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Illinois · Private foundation

Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$49k
Granted FY2025(still arriving)
17
Grants FY2025
14
Organizations funded FY2024
7%
First-time grantees FY2024
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2025
$2,500
Largest grant, FY2025
$5,000
Organizations funded a year
14 to 61
FY2020 to FY2024
States reached, FY2025
8
Total assets, FY2025
$1.7M
Applications
Preselected organizations only
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2024, 7% of the organizations Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation funded were first-time grantees, receiving 3% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 97% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $1k went to new ones.

50%100%’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’21’22’23’24
EducationHuman ServicesSocial ScienceReligionArts & CultureEnvironmentOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2025still arriving15$45k27%
FY202414$37k7%
FY202318$67k44%
FY202261$99k21%
FY202157$88k7%
FY202058$96kn/a
97% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2025.

Philanthropy$84kHealth$69kReligion$45kEnvironment$41kEducation$37kInternational$34kArts & Culture$33kSocial Science$30kOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

NH
MN
IL
MI
NY
MA
OR
PA
CT
CA
CO
VA
MD
TN
DC
OK
AL
GA

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2020 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

Show all 61 grantees
All grantees of Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago$75,00030%
Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute$30,00051%
Rocky Mountain Institute$26,00050%
The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research$15,00050%
World Jewish Congress (American Section) Inc$15,00010%
The Art Institute of Chicago$15,00050%
University of Chicago$11,50030%
Japan Society Inc$11,00030%
Proctor Academy$10,50040%
Georgetown Day School$10,00010%
World Wildlife Fund Inc$9,00030%
Lincoln Park Zoological Society$7,00030%
Northwestern University$6,50050%
American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science Inc$6,00030%
International Rescue Committee INC$6,00040%
Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence$6,00030%
Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Inc$5,00010%
Anti-Defamation League$5,00020%
National Women's Law Center$5,00010%
Newman Nation$4,75061%
Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc$4,00030%
Center for American Progress$4,00040%
Guide Dogs for the Blind Inc$3,00030%
American Cancer Society Inc$3,00030%
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc$3,00030%
Sandy Hook Promise Foundation$3,00020%
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc$2,50010%
Chicago Public Library Foundation$2,00020%
International Center for Research on Women$2,00010%
Jewish Child and Family Services$1,50030%
American Committee for Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem Inc$1,50030%
Meals on Wheels Foundation of Northern Illinois$1,50030%
Friends of Yad Sarah Inc$1,50030%
Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated$1,50030%
St Jude Children's Research Hospital Inc$1,50030%
American Institute for Cancer Research$1,50030%
American Foundation for the Blind Inc$1,20030%
Feeding America$1,20030%
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Nw Indiana$1,00020%
Lincoln Park Cooperative Nursery School$1,00010%
Israel Childrens Cancer Foundation Inc$90030%
Smile Train Inc$90030%
Project Orbis International Inc$90030%
Greater Chicago Food Depository$90030%
The Salvation Army$7503n/a
The Anti-Cruelty Society$60030%
Human Rights Watch Inc$60030%
American National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches$50010%
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Inc$45030%
Friends of the Parks$40020%
United States Fund for Unicef$37530%
Compassion & Choices$30030%
Paws for Purple Hearts$30030%
Center for Science in the Public Interest$25010%
Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc$20020%
Feed the Children Inc$20010%
National Park Foundation$20020%
Nourishing Hope$15020%
Natural Resources Defense Council Inc$15030%
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation$10010%
Soar Dba Ready for Life$10010%

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 27 recipients with no EIN on record ($101k), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

Each grantee by its size and the share of its budget Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation supplied at peak.

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetJewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago: $75,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetChicago Psychoanalytic Institute: $30,000 over 5y, 0.7% of budgetRocky Mountain Institute: $26,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetThe Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research: $15,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetWorld Jewish Congress (American Section) Inc: $15,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetThe Art Institute of Chicago: $15,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetUniversity of Chicago: $11,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetJapan Society Inc: $11,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetProctor Academy: $10,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetGeorgetown Day School: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWorld Wildlife Fund Inc: $9,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetLincoln Park Zoological Society: $7,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetNorthwestern University: $6,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science Inc: $6,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetInternational Rescue Committee INC: $6,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetBrady Center to Prevent Gun Violence: $6,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetPan-Massachusetts Challenge Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAnti-Defamation League: $5,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetNational Women's Law Center: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNewman Nation: $4,750 over 6y, 0.8% of budgetMedecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc: $4,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCenter for American Progress: $4,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetGuide Dogs for the Blind Inc: $3,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Cancer Society Inc: $3,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc: $3,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetSandy Hook Promise Foundation: $3,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSouthern Poverty Law Center Inc: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetChicago Public Library Foundation: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetInternational Center for Research on Women: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetJewish Child and Family Services: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Committee for Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem Inc: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetMeals on Wheels Foundation of Northern Illinois: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetFriends of Yad Sarah Inc: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetEnvironmental Defense Fund Incorporated: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetSt Jude Children's Research Hospital Inc: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Institute for Cancer Research: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Foundation for the Blind Inc: $1,200 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetFeeding America: $1,200 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetRonald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Nw Indiana: $1,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetLincoln Park Cooperative Nursery School: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetIsrael Childrens Cancer Foundation Inc: $900 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetSmile Train Inc: $900 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetProject Orbis International Inc: $900 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetGreater Chicago Food Depository: $900 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetThe Anti-Cruelty Society: $600 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetHuman Rights Watch Inc: $600 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNational Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Inc: $450 over 3y, 0.0% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 60.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

John D and Catherine T Macarthur FoundationIL13.2× affinity4 shared granteesties to 7 of 7Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation · National Philanthropic Trust · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Amazonsmile Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Compare Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation with peer funders

About Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation

How much does Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation give?
Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation reported 17 grants totaling $48,500 in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 14 and 61 organizations a year over FY2020 to FY2024.
What does Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation fund?
By grant dollars over FY2020 to FY2025, its largest causes are Philanthropy (19%), Health (15%), Religion (10%).
Who are Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2020 to FY2025: Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago ($75k), Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute ($30k), Rocky Mountain Institute ($26k).
Does Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation fund new organizations?
In FY2024, 7% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and does not take unsolicited requests. Check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.
Which funders back the same organizations as Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation, National Philanthropic Trust, The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc.
Where is Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation based?
Richard and Judith Stern Family Foundation is based in IL.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 90 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

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