Goodman Family Foundation
This organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting various charitable causes. Its mission focuses on providing general support to public charities, with a particular emphasis on drug prevention programs, educational initiatives, and cultural institutions such as museums. The foundation actively supports youth development organizations and Jewish causes, reflecting its commitment to community welfare and cultural heritage. While it primarily funds organizations in Illinois, it also extends its support to entities in New York and Colorado.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A Chicago-area nonprofit (education, youth development, museum/cultural, or Jewish community organization) with established local credibility and existing relationships to the foundation or its leadership.
Good Fit
- • Organizational presence in Illinois, especially the Chicago area.
- • Work in education, youth development, drug-prevention in schools, museums, or Jewish causes.
- • Established track record and existing relationship or introduction to the foundation's officers.
- • Capacity to absorb large general-support grants.
Geography
Giving is heavily concentrated in Illinois: 92% of dollars in the latest year went to Illinois recipients, with only two small out-of-state gifts observed across three states.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows seven distinct recipients and multiple independent charities across three years, but funding dollars are highly concentrated (the top five recipients took 97% of the latest-year dollars), indicating a moderate breadth of recipients with strong concentration among a few.
New Applicants
The foundation explicitly states it only preselects applicants (invitation-only) and the multi-year pattern shows mostly repeat recipients (five returning grantees this year), so unfamiliar applicants are unlikely to gain entry absent a direct introduction; however, a small number of new recipients have appeared in the latest year.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
