Tinberg Foundation
Tinberg Foundation is a private foundation based in Winnetka, Illinois. In filing year 2025, it reported 30 grants totaling $1,002,500 to organizations including universities, arts organizations, local media, and nonprofits.
Tinberg Foundation at a glance
In short: Tinberg Foundation gave $1.0M across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $33K), mostly in Illinois. 57% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,002,500
- +32.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $33,417
- +5.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,373,497
- -21.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 57% first-time grantees (17 of 30, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (87% 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 Tinberg Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It instructs applicants to contact Richard Elaine Tinberg and submit a letter describing the proposed use of funds. The filing states there are no deadlines and no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Richard Elaine Tinberg
Mailing address: 159 Sheridan Road, Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: (847) 441-9152
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Tinberg Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Northwestern University ($450K). Together the top 10 received $942K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($250), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
142 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 122 grants of 142 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 11% to Colorado, and 1% each to California and New York. Missouri accounted for 0% as reported in the filing.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Tinberg Foundation open to new grantees?
57%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 17 of 30 grantees (57%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $65K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 40% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 165% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 416% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $305K (2021) to $1.0M (2025). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University Evanston, IL | General Support | $450,000 |
| Writer's Theatre Glencoe, IL | General Support | $151,500 |
| Colorado State University Foundation Fort Collins, CO | General Support | $100,000 |
| University of Chicago Chicago, IL | General Support | $60,000 |
| Ingenuity Incorporated Chicago Chicago, IL | General Support | $55,000 |
| Chicago Public Media Chicago, IL | General Support | $50,000 |
| Erika's Lighthouse a Beacon of Hope for Adolescent Depression Winnetka, IL | General Support | $25,000 |
| Roderick and Solange Macarthur Justice Center Niles, IL | Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Regents of the University of California San Francisco, CA | General Support | $15,000 |
| Chicago Theatre Group Inc (DBA - Goodman Theatre) Chicago, IL | General Support | $10,000 |
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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 | $2,373,497 | $366,503 | $1,028,849 | $1,002,500 | 30 | $1,002,525 | $342,788 | $240,778 |
| 2024 | $3,039,196 | $1,307,378 | $788,061 | $758,000 | 24 | $758,025 | $274,030 | $251,650 |
| 2023 | $2,697,608 | $383,460 | $435,884 | $414,450 | 27 | $414,465 | $363,945 | $192,507 |
| 2022 | $2,751,463 | $206,416 | $400,900 | $378,400 | 32 | $378,425 | $183,941 | $217,710 |
| 2021 | $2,943,259 | $191,162 | $328,557 | $304,950 | 29 | $304,960 | $167,565 | $233,210 |
| 2020 | $3,078,958 | $92,668 | $444,003 | $414,600 | 22 | — | $65,542 | $191,221 |
| 2019 | $3,367,649 | $287,237 | $362,845 | $336,500 | 23 | — | $260,892 | $211,133 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tinberg Foundation reported a distributable amount of $241K 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
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. Northwestern University describes its mission as combining excellent teaching, innovative research, and students’ personal and intellectual growth. Writers Theatre says it creates connections through performances and programs, while Ingenuity says it works to ensure Chicago public school students have access to arts education. Chicago Public Media describes its mission as strengthening local communities and democracy through independent local journalism.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 30 grants totaling $1,002,500. Grants ranged from $250 to $450,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest grants included $450,000 to Northwestern University, $151,500 to Writers Theatre, $100,000 to Colorado State University Foundation, $60,000 to the University of Chicago, $55,000 to Ingenuity Incorporated Chicago, and $50,000 to Chicago Public Media. The listed purposes for these grants were general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Richard W Tinberg as president and Elaine Tinberg, Christine Tinberg, and Richard J Tinberg as directors.
Tinberg Foundation is led by Richard J. Tinberg, President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Richard J. Tinberg
President & Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christine Tinberg
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elaine Tinberg
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Tinberg Foundation
How much does Tinberg Foundation give each year?
Tinberg Foundation gave $1.0M across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $758K across 24 grants.
What is Tinberg Foundation's typical grant size?
Tinberg Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $33,417, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Tinberg Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does Tinberg Foundation give grants?
Tinberg Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (10 grants), Winnetka, IL (4 grants), Evanston, IL (2 grants) and Edwards, CO (2 grants).
Does Tinberg Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Tinberg Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (30 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Tinberg Foundation's largest grantees?
Tinberg Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Northwestern University ($450,000), Writer's Theatre ($151,500) and Colorado State University Foundation ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($250), which are not listed by name. Together they received 70% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Tinberg Foundation?
Tinberg Foundation reported $2.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $241K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Tinberg Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. Northwestern University describes its mission as combining excellent teaching, innovative research, and students’ personal and intellectual growth. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tinberg Foundation?
The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Tinberg Foundation's EIN?
Tinberg Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3742179. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 24, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Tinberg Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Tinberg Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/tinberg-foundation-morg_588a678a485643cdbd5907561eb618c1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363742179_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Tinberg Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/tinberg-foundation-morg_588a678a485643cdbd5907561eb618c1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Tinberg 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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