Zuckerman Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Glencoe, IL EIN: 36-4120779

The Zuckerman Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Glencoe, Illinois. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2024 filing lists grant purposes as “public charity support.”

Key facts about Zuckerman Family Foundation

In short: Zuckerman Family Foundation gave $171K across 41 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), mostly in Illinois. 2% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
36-4120779
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$171,000
Grants made (2024)
41
Average grant
$4,171
Median grant
$1,000
New grantees (estimate)
2% first-time grantees (1 of 41, 2024)
Total assets
$1,059,480
Primary geography
Illinois (61% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.1M

-2.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$171K

-20.3% YoY

Grant Count

41

-12.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$4K

-8.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Zuckerman Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $91K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Zuckerman Family Foundation open to new grantees?

2%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 1 of 41 grantees (2%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $500; repeat grants $4K. How we count

Medians: $500 first-time, $1K repeat.

  • 98% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−18%). Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 194% 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.

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 working in areas such as early childhood, food assistance, music education, human rights, and medical research. For example, Erikson Institute says it prepares professionals to address challenges facing young children and their families; the Greater Chicago Food Depository says its mission is to end hunger; and Rett Syndrome Research Trust says it focuses on developing treatments and cures for Rett syndrome and related disorders.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 41 grants totaling $171,000. Grants ranged from $250 to $25,000, with a median of $1,000. Among the largest were $25,000 each to Erikson Institute and National Parkinson’s Foundation; $15,000 to Jewish United Fund; and $10,000 each to American Jewish Committee, Facing History & Ourselves, Fulcrum Point, Merit School of Music, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, and Rett Syndrome Research Trust.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 61% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 15% to Florida, 9% to New York, 6% to Connecticut, and 3% to California.

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 41 itemized grants.

Cities

ChicagoNew YorkGlencoeHighland ParkSouth HavenSkokieAgawamBoca RatonMiamiMontgomeryPeekskillWashingtonBethesdaColumbiaManhattan BeachAnn ArborCarbondaleEvanstonStudio CityTrumbill

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K38 grants2020 42 grants2021 45 grants2022 47 grants2023 41 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $171K (2024) to $223K (2020). In 2024 it made 41 grants totaling $171K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Erikson Institute: $25KErikson Institute$25KNational Parkinson's Foundation: $25KNational Parkinson'sFoundation$25KJewish United Fund: $15KJewish United Fund$15KAmerican Jewish Committee: $10KAmerican Jewish Committee$10KFacing History & Ourselves: $10KFacing History & Ourselves$10KFulcrum Point: $10KFulcrum Point$10KMerit School of Music: $10KMerit School of Music$10KNorth Suburban Synagogue Beth El: $10KNorth Suburban Synagogue BethEl$10KRett Syndrome Research Trust: $10KRett Syndrome Research Trust$10KGreater Chicago Food Depository: $5KGreater Chicago FoodDepository$5K

The largest 2024 recipient was Erikson Institute ($25K). Together the top 10 received $130K.

Grant Size Distribution

213 grants across all recorded years

213<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 213 grants of 213 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Erikson Institute Chicago, ILPublic Charity Support$25,000
National Parkinson's Foundation Miami, FLPublic Charity Support$25,000
Jewish United Fund Chicago, ILPublic Charity Support$15,000
American Jewish Committee New York, NYPublic Charity Support$10,000
Facing History & Ourselves Chicago, ILPublic Charity Support$10,000
Fulcrum Point Chicago, ILPublic Charity Support$10,000
Merit School of Music Chicago, ILPublic Charity Support$10,000
North Suburban Synagogue Beth El Highland Park, ILPublic Charity Support$10,000
Rett Syndrome Research Trust Trumbill, CTPublic Charity Support$10,000
Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, ILPublic Charity Support$5,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

The foundation files Form 990-PF.

Filing year Grants Grant total
2024 41 $171,000
2023 47 $214,460
2022 45 $184,500
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$200K$400K$600K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$1,059,480$1,084,105$1,254,379
Revenue$176,386$81,500$439,819
Expenses$179,258$218,605$201,367
Qualifying Distributions$175,700$215,460$186,194
Net Investment Income$168,143$48,943$210,715
Distributable Amount$90,504$79,665$72,505

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 17, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 17, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 7, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Sherwin Zuckerman as president, director, and secretary, and Sheri Zuckerman as treasurer and director.

Zuckerman Family Foundation is led by Sherwin Zuckerman, President, Director & Secretary on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Sherwin Zuckerman

    President, Director & Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Sheri Zuckerman

    Treasurer & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

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.

Contact

Mailing address: 1049 Bluff Road, Glencoe, IL 60022
Phone: (312) 948-8000

Frequently asked questions about Zuckerman Family Foundation

How much does Zuckerman Family Foundation give each year?

Zuckerman Family Foundation gave $171K across 41 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $214K across 47 grants.

What is Zuckerman Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Zuckerman Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $4,171, across 41 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Zuckerman Family Foundation that year got $500 on average.

Where does Zuckerman Family Foundation give grants?

Zuckerman Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (15%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (19 grants), New York, NY (3 grants), Glencoe, IL (3 grants) and Highland Park, IL (2 grants).

Does Zuckerman Family Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 41 grants with a stated purpose on Zuckerman Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Public Charity Support" (41 grants).

Who are Zuckerman Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Zuckerman Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Erikson Institute ($25,000), National Parkinson's Foundation ($25,000) and Jewish United Fund ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Zuckerman Family Foundation?

Zuckerman Family Foundation reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $176K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $91K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Zuckerman Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees include organizations working in areas such as early childhood, food assistance, music education, human rights, and medical research. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Zuckerman Family Foundation?

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Zuckerman Family Foundation's EIN?

Zuckerman Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4120779. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Zuckerman 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.

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