foundation for scholarships
Stony Brook University Announces $1M Grant From The Gray Foundation - SBUThe Gray Foundation hosted a reception welcoming the second cohort of UNCF/Gray NYC Scholars
The Gray Foundation Hosts Reception Welcoming Second Cohort of UNCF/Gray$10 million gift commitment to the University of Pennsylvania's Penn First Plus Program
Stony Brook University announces $1 million grant from The Gray FoundationFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation fund?
The foundation focuses on educational funding, with particular emphasis on scholarship programs and support for universities. The foundation has shown commitment to diversity and inclusion in higher education through partnerships with established scholarship programs.
How do I apply for a grant from The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation?
The foundation makes grants to educational institutions and scholarship programs. Recent grants include: • $1 million grant to Stony Brook University for scholarships • $10 million gift to the University of Pennsylvania for the Penn First Plus Program • Support for the UNCF/Gray NYC Scholars program, including hosting receptions for scholarship cohorts
Where does The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation make grants?
The foundation has demonstrated grantmaking activity in New York and Pennsylvania, with involvement in national scholarship initiatives through partnerships with established educational organizations.
What size grants does The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation award?
In 2024, The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $149K — an average of about $7K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation reported a distributable amount of $19K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation's EIN?
The Sue and Melvin Gray Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3485579. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Sue and Melvin Gray 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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