The Tarko Foundation
The Tarko Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports $86,500 in grants to 25 organizations, including food banks, organizations serving refugees and immigrants, and groups working in Holocaust education and democracy.
The Tarko Foundation at a glance
In short: The Tarko Foundation gave $87K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state Washington. 56% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $86,500
- +66.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- -19.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,460
- +106.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $926,129
- +2.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (14 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Washington (23% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Tarko 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: 3055 W Palmer Blvd 2, Chicago, IL 60647
Phone: (847) 494-2039
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Tarko Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Center for the Integration of Dance and Martial Arts ($20K). Together the top 10 received $67K.
Grant Size Distribution
132 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 132 grants of 132 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in Washington and Colorado (23% each), North Carolina (17%), Illinois (12%), and an unspecified state category (14%). The listed recipients include organizations in Seattle, Chicago, and North Carolina, as well as a recipient in Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Tarko Foundation open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 25 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 20% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 47% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 121% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $34K (2020) to $87K (2025). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $87K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Center for the Integration of Dance and Martial Arts Louisville, CO | General support to help fund the work of this organization | $20,000 |
| Gavi Alliance | General support to help fund the work of this organization | $10,000 |
| Manna Foodbank Mills River, NC | General support to help fund the work of this organization | $5,000 |
| Holocaust Center for Humanity Seattle, WA | General support to help fund the work of this organization | $5,000 |
| Jewish Family Service Seattle, WA | General support to help fund the work of this organization | $5,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | General support to help fund the work of this organization | $5,000 |
| Ballard Food Bank Seattle, WA | General support to help fund the work of this organization | $5,000 |
| Marshall Relief Alliance Marshall, NC | General support to help fund the work of this organization | $5,000 |
| Kavana Seattle, WA | General support to help fund the work of this organization | $4,000 |
| Democracy Forward Foundation Washington, DC | General support to help fund the work of this organization | $2,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Tarko 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $926,129 | $121,936 | $103,200 | $86,500 | 25 | $88,826 | $57,822 | $73,486 |
| 2024 | $907,393 | $43,753 | $67,173 | $52,000 | 31 | $54,151 | $16,724 | $68,408 |
| 2023 | $930,813 | $28,530 | $64,917 | $50,500 | 29 | $52,961 | $16,774 | $58,422 |
| 2022 | $967,200 | $23,636 | $71,794 | $59,000 | 22 | $59,000 | $12,368 | $62,005 |
| 2021 | $1,015,760 | $40,506 | $60,565 | $47,600 | 25 | $47,600 | $28,967 | $63,189 |
| 2020 | $1,042,023 | $22,304 | $48,288 | $34,000 | 25 | — | $12,893 | $55,507 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Tarko Foundation reported a distributable amount of $73K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants include support for organizations whose stated work spans food security, community services, Holocaust education, conservation, democracy, and humanitarian response. For example, the Holocaust Center for Humanity says it teaches the lessons of the Holocaust and inspires people to confront bigotry and indifference. The Greater Chicago Food Depository says its mission is to end hunger, while Jewish Family Service says it supports Jewish individuals and families, refugees and immigrants, and the broader community.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $86,500. Grants ranged from $250 to $20,000, with a median of $2,500. Notable grants included $20,000 to the Center for the Integration of Dance and Martial Arts, $10,000 to Gavi Alliance, and $5,000 each to Manna FoodBank, Holocaust Center for Humanity, Jewish Family Service, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Ballard Food Bank, and Marshall Relief Alliance. The stated purpose for these listed grants was general support.
The foundation also gave $2,500 to Democracy Forward Foundation, International Rescue Committee, and Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation & Development Council. Democracy Forward says it works through legal and administrative processes to protect democratic rights and institutions; the International Rescue Committee says it responds to humanitarian crises and helps people affected by conflict and disaster; and Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation & Development Council says it works to improve economic conditions and enhance or preserve natural resources in North Carolina.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Eli Halpern, Erica Moen, and Robert Halpern as directors.
The Tarko Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Eli Halpern
Director
President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erica Moen
Director
Vice President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Halpern
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Tarko Foundation
How much does The Tarko Foundation give each year?
The Tarko Foundation gave $87K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $52K across 31 grants.
What is The Tarko Foundation's typical grant size?
The Tarko Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $3,460, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Tarko Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Tarko Foundation give grants?
The Tarko Foundation's top state is Washington, with 23% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Colorado (23%) and North Carolina (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (7 grants), Seattle, WA (6 grants) and Marshall, NC (2 grants).
Does The Tarko Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Tarko Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Tarko Foundation's largest grantees?
The Tarko Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Center for the Integration of Dance and Martial Arts ($20,000), Gavi Alliance ($10,000) and Manna Foodbank ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Tarko Foundation?
The Tarko Foundation reported $926K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $89K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $73K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Tarko Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose stated work spans food security, community services, Holocaust education, conservation, democracy, and humanitarian response. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Tarko 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 Tarko Foundation's EIN?
The Tarko Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-3262587. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Tarko 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Tarko Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Tarko Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-tarko-foundation-morg_dd7a9cb642a44d2b9d823171564c984d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_843262587_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Tarko Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-tarko-foundation-morg_dd7a9cb642a44d2b9d823171564c984d},
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 Tarko 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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