Sommer Family Foundation Incorporated
The organization is a private foundation focused on providing general operating support to various charitable causes. Its mission centers around promoting charitable purposes through grants to a diverse range of recipients, including arts and culture organizations, educational institutions, and community service groups. The foundation demonstrates a commitment to supporting both local and broader community needs, with funding directed towards initiatives such as food security, environmental conservation, and animal welfare. While it operates primarily in Illinois, its grant-making extends to organizations across multiple states.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Small to mid-sized 501(c)(3) charities seeking general operating support in fields the foundation has funded (arts, education, community services, humane organizations), typically requesting modest grants in the low-thousands.
Good Fit
- • Requesting general operating support or modest unrestricted funding.
- • Asking for grant sizes in the low thousands (typical awards under about $10K).
- • Mission aligned with previously funded sectors such as arts, education, community service, or animal welfare.
- • Ability to submit by mail or phone contact and to demonstrate 501(c)(3) status.
- • Geographic location in one of the many states previously funded (foundation has multi-state giving).
Geography
Latest observed grants reached 17 states and roughly 83% of dollars went outside the foundation's home state, indicating a broadly multi-state (effectively national) footprint; no single state overwhelmingly dominates (largest state share is about 17%).
Recipient Variety
In the most recent year the foundation funded 45 distinct recipients across a range of sectors (arts, education, humane, community), showing a broad recipient set even though many grantees are modest-sized organizations.
New Applicants
Direct evidence of new entrants exists (five new grantees in the latest year, about 11%), and the foundation publishes basic application instructions with a named contact and rolling submissions; however a high repeat rate (40 returning recipients) shows a strong incumbent preference, so openness to unfamiliar applicants is plausible but not guaranteed.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
