Zellis Family Foundation
The Zellis Family Foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois, and its listed filing type is 990T. In 2024, it reported 19 grants totaling $2,749,139, with grants supporting organizations in areas including health, education, cultural and religious life, and social services.
Key facts about Zellis Family Foundation
In short: Zellis Family Foundation gave $2.7M across 19 grants in 2024 (avg $145K), mostly in Colorado. 37% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 83-2650002
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,749,139
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- Average grant
- $144,692
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (7 of 19, 2024)
- Total assets
- $49,445,947
- Primary geography
- Colorado (56% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$49.4M
+33.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.7M
+104.7% YoY
Grant Count
19
+26.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$145K
+61.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Zellis Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Zellis Family Foundation open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 19 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $110K; repeat grants $165K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $90K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 882% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 259% of 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for health research and services, education, cultural and religious organizations, and social services. For example, the Rheumatology Research Foundation describes its mission as advancing research and training to improve the health of people with rheumatic diseases. JEWISHColorado says it works to convene, connect, invest in, and protect Jewish life. Northwestern University describes a commitment to teaching, research, and student growth.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 19 grants totaling $2,749,139. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $500,000, with a median grant of $50,000. Among its largest grants were $500,000 to the Rheumatology Research Foundation for health and $500,000 to The University of Colorado Foundation for education; $350,000 to JEWISHColorado and $320,000 to Congregation Emanuel for cultural and religious purposes; and $200,000 to Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood Inc for social services. Other notable grants included $150,000 to Northwestern University for education, $140,000 to Jewish Family Service of Colorado Inc for cultural and religious purposes, and $129,139 to the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for health.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went primarily to organizations in Colorado (56%) and Georgia (18%). Other listed recipient-state shares were Illinois (7%), the District of Columbia (6%), and New York (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $185K (2020) to $2.7M (2024). In 2024 it made 19 grants totaling $2.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Rheumatology Research Foundation ($500K). Together the top 10 received $2.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
65 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 65 (57%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rheumatology Research Foundation Atlanta, GA | Health | $500,000 |
| The University of Colorado Foundation Denver, CO | Education | $500,000 |
| JEWISHcolorado Denver, CO | Cultural and Religious | $350,000 |
| Congregation Emanuel Denver, CO | Cultural and Religious | $320,000 |
| Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood Inc Denver, CO | Social Services | $200,000 |
| Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Education | $150,000 |
| Jewish Family Service of Colorado Inc Denver, CO | Cultural and Religious | $140,000 |
| Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Washington, DC | Health | $129,139 |
| National Ramah Commission Inc New York, NY | Cultural and Religious | $60,000 |
| CommunityHealth Chicago, IL | Health | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $49,445,947 | $15,549,970 | $4,809,561 | $2,749,139 | 19 |
| 2023 | $37,068,915 | $10,488,111 | $3,329,513 | $1,342,895 | 15 |
| 2022 | $26,385,804 | $9,501,125 | $1,356,503 | $580,000 | 12 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $49,445,947 | $37,068,915 | $26,385,804 |
| Revenue | $15,549,970 | $10,488,111 | $9,501,125 |
| Expenses | $4,809,561 | $3,329,513 | $1,356,503 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,541,368 | $1,465,438 | $580,070 |
| Net Investment Income | $10,227,015 | $2,093,054 | $1,509,043 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,756,591 | $1,675,950 | $908,056 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Zellis Family Foundation is led by Joann Zell, President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 8 officers listed in 2021 report compensation.
Officers on the 2021 filing
The latest filing that lists officers: our copy of the 2022–2024 filings list none.
Joann Zell
President
Special Director & President → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kellie Zell
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Peppet
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Levi Gillis
Director
New on the 2021 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Bunegar
Vice President & Treasurer
Treasurer → Vice President & Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Miron
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lucille McFarland
Vice President & Secretary
Secretary → Vice President & Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Philip Tinkler
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2021. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: Two N Riverside Plaza 600, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 466-3966
Frequently asked questions about Zellis Family Foundation
How much does Zellis Family Foundation give each year?
Zellis Family Foundation gave $2.7M across 19 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 15 grants.
What is Zellis Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Zellis Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $144,692, across 19 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Zellis Family Foundation that year got $110K on average.
Where does Zellis Family Foundation give grants?
Zellis Family Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Georgia (18%) and Illinois (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (7 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Zellis Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Zellis Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (6 grants), "Health" (5 grants) and "Cultural and Religious" (4 grants).
Who are Zellis Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Zellis Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Rheumatology Research Foundation ($500,000), The University of Colorado Foundation ($500,000) and JEWISHcolorado ($350,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Zellis Family Foundation?
Zellis Family Foundation reported $49.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Zellis Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for health research and services, education, cultural and religious organizations, and social services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Zellis Family Foundation?
Zellis Family Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Zellis Family Foundation's EIN?
Zellis Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-2650002. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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