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George M. Eisenberg Foundation For Charities

Annual Giving
$3.7M
Grant Range
$3K - $1.0M
Decision Time
7mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,699,413 (2023)
  • Grant Volume: 154 awards (2023)
  • Total Assets: $50+ million (2021)
  • Decision Time: 6-8 months from April deadline to December payment
  • Grant Range: $3,000 - $1,025,000 (based on historical data)
  • Geographic Focus: Chicago metropolitan area (IL) and Rochester, MN

Contact Details

Address: 2340 S. Arlington Heights Road, Suite 615, Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Phone: (847) 981-0545

Website: https://gmefoundationforcharities.org

Application Portal: Online grant request form at https://gmefoundationforcharities.formstack.com/forms/grant_request

Overview

The George M. Eisenberg Foundation for Charities was established in 1989 after the death of George M. Eisenberg to continue his legacy of anonymous giving. George was born in 1899 in Chicago and experienced poverty, hunger, and homelessness firsthand during his early years. He successfully built a multimillion-dollar corporation but lived modestly, donating millions annually to charity, typically anonymously. The foundation focuses George's generosity on "the underprivileged sick, hungry and homeless in the Chicago metropolitan area," extending support to medical research and education, particularly at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. As an independent private foundation, it made 154 grants totaling $3.7 million in 2023, continuing a consistent pattern of support (162 awards in 2022, 155 in 2021). The foundation is recognized as a Philanthropic Partner of Mayo Clinic and recently committed to five additional years of breast cancer research support.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates a single grant program with awards made annually in December. Grant amounts vary significantly based on organizational need and project scope, ranging from small grants of $3,000 to major commitments exceeding $1 million for medical research institutions.

Application Method: Online submission only, with a fixed annual deadline of April 30th. Applications are reviewed on a continuing basis throughout the year by the Board.

Priority Areas

Medical Focus:

  • Medical research (particularly breast cancer research)
  • Medical education
  • Healthcare services for underprivileged populations

Social Services Focus:

  • Physical, emotional, and social assistance for underprivileged youth
  • Services for seniors
  • Programs addressing hunger and homelessness
  • Support for the sick and vulnerable

Geographic Priority:

  • Chicago metropolitan area and DuPage County, Illinois (primary)
  • Rochester, Minnesota (secondary, particularly Mayo Clinic)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly excludes:

  • Charities outside Illinois and Minnesota
  • Individual support or scholarships
  • Endowment funds
  • Advertising in charitable publications
  • Fundraising event tickets or sponsorships
  • Public colleges and universities (except medical care related programs)
  • Churches or religious education
  • Elementary and secondary schools
  • Political activities or lobbying efforts

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

  • Dean Marsoulis, President
  • Nancy Wills, Secretary
  • James Marousis, Treasurer
  • Thomas O'Brien
  • Sophia Bishop
  • Katie Owens
  • Thomas Spelsberg, Jr.

The board manages the foundation's assets and reviews grant submissions throughout the year. The foundation operates as an independent private foundation established under Revenue Code Section 509(a).

George M. Eisenberg's Philosophy: "My one and only ambition in life was to help others just as I was helped."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted electronically through the foundation's online grant request form at https://gmefoundationforcharities.formstack.com/forms/grant_request.

Required Materials:

  • Organization name, address, and phone number
  • Copy of IRS Determination Letter
  • Brief organizational history and mission description
  • Copy of most recent annual report/audited financial statement/Form 990
  • List of board of directors, trustees, officers, and key personnel with affiliations
  • Detailed project description and funding amount requested

Eligibility: Organizations must be classified under Revenue Code Sections 509(a)(1), 509(a)(2), or 509(a)(3)-Type I or II.

Critical Requirement: The Board will only consider complete applications. Any omissions will result in delays or automatic denial.

Decision Timeline

  • Application Deadline: April 30th annually
  • Review Period: Board reviews applications on a continuing basis throughout the year
  • Grant Awards: Typically made in one payment in December
  • Grant Period: Generally one-year awards, though occasional multi-year grants are possible
  • Total Timeline: Approximately 6-8 months from submission to payment

Notification Process

Important: Due to the large volume of applications received, the foundation does not communicate with organizations that will not receive funding. Only successful applicants are notified of their grant awards.

Reapplication Policy

Annual reapplication is required. The recipient of a grant award must submit a brief report the following year describing specifically how the grant funds were used. Organizations may apply again in subsequent years after fulfilling reporting requirements.

Application Success Factors

Foundation-Specific Priorities

Based on the foundation's guidelines and funding history, successful applications demonstrate:

  1. Direct Alignment with George's Legacy: The foundation continues George M. Eisenberg's focus on helping those who experience poverty, hunger, and homelessness as he did. Applications that connect their work to these fundamental human needs resonate with the foundation's mission.

  2. Clear Demonstration of Urgent Need: The Board's selection criteria explicitly include "the urgent need of the charity." Applications should articulate why the funding is critically needed now and what gap it will fill.

  3. Focus on Underprivileged Populations: Priority goes to programs serving underprivileged youth and seniors in the specified geographic areas. Applications should clearly identify the vulnerable populations served.

  4. Medical Research and Education Excellence: The foundation maintains a strong relationship with Mayo Clinic, particularly for breast cancer research. Medical applications should demonstrate research quality and potential impact.

  5. Complete and Detailed Applications: The foundation states that incomplete applications will result in automatic denial or delays. Ensure all requested materials are included and the project description is thorough.

  6. Geographic Specificity: Applications must serve the Chicago metropolitan area/DuPage County or Rochester, Minnesota. Clearly demonstrate local impact within these boundaries.

Recent Funding Example

The foundation recently committed to supporting five years of breast cancer research at Mayo Clinic, with historical grants to Mayo exceeding $1 million. This demonstrates the foundation's willingness to make significant, multi-year commitments to medical research that aligns with their mission.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Submit complete applications by April 30th – Incomplete applications are automatically denied, and there's only one deadline per year
  • No news is bad news – The foundation only contacts successful applicants; if you haven't heard by December, the application was unsuccessful
  • Emphasize urgent need – This is one of the Board's explicit selection criteria; make the case for why funding is critically needed
  • Connect to George's story – Tie your work to addressing poverty, hunger, homelessness, or illness among vulnerable populations
  • Geographic focus matters – Ensure your project clearly serves the Chicago metropolitan area or Rochester, Minnesota
  • Medical research receives major funding – If applying for medical research, particularly related to breast cancer, the foundation has demonstrated capacity for six-figure grants
  • Annual reapplication required – Even successful grantees must resubmit annually and provide usage reports on previous grants

References

  1. George M. Eisenberg Foundation for Charities official website - "Our Guidelines" page: https://gmefoundationforcharities.org/our-guidelines (Accessed January 2026)
  2. George M. Eisenberg Foundation for Charities official website - "About Us" page: https://gmefoundationforcharities.org/about-us (Accessed January 2026)
  3. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - George M Eisenberg Foundation For Charities: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363689650 (Accessed January 2026)
  4. Cause IQ - George M Eisenberg Foundation for Charities profile: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/george-m-eisenberg-foundation-for-charities,363689650/ (Accessed January 2026)
  5. Mayo Clinic Magazine - "Eisenberg Foundation Preserves a Legacy of Stewardship" (February 2021): https://mayomagazine.mayoclinic.org/2021/02/eisenberg-foundation-preserves-a-legacy-of-stewardship/
  6. Candid Foundation Directory - George M Eisenberg Foundation for Charities: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=EISE029 (Accessed January 2026)
  7. Here-4-You Consulting - Foundation Directory (October 2022): https://npfunds.com/directory/george-m-eisenberg-foundation-for/
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