The Allan and Denise Edelson Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on Jewish communal life and related civil-rights advocacy. Its recent grants support major Jewish federations/annual campaigns and an anti‑defamation/anti‑hate organization, indicating a preference for established institutions that serve and protect the Jewish community. Giving appears targeted and institutionally focused rather than broadly distributed across many small nonprofits.
A defining feature of the Allan and Denise Edelson Family Foundation is its sustained support for Jewish communal institutions alongside anti-defamation work. The foundation gave multiple grants to the Anti Defamation League, including a $50,720 general support grant in 2025 and a $50,000 general support grant in 2026, showing repeated backing for civil-rights advocacy tied to antisemitism and bigotry. It also supported Jewish federations and annual campaigns, with grants to Jewish United Fund and Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, as well as Jewish Colorado in Denver. The giving pattern points to established organizations rather than a wide spread of small awards. Outside the Jewish communal sphere, the foundation also supported a limited set of other nonprofits, including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Hope Chicago, The UCLA Foundation, and Pbs12. These grants suggest a portfolio centered on Jewish life and protection, with additional support for education, health, and public media. The foundation's recent record shows a mix of general operating support and purpose-driven gifts, often tied to community campaigns or institutional programs.
Jewish communal support is the clearest theme in the foundation’s recent giving. It awarded $50,000 to Jewish United Fund in Chicago for “to serve the community,” and earlier grants went to Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago for “Charitable - Annual Campaign.” In Denver, Jewish Colorado received $25,000 for general support in both 2025 and 2026. Antisemitism and civil-rights advocacy are another major thread. The foundation gave $50,720 and $50,000 to Anti Defamation League for general support, and a separate $15,000 grant to Anti Defamation League in New York was designated “to combat antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry.” Education and youth opportunity also appear in the record. Hope Chicago received $25,000 for “to create equitable access to higher education,” and DePaul University received $12,500 through a charitable grant. Health-related support includes multiple grants to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Typical grant size centers on mid-sized awards: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $15,000, and the 75th percentile is $25,000. The recent record includes a few larger commitments in the $40,000 to $50,720 range, but many awards cluster at $15,000 to $25,000. Recipients appear in multiple years, including Anti Defamation League, Hope Chicago, Jewish Colorado, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, The UCLA Foundation, Pbs12, and Walker and Dunlop Cs Fundraiser. The foundation is structured as a family foundation and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The grant descriptions show a mix of general support and event- or campaign-linked gifts.
$290K
$833K
$1.3M
$301K
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$25K
About 26% of grants go to recipients in IL.
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Concentrated: a small number of relatively large gifts to a few established organizations (repeat support for major Jewish communal institutions and national advocacy groups), often unrestricted or for annual campaign purposes.
Notable grantees: Anti-Defamation League, Jewish United Fund, Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago
Giving is national and entirely U.S.-based in the recent record. Chicago appears repeatedly through Jewish United Fund, Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, and Hope Chicago. Denver and the surrounding area also show up often, including Jewish Colorado, Pbs12, Rocky Mountain Pbs, Food Bank of the Rockies, and the foundation’s Colorado giving concentration. Other recipient locations include New York, Memphis, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Tampa, Vienna, Bethesda, Carol Stream, and Aurora. Colorado accounts for 15% of grants by recipient state, while Tennessee is the top state by grant count.
Its recent giving centers on Jewish communal institutions and anti-defamation advocacy. Grants went to Jewish United Fund, Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, Jewish Colorado, and Anti Defamation League, alongside support for groups in education, health, and public media such as Hope Chicago, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and Pbs12.
The distribution is centered on mid-sized grants: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $15,000, and the 75th percentile is $25,000. Recent awards also include a few larger grants in the $40,000 to $50,720 range.
Yes. Several recipients appear more than once in the recent record, including Anti Defamation League, Hope Chicago, Jewish Colorado, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, The UCLA Foundation, Pbs12, and Walker and Dunlop Cs Fundraiser.
Its giving is national, with all recent grants in the United States. Recipient locations include Chicago, Denver, New York, Memphis, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Tampa, Vienna, Bethesda, Carol Stream, and Aurora.
Yes. Anti Defamation League received multiple grants, including $50,720 for general support in 2025, $50,000 for general support in 2026, and a $15,000 grant in 2024 described as “to combat antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry.”
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ONE MAIN STREET - COLORADO | AURORA, CO | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BACK ON MY FEET | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOPE CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION | DENVER, CO | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHRINERS CHILDREN'S | TAMPA, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PBS12 | DENVER, CO | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOOD BANK OF THE ROCKIES | AURORA, CO | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WARREN VILLAGE | DENVER, CO | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROLFE PANCREATIC CANCER FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $50,720 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE UCLA FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ENTRYWAY | VIENNA, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOPE CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DENVER HEALTH FOUNDATION | DENVER, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROLFE PANCREATIC CANCER FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY |
| HOPE CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | TO CREATE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION |
| WALKER AND DUNLOP CS FUNDRAISER | BETHESDA, MD | $20,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE - WALKER AND DUNLOP CS FUNDRAISER |
| ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2024 | TO COMBAT ANTISEMITISM, COUNTERING EXTREMISM AND BATTLING BIGOTRY |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $15,000 | 2024 | TO CURE CHILDHOOD CANCER AND OTHER LIFE-THREATENING DISEASES |
| PBS12 | DENVER, CO | $10,000 | 2024 | TO BRING IMPACTFUL PROGRAMMING TO OUR COMMUNITY |
| ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER | SKOKIE, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT 2023 HUMANITARIAN AWARDS DINNER |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago | Chicago, IL | $35,000 | 2023 | Charitable - Annual Campaign |
| HOPE CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2023 | Charitable - HOPE CHICAGO |
| The UCLA Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | Charitable - UCLA |
| Anti Defamation League | Washington, DC | $15,000 | 2023 | Charitable - Anti Defamation League |
| Walker and Dunlop CS Fundraiser | Bethesda, MD | $15,000 | 2023 | Charitable - Walker and Dunlop CS Fundraiser |
| DePaul University | Carol Stream, IL | $12,500 | 2023 | Charitable - Depaul University |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospital | Memphis, TN | $10,000 | 2023 | Charitable - St. Jude Children's Research Hospital |
| CALS ANGELS | ST CHARLES, IL | $5,000 | 2023 | Charitable - WAR ON WHEELS |
| MBA Opens Doors Foundation | Washington, DC | $2,501 | 2023 | Charitable - MBA Opens Doors Foundation |
| WTTW & WFMT | CHICAGO, IL | $2,000 | 2023 | Charitable - WTTW & WFMT |
ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ONE MAIN STREET - COLORADO
$40,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BACK ON MY FEET
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOPE CHICAGO
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SHRINERS CHILDREN'S
GENERAL SUPPORT
JEWISH COLORADO
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PBS12
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FOOD BANK OF THE ROCKIES
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WARREN VILLAGE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ROLFE PANCREATIC CANCER FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE
$50,720GENERAL SUPPORT
THE UCLA FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ENTRYWAY
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JEWISH COLORADO
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOPE CHICAGO
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DENVER HEALTH FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ROLFE PANCREATIC CANCER FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JEWISH UNITED FUND
$50,000TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY
HOPE CHICAGO
$25,000TO CREATE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION
WALKER AND DUNLOP CS FUNDRAISER
$20,000CHARITABLE - WALKER AND DUNLOP CS FUNDRAISER
ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE
$15,000TO COMBAT ANTISEMITISM, COUNTERING EXTREMISM AND BATTLING BIGOTRY
ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
$15,000TO CURE CHILDHOOD CANCER AND OTHER LIFE-THREATENING DISEASES
PBS12
$10,000TO BRING IMPACTFUL PROGRAMMING TO OUR COMMUNITY
ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER
$5,000TO SUPPORT 2023 HUMANITARIAN AWARDS DINNER
Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago
$35,000Charitable - Annual Campaign
HOPE CHICAGO
$25,000Charitable - HOPE CHICAGO
The UCLA Foundation
$20,000Charitable - UCLA
Anti Defamation League
$15,000Charitable - Anti Defamation League
Walker and Dunlop CS Fundraiser
$15,000Charitable - Walker and Dunlop CS Fundraiser
DePaul University
$12,500Charitable - Depaul University
St Jude Children's Research Hospital
$10,000Charitable - St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
CALS ANGELS
$5,000Charitable - WAR ON WHEELS
MBA Opens Doors Foundation
$2,501Charitable - MBA Opens Doors Foundation
WTTW & WFMT
$2,000Charitable - WTTW & WFMT