Russell & Josephine Kott Memorial Charitable Trust

Private foundation · EIN 59-7229565 · since 2005kotttrust.org·Illinois, Wisconsin·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$1.7M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$10,000 to $70,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$20,000

Typical grant (median)

45 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

If your work centres on seniors, through educational internships, quality programmes or capacity building for agencies serving older people, or on health and wellness, basic needs, community outreach, caregiver education or professional advocacy, the Trust's stated priorities fit.
Its priority area is Northern Illinois and south-eastern Wisconsin, and only 501(c)(3) public charities, or organisations operating under a 501(c)(3) fiscal agent, are eligible, so organisations that are neither should not apply.
Its typical grants run from $10,000 to $70,000 and half its grants are $25,000 or less, so a modest request in that range is a sensible starting point, though its largest grant was $380,000 and the band is not a ceiling.
Applications are rolling and begin with an online letter of intent, after which the Trust either declines or invites a full proposal.
Repeat giving is heavy, with 87% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had funded before, so a new applicant should make a clear, specific case, and past grantees must be in good standing and submit a final report to be considered again.

Overview

Russell & Josephine Kott Memorial Charitable Trust is a US private foundation administered by its trustee, Oak Park River Forest Comm Foundation, in Oak Park, IL.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Trust provides funding each year to charitable organisations that improve individuals’ lives, with an emphasis on gerontology. It focuses on opportunities that enhance services for seniors through educational internships, quality programmes and capacity building for agencies serving seniors. Its grants support health and wellness, basic needs, and community outreach and engagement. The Trust also supports education and training for nursing students and caregivers, including research and service-based practice, and professional advocacy such as legal services and training for nonprofit professionals advising older adults on health-care coverage. Applicants must be 501(c)(3) public charities or organisations operating under a 501(c)(3) fiscal agent; the stated service area is Northern Illinois, including the Chicago Metropolitan area, and south-eastern Wisconsin.

Themes

Health and wellness
Basic needs
Community outreach and engagement
Caregiver education
Professional advocacy

Geographic Focus

Priority: Northern Illinois; South Eastern Wisconsin.

How to apply

Applicants submit a letter of intent online; after review, the Trust communicates declines and requests for full proposals.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 87% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 115 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The Trust favours opportunities that enhance services for seniors through educational internships, quality programmes and agency capacity building.
Past grantees must be in good standing with the Kott Memorial Charitable Trust.
Grant recipients must submit a final report to be considered for future funding.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Illinois94%

Wisconsin5%

Colorado<1%

The largest single recipient received 13% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to organisations Russell & Josephine Kott Memorial Charitable Trust had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
13% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

45 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $20,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 45 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$5k–$10k7%

$10k–$25k47%

$25k–$50k22%

$50k–$100k18%

$100k–$250k4%

$250k–$500k2%

Median $20,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

AgeOptions · Support
$380,0002024 tax year
Concordia Univeristy Operating · Support
$130,0002024 tax year
DePaul University Development · Support
$100,0002024 tax year
Center for Disability and Elder Law · Support
$85,0002024 tax year
Concordia Univeristy Institutional · Support
$70,0002024 tax year
Little Sisters of the Poor · Support
$65,0002024 tax year
Chicago Scots · Support
$60,0002024 tax year
West Cook YMCA · Support
$50,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Craig Lusthoff — Co-Trustee
Michael S Kott — Co-Trustee
Oak Park River Forest Commfoundatio — Co-Trustee

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$1,722,010	$1,400,000	$32,204,370	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$1,918,356	$1,571,000	$36,175,693	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$2,079,113	$1,690,000	$38,901,972	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.