Ira N Stone Family Foundation

## Approach Strategy

The Ira N. Stone Family Foundation is a Chicago, Illinois Jewish family foundation established in memory of Ira N. Stone, now led by his widow Sheila L. Stone (President and Treasurer). The foundation gives primarily to two geographic communities reflecting the Stone family's dual residence: Chicago and the Palm Springs/Coachella Valley area of California.

The grantee portfolio is quintessentially Chicago Jewish upper-middle-class philanthropy: Council for Jewish Elderly (CJE Senior Life), Sukkat Shalom Congregation (Reform Jewish synagogue), Jewish Federation of the Desert, Jewish Family Service of the Desert, Art Institute of Chicago, Grant Park Orchestral Association, and Millennium Park Foundation — mixed with social services (All Chicago for homelessness, Care for Real for food, Deborah's Place for women's shelter) and Holocaust remembrance (US Holocaust Memorial Museum).

The Palm Springs giving stream (Jewish Federation of the Desert, Desert Community Foundation, Rancho Mirage Writers Festival, Martha's Village & Kitchen) confirms a significant winter-residency connection to the Coachella Valley.

Critical insight: This foundation is fully preselected. No open applications. Sheila Stone personally selects all grantees.

The Jonathan Philip Reder Fund appears as a recurring named grant — likely a memorial fund in honor of a deceased family member or friend. This personalization is typical of Jewish memorial philanthropy.

## Funding Patterns

The foundation has shown significant variability in annual giving, with a massive 2020 spike ($727,414) followed by normalization:

Historical giving: - 2024: $247,265 (17 grants) - 2023: $109,615 (20 grants) — many small grants - 2022: $359,950 (19 grants) - 2021: $134,080 (14 grants) - 2020: $727,414 — likely a major estate distribution or one-time commitment

Grant structure (FY2024): 17 grants. Maximum $110,000 (single large grant, likely to Grant Park Orchestral Association or similar major institution). Median $10,000. Mix of $500-$5,000 symbolic grants to many organizations alongside 1-2 larger institutional commitments.

The 2020 spike of $727,414 may reflect Ira Stone's passing and an estate-funded distribution to his preferred organizations, followed by normalized annual giving from an endowment.

Assets have grown: $3.69M (2020) → $4.60M (2021) → $3.66M (2022) → $4.22M (2023) → $4.57M (2024) — solid investment returns despite ongoing distributions.

## Peer Comparison

The Stone Foundation occupies the modest-sized Jewish family foundation niche in Chicago — giving to a mix of synagogue, federation, social services, arts, and memorial causes. For Chicago nonprofits, the Jewish United Fund's donor-advised fund network and the Jewish Federation system are the institutional channels for reaching families like the Stones.

For Palm Springs/Coachella Valley nonprofits, the Coachella Valley Community Foundation and the Jewish Federation of the Desert have broader grantmaking programs.

## Recent Activity

FY2024 grantees: Council for Jewish Elderly ($110,000 — the largest single grant); All Chicago ($20,000 — homelessness services); Eisenhower Hearing Foundation ($5,000+); Jewish Federation of the Desert ($5,000+); Grant Park Orchestral Association ($5,000+); Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic ($5,000+); Holocaust Memorial Museum ($5,000+); Jonathan Philip Reder Fund ($5,000); Millennium Park Foundation ($5,000); Care for Real ($5,000); Deborah's Place ($5,000); Rancho Mirage Writers Festival ($1,500); Grand Park Festival ($1,000); Sukkat Shalom ($1,000); Martha's Village & Kitchen ($1,000); The Ark ($500); Desert Community Foundation ($500).

The Council for Jewish Elderly (CJE Senior Life) $110,000 grant is strikingly large relative to the rest of the portfolio — this is likely a multi-year commitment or named program fund.

Assets FY2024: $4,569,364. Officers: Sheila L. Stone (President/Treasurer, 0.25 hrs/week), Richard Sciortino (Vice President), Debra M. Doyle (Secretary).

## Application Tips

Bottom line: Do not apply cold. The Ira N. Stone Family Foundation is preselected and maintains no application process. The website (iranstone.org) returns no content.

For organizations that may be in the Stone family's natural orbit:

1. CJE Senior Life / Jewish senior services in Chicago: CJE Senior Life is clearly the foundation's flagship commitment ($110,000). Jewish senior care organizations in the Chicago area may be able to build a relationship through CJE's development office.

2. Jewish congregations and federation: Sukkat Shalom Congregation (a North Shore Reform Jewish synagogue) and Jewish Federation of the Desert appear in multiple years. Jewish organizations in the Hyde Park/North Shore Chicago community or the Palm Springs Jewish community may find natural introduction through the federation network.

3. Grant Park Orchestral Association / Chicago classical music: The Grant Park Music Festival has received recurring support. Classical music organizations in Chicago — particularly those connected to the Grant Park Orchestral ecosystem — may have natural access.

4. All Chicago / homelessness services: All Chicago is a recurring grantee, suggesting the Stone family cares about Chicago's unhoused population. Organizations working on housing stability, shelter, or homeless services in Chicago (particularly those with Jewish community connections) may be in scope.

5. Deborah's Place (women experiencing homelessness): This women's shelter receives recurring small grants. Similar organizations providing housing services specifically to women in Chicago may resonate.

6. Palm Springs community: For Coachella Valley organizations, Martha's Village & Kitchen, Desert Community Foundation, and Rancho Mirage Writers Festival give some access points. Introductions through the Jewish Federation of the Desert may be the most direct path to Sheila Stone during winter months.