The Zellis Family Foundation concentrates its giving into a few large, targeted gifts that prioritize higher education, medical research, and Jewish communal life. Major gifts to a university foundation and a specialty medical research organization sit alongside sizable grants to Jewish communal and congregational institutions, suggesting a mix of philanthropy aimed at legacy institutions, health research impact, and support for Jewish life.
A $500,000 gift to the Rheumatology Research Foundation in 2025 stands out in the Zellis Family Foundation’s recent giving, signaling a willingness to make high-dollar bets on medical research alongside education and Jewish communal institutions. The foundation’s largest checks also went to the University of Colorado Foundation, JEWISHcolorado, and Congregation Emanuel, showing a pattern of concentrated support rather than broad small-grant dispersion. It funds individuals, and its recent portfolio includes support for fellowship training, residency readiness, young leaders programming, and study tours, in addition to institutional gifts. That mix points to a foundation that backs both established organizations and pipeline-building efforts. The grant list also includes recurring support for several recipients across multiple years, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time transactions. Across the sample, the foundation’s giving connects higher education, health research, and Jewish life, with some grants tied to specific program purposes and others appearing as general support. The result is a grantmaking profile centered on targeted, purpose-driven awards to organizations serving education, health, and community life.
In health, the foundation supported rheumatology and autoimmune disease research with a 2025 grant of $500,000 to the Rheumatology Research Foundation, following a $200,000 grant in 2024 and a $100,000 fellowship training award in 2023. That same health-oriented lane also includes gifts to Hearing Health Foundation, Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Sharsheret Inc, and CommunityHealth. In higher education, the foundation gave $500,000 in both 2024 and 2025 to The University of Colorado Foundation, and it supported Northwestern University with $150,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025. For Jewish communal life, JEWISHcolorado received $350,000 in 2025, $225,000 in 2024, and $100,000 in 2023 for the Joyce Zeff Israel Study Tour. Congregation Emanuel also received a 2025 grant of $320,000.
Typical grant size clusters around a $20,000 median, with p25 at $10,000 and p75 at $100,000, even though the funder also makes six-figure awards. The recent record shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including The University of Colorado Foundation, Northwestern University, JEWISHcolorado, Rheumatology Research Foundation, Hearing Health Foundation, and The Harold Grinspoon Foundation. That pattern indicates ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts. The foundation is a family foundation, funds individuals, and makes program-related investments. Several grants are framed as operating support, training, or program support, including residency readiness, fellowship training, and youth leadership work.
$4.7M
$49.4M
$15.5M
$4.8M
Most grants fall between $10K and $100K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$100K
About 11% of grants go to recipients in CO.
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Highly concentrated: a small number of large grants (five total) with repeat and multi-figure gifts; mixes one or more large institutional gifts (university, medical research) with substantial gifts to religious/community organizations.
Notable grantees: The University of Colorado Foundation, Rheumatology Research Foundation, JEWISHcolorado, Congregation Emanuel
Grantmaking is national, and every recent grant in the sample went to a U.S. recipient. Denver appears frequently, with JEWISHcolorado, Congregation Emanuel, Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, and Jewish Family Service of Colorado all located there. Illinois also shows up through Northwestern University in Evanston and CommunityHealth in Chicago, while New York recipients include National Ramah Commission, Seeds of Peace, and Hearing Health Foundation. Washington, DC appears as well through the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the National Center for Women and Information Technology.
The recent grants point to higher education, health research, and Jewish communal life. Examples include The University of Colorado Foundation, the Rheumatology Research Foundation, JEWISHcolorado, Congregation Emanuel, and Northwestern University. The foundation also supports youth leadership, residency readiness, camp-related programming, and social services organizations.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including The University of Colorado Foundation in 2024 and 2025, Northwestern University in 2023 through 2025, JEWISHcolorado in 2023 through 2025, and the Rheumatology Research Foundation in 2023 through 2025. The pattern suggests ongoing relationships.
The grant-size distribution centers on a $20,000 median, with p25 at $10,000 and p75 at $100,000. The recent record also includes larger awards, such as multiple $500,000 grants, so the foundation uses a mix of mid-sized and major gifts.
The foundation funds program-specific work such as fellowship training awards, residency readiness, young leaders programming, and the Joyce Zeff Israel Study Tour. These grants show support for training and participation opportunities, not only general institutional funding.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Colorado Foundation | Denver, CO | $500,000 | 2025 | Education |
| Rheumatology Research Foundation | Atlanta, GA | $500,000 | 2025 | Health |
| JEWISHcolorado | Denver, CO | $350,000 | 2025 | Cultural and Religious |
| Congregation Emanuel | Denver, CO | $320,000 | 2025 | Cultural and Religious |
| Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood Inc | Denver, CO | $200,000 | 2025 | Social Services |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | $150,000 | 2025 | Education |
| Jewish Family Service of Colorado Inc | Denver, CO | $140,000 | 2025 | Cultural and Religious |
| Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing | Washington, DC | $129,139 | 2025 | Health |
| National Ramah Commission Inc | NEW YORK, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | Cultural and Religious |
| Hearing Health Foundation | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Health |
| Seeds of Peace | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Education |
| CommunityHealth | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | Health |
| Heart and Armor Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Social Services |
| Harold Grinspoon Foundation | Agawam, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | Education |
| University of California San Francisco Foundation | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Education |
| National Center for Women and Information Technology | Washington, DC | $40,000 | 2025 | Education |
| Sharsheret Inc | Teaneck, NJ | $30,000 | 2025 | Health |
| So All May Eat Inc | Denver, CO | $20,000 | 2025 | Social Services |
| Food Bank of the Rockies | Denver, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | Social Services |
| The University of Colorado Foundation | Denver, CO | $500,000 | 2024 | Education |
| JEWISHcolorado | Denver, CO | $225,000 | 2024 | Cultural and Religious |
| Rheumatology Research Foundation | Atlanta, GA | $200,000 | 2024 | Health |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | $150,000 | 2024 | Education |
| Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2024 | Health |
| The Harold Grinspoon Foundation | Agawam, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | Cultural and Religious |
| Hearing Health Foundation | New York, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | Health |
| Jewish Family Service of Colorado Inc | Denver, CO | $20,000 | 2024 | Cultural and Religious |
| Planned Parenthood (Rocky Mountain) | Denver, CO | $20,000 | 2024 | Social Services |
| Temple Emanuel | Denver, CO | $20,000 | 2024 | Cultural and Religious |
| Heart and Armor Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | Social Services |
| So All May Eat Inc (SAME Caf) | Denver, CO | $10,000 | 2024 | Social Services |
| Sharsheret Inc | Teaneck, NJ | $10,000 | 2024 | Health |
| Food Bank of the Rockies | Denver, CO | $10,000 | 2024 | Social Services |
| Hands of Peace | Chicago, IL | $7,895 | 2024 | Cultural and Religious |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | $150,000 | 2023 | Support Northwestern, Zell Family Foundation Residency Readiness Program |
| JEWISHcolorado | Denver, CO | $100,000 | 2023 | Support for Joyce Zeff Israel Study Tour |
| Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2023 | Young Leaders Program support & AG Bell LOFT Program |
| Rheumatology Research Foundation | Atlanta, GA | $100,000 | 2023 | Fellowship Training Awards |
| Hearing Health Foundation | New York, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| The Harold Grinspoon Foundation | Agawam, MA | $25,000 | 2023 | JP Library |
| Temple Emanuel | Denver, CO | $20,000 | 2023 | Support for Camp Shwayder |
| Jewish Family Service of Colorado Inc | Denver, CO | $20,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Sharsheret Inc | Teaneck, NJ | $10,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Food Bank of the Rockies | Denver, CO | $10,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| So All May Eat Inc | Denver, CO | $10,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
| Friends of Roots | Dallas, TX | $10,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
Congregation Emanuel
$320,000Cultural and Religious
Education
Seeds of Peace
$50,000Education
Temple Emanuel
$20,000Cultural and Religious
Hands of Peace
$7,895Cultural and Religious
Support Northwestern, Zell Family Foundation Residency Readiness Program
Young Leaders Program support & AG Bell LOFT Program
Temple Emanuel
$20,000Support for Camp Shwayder
Friends of Roots
$10,000General Operating Support