The Berlin Family Fund makes a very small number of large, targeted grants, prioritizing significant support for local health care and selective higher-education institutions. Their giving is dominated by a major gift to the North Shore Hospital Foundation and a sizable gift to Princeton University, indicating a mix of local community health philanthropy and support for an elite university.
Highly concentrated: very few, large one-off grants rather than many small awards; mix of local community-focused health philanthropy and selective institutional higher-education support.
Notable grantees: North Shore Hospital Foundation, Princeton University
Berlin Family Fund C/o Arnold M Berlin gives unusually large unrestricted grants for a donor-advised fund provider, with a $1,000,000 gift in 2025 to North Shore Hospital Foundation setting the tone for its recent giving. The next-largest grant in the file, $510,000 to Princeton University, shows a second clear line of support: selective higher education. Those two recipients sit alongside repeated funding for healthcare organizations and smaller but still material gifts to colleges, churches, arts groups, and community nonprofits. The foundation’s recent pattern suggests a funder that concentrates resources rather than spreading them widely. It has made follow-on awards to Princeton University in multiple years, including $50,000 grants in 2023 and 2024, and also supported related university entities such as Trustees of Princeton University and Princeton University Class of 1984. On the healthcare side, Evanston-based organizations appear prominently, including Endeavor Health and Northshore University Healthcare Foundation. Beyond those anchors, the portfolio includes grants to Scenic Hudson, Planned Parenthood, and The Nature Conservancy, indicating some breadth across civic and environmental causes while keeping individual awards relatively focused.
Healthcare is the clearest programmatic thread. In 2025, Berlin Family Fund C/o Arnold M Berlin gave $100,000 to Endeavor Health in Evanston and $1,000,000 to North Shore Hospital Foundation in Evanston, both unrestricted. Higher education is the other durable theme. The funder gave $510,000 to Princeton University in 2025, then added $32,000 to Trustees of Princeton University and $10,000 to Princeton University Class of 1984, all unrestricted. The portfolio also reaches into community and civic life. It gave $25,000 to Winnetka Congregational Church in 2025 and $20,000 to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2023, while environmental and advocacy grants included $31,000 to Scenic Hudson and $6,500 to Planned Parenthood.
The typical grant is small relative to the foundation’s outliers: p25 is $1,750, the median is $3,000, and p75 is $5,250. That spread sits alongside a few very large awards, including seven-figure and six-figure grants, indicating a concentrated giving style. The fund is a pure donor-advised fund provider, and the recent grants are all unrestricted, consistent with flexible support rather than project-specific funding. Recipients recur across years, especially Princeton University, which appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and healthcare organizations in Evanston, which also show repeated support.
$1.2M
$137K
$181
$1.3M
Most grants fall between $2K and $5K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$5K
About 17% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Giving is national, but the strongest concentration is in California by grant count. Illinois recipients account for 17% of grants, and several awards land in the Chicago area, including Evanston, Winnetka, Chicago, and Northfield. New Jersey also appears through Princeton, where multiple university-related grants were made. Outside the U.S., there are no recipient-country entries beyond the United States in the data provided.
The recent grants point most clearly to healthcare and higher education. Healthcare grants include major support for Evanston-based organizations, while Princeton University and related entities appear repeatedly across multiple years. Smaller grants also reach churches, arts organizations, environmental groups, and civic nonprofits.
Yes. The recent grants list shows every sampled award as unrestricted, including grants to North Shore Hospital Foundation, Princeton University, Endeavor Health, and Scenic Hudson. That pattern matches the funder’s stated philosophy tags of unrestricted general operating support and flexible funding.
Yes. Princeton University appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, with grants ranging from $9,000 to $510,000. Healthcare organizations in Evanston also recur across years, including Northshore University Healthcare Foundation in 2023 and Endeavor Health in 2024.
By grant count, California is the top state for recipient locations. Illinois accounts for 17% of grants, and the grants list also shows repeated awards in New Jersey, New York, Washington, Utah, and other states, indicating broad U.S. giving.
The distribution is small at the center and much larger at the top end: p25 is $1,750, the median is $3,000, and p75 is $5,250. Recent grants include both modest awards and very large ones, so the funder’s overall pattern is concentrated rather than uniform.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $500,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW TRIER EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | NORTHFIELD, IL | $300,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WINNETKA PARKS FOUNDATION | WINNETKA, IL | $220,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WINNETKA COMMUNITY HOUSE | WINNETKA, IL | $120,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WINNETKA CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH | WINNETKA, IL | $40,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BELOIT COLLEGE | BELOIT, WI | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY - WINNETKA-NORTHFIELD | NORTHFILED, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| INDIAN HILL SCHOLARSHIP FUND | WINNETKA, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| VANDER COOK COLLEGE OF MUSIC | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MOBILE CARE CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HUMAN SOCIETY OF VERO BEACH & INDIAN RIVER COUNTY | VERO BEACH, FL | $2,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| INDIAN RIVER HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | VERO BEACH, FL | $2,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| YOUTH GUIDANCE MENTORING ACEDEMY INDIAN RIVER | VERO BEACH, FL | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FEED THE LAMBS - VERO BEACH | VERO BEACH, FL | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE SEA NOTES CHORAL SOCIETY | SOUTHPORT, NC | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | EVANSTON, IL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $510,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $32,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SCENIC HUDSON | POUGHKEEPSIE, NY | $31,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WINNETKA CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH | WINNETKA, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ST LAWRENCE FRIARY | BEACON, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HOPE ACADEMY | CHICAGO, IL | $16,100 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ELPIS ENTERPRISES | STPAUL, MN | $12,400 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WHIDBEY CAMANO LAND TRUST | GREENBANK, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| M-BAR-C RANCH | SEATTLE, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY CLASS OF 1984 | PRINCETON, NJ | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SILVER BAY ASSOCIATION | SILVER BAY, NY | $9,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THIRD ACT | NASSAU, NY | $7,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TVRC EDUCATION FOUNDATION | JACKSON, WY | $7,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW TRIER EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | NORTHFIELD, IL | $7,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | WASHINGTON, DC | $6,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $5,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ORGANIC FARM SCHOOL | FREELAND, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WHIDBEY HOMELESS COALITION | LANGALEY, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| DEERFIELD ACADEMY | DEERFIELD, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PRINCETON PROSPECT FOUNDATION | PRINCETON, NJ | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CADA FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WEAN INC | ANNANDALE, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HAMILTON COLLEGE | CLINTON, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MBIRA | BERKELEY, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TARIRO-HOPE AND HEALTH FOR ZIMBABWE'S ORPHANS | EUGENE, OR | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CAL POLY FOUNDATION | POMONA, CA | $3,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BEACON DOG PARK | BEACON, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WHIDBEY ISLAND WALDORF SCHOOL | CLINTON, WA | $3,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WHIDBEY ANIMALS' IMPROVEMENT FOUNDATION | COUPEVILLE, WA | $3,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PLEASANTON GIRLS SOCCER ASSOCIATION | PLEASANTON, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WHIDBEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | COUPEVILLE, WA | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ST DAVIDS CENTER | HOPKINS, MN | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GIRLS SOCCER WORLD WIDE | LIVERMORE, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PLEASANTON PARTNERS IN EDUCATION | PLEASANTON, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
NEW TRIER EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
$300,000UNRESTRICTED
WINNETKA PARKS FOUNDATION
$220,000UNRESTRICTED
WINNETKA CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
$40,000UNRESTRICTED
UNRESTRICTED
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY - WINNETKA-NORTHFIELD
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
INDIAN HILL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
VANDER COOK COLLEGE OF MUSIC
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
MOBILE CARE CHICAGO
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
HUMAN SOCIETY OF VERO BEACH & INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
INDIAN RIVER HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
YOUTH GUIDANCE MENTORING ACEDEMY INDIAN RIVER
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
FEED THE LAMBS - VERO BEACH
$500UNRESTRICTED
THE SEA NOTES CHORAL SOCIETY
$500UNRESTRICTED
NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$1,000,000UNRESTRICTED
TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
$32,000UNRESTRICTED
WINNETKA CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
ST LAWRENCE FRIARY
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
HOPE ACADEMY
$16,100UNRESTRICTED
M-BAR-C RANCH
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY CLASS OF 1984
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
THIRD ACT
$7,500UNRESTRICTED
NEW TRIER EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
$7,000UNRESTRICTED
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$6,500UNRESTRICTED
ORGANIC FARM SCHOOL
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
WHIDBEY HOMELESS COALITION
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
CADA FOUNDATION INC
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
WEAN INC
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
HAMILTON COLLEGE
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
MBIRA
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
TARIRO-HOPE AND HEALTH FOR ZIMBABWE'S ORPHANS
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
BEACON DOG PARK
$3,000UNRESTRICTED
WHIDBEY ISLAND WALDORF SCHOOL
$3,000UNRESTRICTED
WHIDBEY ANIMALS' IMPROVEMENT FOUNDATION
$3,000UNRESTRICTED
PLEASANTON GIRLS SOCCER ASSOCIATION
$2,500UNRESTRICTED
GIRLS SOCCER WORLD WIDE
$2,500UNRESTRICTED
PLEASANTON PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
$2,500UNRESTRICTED