Zell Family Foundation
The Zell Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1986 by billionaire real estate investor Sam Zell and his wife Helen. Based in Chicago, Illinois, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN 36-3487811. The foundation is known for making transformational gifts to institutions with which the family has long-standing relationships, particularly in the Greater Chicago area.
Key facts about Zell Family Foundation
- EIN
- 36-3487811
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $64,988,248
- Grants made (2024)
- 54
- Average grant
- $1,203,486
- Median grant
- $156,267
- Total assets
- $119,612,467
- Primary geography
- Illinois (88% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited grant requests.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Zell Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Zell Family Foundation's 54 itemized 2024 grants were Illinois (88%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (36 grants), New York, NY (7 grants), Ann Arbor, MI (2 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants). 98% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$119.6M
-56.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$65.0M
-51.9% YoY
Grant Count
54
-22.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.2M
-37.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Zell Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is giving primarily for:
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Medicine and cancer research
- Recreation
- Youth development
- Human service organizations
- Jewish causes
Grantmaking
The foundation made 39 grants in 2024 totaling approximately $65.65 million.
Grant Range
** $100,000 to $50,000,000
Invitation Only
** The foundation does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited grant requests. Grantmaking is by invitation only with no public application process.
Ready to take the next step with Zell Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses primarily on the Greater Chicago area (approximately 60% of grants), with national grants to select institutions.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 54 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $119,612,467
- Total Revenues: $44,105,930
- Total Expenses: $69,305,511
- Total Grants, Contributions, etc.: $37,467,060
- Investment Income and Dividends: $5,477,989
- Number of Employees: 0
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $144.2 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $119,612,467 | $275,114,353 | $244,754,492 |
| Revenue | $44,105,930 | $158,353,230 | $8,732,513 |
| Expenses | $69,305,511 | $69,938,728 | $18,009,496 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $63,498,230 | $133,201,437 | $26,942,223 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,109,476 | $4,930,835 | $9,128,509 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,428,510 | $5,601,795 | $5,994,078 |
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
372 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Northwestern University-kellogg ($25,000,000), Rochelle Zell Jewish High School ($10,000,000), Chicago Symphony Orchestra ($9,640,000 across 2 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY-KELLOGG EVANSTON, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000,000 |
| ROCHELLE ZELL JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL DEERFIELD, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000,000 |
| CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $8,300,000 |
| CAMP RAMAH IN WISCONSIN ENDOWMENT CORP CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,000,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,000,000 |
| ZELL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOUNDATION CHICAGO, IL | ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION - OUT OF CORPUS | $2,000,000 |
| MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,500,000 |
| FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION INC (FIRE) PHILADELPHIA, PA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,350,000 |
| CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,340,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR, MI | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,250,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Current Leadership:
- Helen Zell – President and Executive Director (widow of Sam Zell)
- Kellie Zell – Vice President
- Matthew Zell – Vice President
- JoAnn Zell – Vice President
Helen Zell serves on the boards of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association, Steppenwolf Theatre, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. She was the first female board chair of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (2015-2020).
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HELEN H ZELL | PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KELLIE ZELL | VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MATTHEW M ZELL | VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOANN L ZELL | VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PHILIP TINKLER | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| LUCILLE MCFARLAND | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| JOSEPH MIRON | SECRETARY/ VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL SHINER | TREASURER/VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Following Sam Zell's death in May 2023, the foundation received a substantial $159 million infusion from his estate, dramatically increasing its grantmaking capacity. This inheritance transformed the foundation's annual giving from an average of $22 million to $133 million in fiscal year 2023.
$600 million given to worthy causes and accelerating: the next generation\Recent major grants announced include:
$60 million to the University of Michigan
$50 million to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association
$10 million to The Ounce of Prevention Fund
Zell Family Foundation Donates $10 Million to The Ounce of Prevention Fund$12.7 million grant (led by Matthew Zell Family Foundation) to Savanna Institute in June 2023
The Zell Family Foundation gives $50 million to the CSOAFrequently Asked Questions
What does Zell Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is giving primarily for: • Arts and culture • Education • Medicine and cancer research • Recreation • Youth development • Human service organizations • Jewish causes
How do I apply for a grant from Zell Family Foundation?
**Grant Range:** $100,000 to $50,000,000 **Application Process:** The foundation does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited grant requests. Grantmaking is by invitation only with no public application process. **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** • Rochelle Zell Jewish High School: $10,000,000 (General Support) • Chicago Symphony Orchestra: $8,300,000 (General Support) • Camp Ramah in Wisconsin Endowment Corp: $3,000,000 (General Support) The foundation made 39 grants in 20…
Where does Zell Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation focuses primarily on the Greater Chicago area (approximately 60% of grants), with national grants to select institutions.
What size grants does Zell Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Zell Family Foundation awarded 54 grants totaling $65.0M — an average of about $1.2M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Zell Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Zell Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Zell Family Foundation's EIN?
Zell Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3487811. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Zell Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. The foundation does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited grant requests.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Zell Family 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.