Zell Family Foundation
Zell Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2024, it reported 54 grants totaling $64,988,248 to charitable organizations, including educational institutions, arts organizations, and health care organizations.
Zell Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Zell Family Foundation gave $65.0M across 54 grants in 2024 (avg $1.2M), mostly in Illinois. 10% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $64,988,248
- -51.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 54
- -22.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,203,486
- -37.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $156,267
- Total assets
- $119,612,467
- -56.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (5 of 48, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (88% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Zell Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Two North Riverside Plaza 600, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 466-3335
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Zell Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Northwestern University-Kellogg ($25.0M). Together the top 10 received $57.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
372 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 102 grants of 372 (27%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 88% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois. Other reported recipient-state shares were New York, 3%; Minnesota, 2%; Michigan, 2%; and Pennsylvania, 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Zell Family Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 48 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5.7M; repeat grants $853K. How we count
Medians: $150K first-time, $165K repeat.
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 196% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $20.9M (2020) to $135.1M (2023). In 2024 it made 54 grants totaling $65.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| 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 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $119,612,467 | $44,105,930 | $69,305,511 | $64,988,248 | 54 | $63,498,230 | $6,109,476 | $3,428,510 |
| 2023 | $275,114,353 | $158,353,230 | $69,938,728 | $135,136,307 | 70 | $133,201,437 | $4,930,835 | $5,601,795 |
| 2022 | $244,754,492 | $8,732,513 | $18,009,496 | $26,879,604 | 86 | $26,942,223 | $9,128,509 | $5,994,078 |
| 2021 | $274,260,282 | $17,270,378 | $9,252,836 | $21,962,950 | 80 | $20,001,339 | $27,658,848 | $6,447,429 |
| 2020 | $279,322,484 | $76,843,080 | $60,981,357 | $20,887,167 | 82 | — | $110,745,287 | $5,467,969 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees include organizations whose own missions cover a range of activities. Rochelle Zell Jewish High School’s endowment fund says its purpose is to support the school. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association says its mission is to enrich, inspire, and transform lives through music, community engagement, and education. The University of Chicago describes its mission as sustaining excellence in communicating and creating knowledge and fostering a community of scholars and students. Mayo Clinic says it aims to contribute to health and well-being through patient care, education, and research. The Chicago Public Education Fund says it improves Chicago public schools by investing in their educators, and Start Early says it advances quality early learning for families with young children.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 54 grants totaling $64,988,248. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $25,000,000, with a median grant of $156,266. Its largest listed awards included $25,000,000 to Northwestern University-Kellogg, $10,000,000 to Rochelle Zell Jewish High School, and $8,300,000 to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, all for general support. Other notable grants included $3,000,000 to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin Endowment Corp for general support; $2,000,000 to the University of Chicago for general support; and $2,000,000 to Zell Entrepreneurship Foundation for entrepreneurship education.
Additional 2024 grants included $1,500,000 to Mayo Clinic, $1,350,000 to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, $1,340,000 to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, $1,250,000 to the University of Michigan, and $1,000,000 each to American Friends of Reichman University and Chicago Public Education Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists Helen H Zell as president and director; Kellie Zell, Matthew M Zell, and Joann L Zell as vice presidents and directors; Philip Tinkler and Lucille McFarland as vice presidents; Joseph Miron as secretary and vice president; and Michael Shiner as treasurer and vice president.
Zell Family Foundation is led by Helen H. Zell, President & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 8 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Helen H. Zell
President & Director
Executive Director & V.p. → Executive Director, Vice President to & President From, 2023
Executive Director, Vice President to & President From → President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joann L. Zell
Vice President & Director
Vice President & Director → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → Vice President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kellie Zell
Vice President & Director
Vice President & Director → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → Vice President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew M. Zell
Vice President & Director
Vice President & Director → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → Vice President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Philip Tinkler
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Miron
Secretary & Vice President
Secretary → Secretary & Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lucille McFarland
Vice President
Treasurer & Vice President → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Shiner
Treasurer & Vice President
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Samuel Zell (2020–2023) — President
- Former: Carleen Schreder (2020) — Secretary
- Former: James Bunegar (2020) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Zell Family Foundation
How much does Zell Family Foundation give each year?
Zell Family Foundation gave $65.0M across 54 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $135.1M across 70 grants.
What is Zell Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Zell Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $156,267, and its average grant was $1,203,486, across 54 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Zell Family Foundation that year got $5.7M on average.
Where does Zell Family Foundation give grants?
Zell Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. 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).
Does Zell Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of Zell Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (53 of 54) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Zell Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Zell Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Northwestern University-Kellogg ($25,000,000), Rochelle Zell Jewish High School ($10,000,000) and Chicago Symphony Orchestra ($9,640,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Zell Family Foundation?
Zell Family Foundation reported $119.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $63.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Zell Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees include organizations whose own missions cover a range of activities. Rochelle Zell Jewish High School’s endowment fund says its purpose is to support the school. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Zell Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 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. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Zell Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/zell-family-foundation-morg_a082c722cccf473dabdf333f5fe7719a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363487811_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Zell Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/zell-family-foundation-morg_a082c722cccf473dabdf333f5fe7719a},
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 Zell Family 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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