J S Frank Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $9,150,770 (2023)
• Assets: $147.7 million
• Grant Range: $250 - $5,085,000
• Number of Grants: 67 awards (2023)
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Illinois, New York, and New Hampshire; also supports projects in California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia
• Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited requests

Contact Details

Address: Deerfield, IL
EIN: 23-7376410

Note: The foundation does not provide public contact information for grant enquiries as they do not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The J S Frank Foundation was established in June 1974 as a private family foundation. With assets totalling approximately $147.7 million and annual grant distributions of over $9 million, the foundation focuses primarily on higher education, the arts, medical centres, and human services. The foundation operates with a highly selective approach, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organisations. Leadership consists entirely of family members who serve without compensation, including President James S. Frank, Secretary Karen Frank, and Director Daniel Z. Frank. The foundation's grant-making emphasises substantial, strategic investments in established institutions, with awards ranging from modest $250 grants to major gifts exceeding $5 million.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The foundation does not operate structured grant programmes with fixed application cycles. All grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of directors to preselected organisations.

Priority Areas

• Higher Education: A primary funding focus, supporting colleges and universities
• Arts and Culture: Significant support for arts institutions and cultural organisations
• Healthcare: Major grants to medical centres and in-patient medical care facilities
• Hospital Care: Support for healthcare facilities and hospital systems
• Human Services: Including family services and child welfare organisations
• Philanthropy and Voluntarism: Support for nonprofit infrastructure and grantmaking organisations

Geographic Priorities

The foundation supports organisations primarily in:

• Illinois (including Chicago and Arlington Heights)
• New York
• New Hampshire

Secondary support extends to organisations in California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.

What They Don't Fund

Whilst specific exclusions are not publicly documented, the foundation's invitation-only model means they do not fund:

• Unsolicited proposals from any organisation
• Organisations outside their established network of relationships
• Organisations outside their geographic focus areas

Governance and Leadership

The J S Frank Foundation operates as a family foundation with the following leadership structure:

Officers and Directors:

• James S. Frank, President
• Karen Frank, Secretary
• Daniel Z. Frank, Director

All officers and directors serve without compensation, reflecting the foundation's family-operated nature. The foundation maintains a lean operational structure, dedicating 98.9% of expenses to charitable disbursements with minimal administrative overhead.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The J S Frank Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grants are made at the discretion of the board of directors to organisations with which the foundation has established relationships. The foundation does not maintain an application portal, accept letters of enquiry, or respond to funding requests from organisations not already in their network.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications from the general public.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications - the foundation's acceptance rate for unsolicited requests is 0%, as they are not accepted.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept initial applications from organisations outside their preselected network.

Application Success Factors

For Organisations Already in the Foundation's Network

Since the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, success factors for organisations within their network likely include:

• Established Relationship: Having a pre-existing connection with the foundation's leadership or board members
• Alignment with Core Priorities: Strong fit with the foundation's focus on higher education, arts, healthcare, and human services
• Geographic Relevance: Location in Illinois, New York, New Hampshire, or other priority states
• Institutional Stability: The foundation appears to favour established institutions with proven track records
• Scale of Impact: The wide grant range ($250 to $5+ million) suggests the foundation funds both targeted projects and major institutional initiatives

Grant Size Patterns

With 67 grants totalling approximately $9.2 million in 2023, the average grant size is around $137,000. However, the range from $250 to over $5 million indicates the foundation makes both small, targeted grants and transformational major gifts, likely depending on the organisation's need and the project's scope.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Do not invest time in preparing an application unless you have been specifically invited by the foundation.

• Relationship-Based Grantmaking: The foundation operates exclusively through established relationships. Without a direct connection to the Frank family or board members, funding is not accessible.

• Focus on Established Institutions: The foundation's priority areas (higher education, major arts institutions, medical centres) suggest they prefer funding established organisations rather than emerging nonprofits.

• Significant Grant Capacity: With nearly $150 million in assets and consistent annual giving of $9+ million, the foundation has substantial capacity for major gifts to organisations within their network.

• Family Foundation Model: As a multi-generational family foundation (established 1974, now including second generation), decisions are made collectively by family members based on their philanthropic priorities.

• Geographic Concentration: Strong preference for Illinois-based organisations, particularly in the Chicago area, with secondary focus on New York and New Hampshire.

• Wide Range of Grant Sizes: The foundation makes both small grants (as low as $250) and transformational gifts (over $5 million), suggesting flexibility in supporting various needs within their priority organisations.

References

• J S Frank Foundation Profile - Cause IQ
• J S Frank Foundation - Grantmakers.io
• J S Frank Foundation - Grantable Profile
• J S Frank Foundation 990 Report - Instrumentl
• J S Frank Foundation - Candid Foundation Directory
• J S Frank Foundation - ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
• J S Frank Foundation - Charity Navigator
• J S Frank Foundation - GuideStar Profile

Information compiled December 27, 2025