The Tenzer Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Chicago, IL EIN: 36-7613423

The Tenzer Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. It supports charitable organizations through grants; its 2025 filing lists 25 grants totaling $146,130.

Key facts about The Tenzer Family Foundation

In short: The Tenzer Family Foundation gave $146K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Florida. 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
36-7613423
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$146,130
Grants made (2025)
25
Average grant
$5,845
Median grant
$2,000
New grantees (estimate)
16% first-time grantees (4 of 25, 2025)
Total assets
$6,050,721
Primary geography
Florida (59% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
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. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$6.1M

+2.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$146K

+23.9% YoY

Grant Count

25

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$6K

+23.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Tenzer Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $484K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is The Tenzer Family Foundation open to new grantees?

16%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 4 of 25 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $7K. How we count

Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.

  • 84% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 137% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 31% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.

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 grantees include organizations whose stated missions span different activities. Blessings in a Backpack says it provides weekend food for school-aged children who might otherwise go hungry. Gulfshore Playhouse says it is committed to professional theatre in Southwest Florida and to developing its education department. Heavens Gait Ranch describes its work as equine activities under PATH International and building a compassionate community. Wounded Warrior Project says it serves post-9/11 wounded, ill, and injured veterans, service members, and their families.

Other 2025 grantees include Danny Did Foundation, which says it works to raise awareness of epilepsy and SUDEP and prevent seizure-related deaths, and Smile Train, which says it aims to provide people born with clefts the same opportunities in life as those born without clefts.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 25 grants totaling $146,130. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $55,000, with a median of $2,000. Its largest grants included $55,000 to Shriners Hospital for Children in Tampa, Florida; $25,000 to Artis-Naples in Naples, Florida; and $15,000 to Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund in Chicago, Illinois. The listed grants were for general purposes.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Among 2025 grant dollars, 59% went to recipients in Florida, 23% to Illinois, 5% to Colorado, 4% to New Jersey, and 3% to Wisconsin.

Grant Distribution by State

12states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.

Cities

ChicagoWilliams BayNaplesMilwaukeeCedar GroveEstes ParkJacksonvilleLake GenevaMemphisNew YorkTampaFontanaongeneva LakeYardvilleGlen EllynMaywoodMendhamPhoenixGreencastleRochesterVilla Park

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M29 grants2020 31 grants2021 27 grants2022 25 grants2023 25 grants2024 25 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $62K (2022) to $3.3M (2021). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $146K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Shriners Hospital for Children: $55KShriners Hospital for Children$55KArtis-Naples: $25KArtis-Naples$25KDaniel Murphy Scholarship Fund: $15KDaniel Murphy Scholarship Fund$15KWind River Ministries Inc: $8KWind River Ministries Inc$8KBlessings in a Backpack: $5KBlessings in a Backpack$5KDepaul College Prep: $5KDepaul College Prep$5KFriends of Chicago Animal Care and Control (Fcacc): $5KFriends of Chicago Animal Careand Control (Fcacc)$5KSt Jude's Children's Research Hospital: $5KSt Jude's Children's ResearchHospital$5KThe MDS Foundation: $5KThe MDS Foundation$5KGulfshore Playhouse: $3KGulfshore Playhouse$3K

The largest 2025 recipient was Shriners Hospital for Children ($55K). Together the top 10 received $131K.

Grant Size Distribution

133 grants across all recorded years

129<$50K1$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M2$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 129 grants of 133 (97%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Shriners Hospital for Children Tampa, FLGeneral Purposes$55,000
Artis-Naples Naples, FLGeneral Purposes$25,000
Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund Chicago, ILGeneral Purposes$15,000
Wind River Ministries Inc Estes Park, COGeneral Purposes$8,000
Blessings in a Backpack Chicago, ILGeneral Purposes$5,000
Depaul College Prep Chicago, ILGeneral Purposes$5,000
Friends of Chicago Animal Care and Control (Fcacc) Chicago, ILGeneral Purposes$5,000
St Jude's Children's Research Hospital Memphis, TNGeneral Purposes$5,000
The MDS Foundation Yardville, NJGeneral Purposes$5,000
Gulfshore Playhouse Naples, FLGeneral Purposes$2,500

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grant total Number of grants
2025 $146,130 25
2024 $117,980 25
2023 $3,061,227 25
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2.5M$5M$7.5M$10M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$6,050,721$5,907,580$6,221,722
Revenue$352,266$579,749$7,631,420
Expenses$213,010$192,418$3,112,490
Qualifying Distributions$147,820$119,870$3,064,317
Net Investment Income$287,076$507,201$473,654
Distributable Amount$483,845$451,597$391,126

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 7, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 1, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 28, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Kathryn L McClain, Marilyn E Tenzer, Rebecca E Tenzer, and Melissa K Tenzer as trustees.

The Tenzer Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Marilyn E. Tenzer

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kathryn L. McClain

    Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Melissa K. Tenzer

    Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rebecca E. Tenzer

    Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Lee E. Tenzer (2020–2021) — Trustee

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.

Contact

Mailing address: 141 W Jackson Blvd Suite 2036, Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (312) 386-9760

Frequently asked questions about The Tenzer Family Foundation

How much does The Tenzer Family Foundation give each year?

The Tenzer Family Foundation gave $146K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $118K across 25 grants.

What is The Tenzer Family Foundation's typical grant size?

The Tenzer Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $5,845, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Tenzer Family Foundation that year got $1K on average.

Where does The Tenzer Family Foundation give grants?

The Tenzer Family Foundation gives mostly in Florida: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (23%) and Colorado (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (7 grants), Naples, FL (3 grants) and Williams Bay, WI (2 grants).

Does The Tenzer Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of The Tenzer Family 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 Tenzer Family Foundation's largest grantees?

The Tenzer Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Shriners Hospital for Children ($55,000), Artis-Naples ($25,000) and Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Tenzer Family Foundation?

The Tenzer Family Foundation reported $6.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $148K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $484K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does The Tenzer Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations whose stated missions span different activities. Blessings in a Backpack says it provides weekend food for school-aged children who might otherwise go hungry. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Tenzer 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 Tenzer Family Foundation's EIN?

The Tenzer Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7613423. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does The Tenzer Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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