Sheba Foundation

The Sheba Foundation is a Lavin family private foundation headquartered at 1849 Green Bay Rd Ste 440, Highland Park, Illinois — incorporated November 1994 and operating as a 501(c)(3) private foundation (Form 990-PF filer). Leadership consists entirely of family members serving without compensation: Steven H. Lavin (President/Director), Deborah Rosenberg (Secretary/Director), Dawn Lavin (Assistant Secretary/Director), and Michael Lavin (Treasurer). Sheldon Lavin, the longtime CEO of OSI Group — one of the world's largest food processing companies — appears in earlier filings as founding President and now as Past President. The foundation reflects the philanthropic vision of one of Chicago's most prominent business families.

The foundation's self-stated mission is 'charitable causes consistent with Jewish ethics,' and its actual grant record confirms this exactly. Healthcare — specifically cancer research and treatment — is the dominant program area, anchored by a $4,025,000 multi-grant commitment to Rush University Medical Center for its cancer center. Jewish federated giving (Jewish United Fund, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El) and Israel-related organizations (Weizmann Institute, Friends of IDF, American Friends of Hebrew University) form the other two primary pillars, followed by arts, education, and community services in the Chicago metro.

This is emphatically not an open-application foundation. There is no published RFP, no online portal, no formal grant deadlines. Grant intelligence databases including k12grants.info explicitly confirm that applicants must be 'pre-selected nonprofit organizations.' The path to a grant runs through personal relationships within Chicago's Jewish philanthropic network — specifically through organizations already in the Lavin giving circle. Cold approaches via the foundation's listed phone (312-670-4260) are possible as an introduction but rarely sufficient without prior relationship cultivation.

First-time applicants should seek introductions through Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, or peer institutions at Rush University Medical Center. The foundation demonstrates consistent multi-year loyalty: Rush Medical (3 grants), Jewish United Fund (4 grants), Goodman Theatre (3 grants), National MS Society (3 grants). Frame any outreach as the beginning of a long-term partnership, not a transactional request. Organizations with Chicago area roots, Jewish community alignment, and credible healthcare or Israel-related programming are best positioned for initial engagement.

Analysis of 63 recorded grants across multiple IRS filing years reveals total tracked historical giving of $7.13 million, with an average grant of $113,222 and a range from $100 (Highland Park Firefighters Association, a token tribute gift) to $4,025,000 (Rush University Medical Center across three grants). FY2024 — the most recent filed year — recorded $5,296,211 in disbursements across 51 grants, averaging approximately $103,847 per grant. The foundation's current median grant size is $31,250 with a maximum of $2,050,000.

Historical disbursements by year: FY2024 $5.3M (record high), FY2023 $1.12M (recent low), FY2022 $3.0M, FY2021 $3.41M, FY2020 $2.53M, FY2019 $2.85M, FY2015 $1.05M. The year-to-year volatility reflects incoming contributions — FY2024 received $6.4M in contributions, FY2023 received $0 — rather than fundamental shifts in grantmaking philosophy. Annual giving has trended upward over the foundation's history as assets have grown from $14.4M (FY2011) to $44.8M (FY2024).

By program area (estimated from full recorded grantee list): - Healthcare and medical research: approximately 58% of dollars — Rush Medical Center cancer center ($4.03M), University of Chicago cancer research ($100K), National MS Society ($90K), brain research at Weizmann Institute ($50K), Sinai Health System ($25K), Ronald McDonald House ($15K), Rett Syndrome Research Trust ($10K) - Jewish community and federated giving: approximately 22% — Jewish United Fund ($1.25M historical + $770K FY2024), North Suburban Synagogue Beth El ($1.1M FY2024), Goldberg Charitable Corp ($1M, food-tech ethics) - Israel-related causes: approximately 8% — American Israel Education Fund ($85K), Friends of El Net ($50K), Project Tkooma ($25K), Friends of IDF ($20K+), United Hatzalah ($14K), Jewish National Fund ($10K), American Friends of Hebrew University ($222K FY2024) - Arts, culture, and education: approximately 7% — Goodman Theatre ($105K), Holocaust Museum ($45K), Glenwood Academy ($31K), Hillel at Illinois ($15K) - Community services: approximately 5% — YMCA Metro Chicago, BUILD Inc., ALS Association, local church giving

Geographically, Illinois captures roughly 62% of grants (39 of 63 recorded), concentrated in Chicago metro and Highland Park. New York receives 16% (national Jewish organizations with NY headquarters), DC receives 8% (Israel policy and security organizations), and international recipients — primarily in Israel — receive approximately 6%.

The Sheba Foundation sits within a peer group of similar-sized private foundations, all holding assets within a narrow $44.7M-$44.9M band as of the most recent available filings.

Sheba Foundation distinguishes itself within this peer cohort in two meaningful ways. First, it is the only foundation in the group with a publicly filed FY2024 990-PF documenting concrete giving — its $5.3M annual disbursement represents approximately 11.8% of total assets deployed in a single year, well above the IRS-required 5% minimum payout and an unusually high deployment rate for a family foundation of this size. Second, its giving is structurally concentrated: a single healthcare institution (Rush University Medical Center) has historically captured more than half of total documented grant dollars, a level of anchor commitment that distinguishes Sheba from more diversified peer foundations. For grant seekers comparing options, Sheba's invitation-only model and family-centric governance make it materially harder to access without existing relationships than community foundations or corporate foundations operating at comparable asset levels.

The most significant recent development is the FY2024 Form 990-PF filed August 27, 2025, which documents record charitable disbursements of $5,296,211 — a 371% increase over FY2023's $1,123,979. This surge was enabled by $6,396,282 in external contributions received during FY2024, likely from Lavin family members or affiliated OSI Group-related entities. Total assets closed FY2024 at $44,844,317, up from $39,353,140 at the end of FY2023.

FY2024 grant highlights: North Suburban Synagogue Beth El received $1,100,000, establishing a major new anchor-level institutional relationship. The Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago received $770,000 (continuing a documented four-grant relationship). American Friends of Hebrew University received $222,000. Friends of the Israel Defense Forces received $140,040. The total number of grants increased from 37 in FY2023 to 51 in FY2024, indicating broader organizational reach.

Governance changes are notable: Dawn Lavin (Director and Assistant Secretary) and Michael Lavin (Treasurer) appear formally on the FY2024 990-PF, alongside Steven H. Lavin (President) and Deborah Rosenberg (Secretary). This confirms a deliberate next-generation transition from the founding Sheldon Lavin era. No major public announcements, press releases, or new program initiatives were identified through web research. Consistent with all prior years, the foundation operates through private channels only and does not maintain an active public-facing website for grantmaking inquiries — k12grants.info explicitly confirms the foundation does not maintain a website.

Understand the fundamental structure first. The Sheba Foundation is a private family foundation with no public application process, no posted deadlines, and no grants portal. Third-party grant databases confirm applicants must be 'pre-selected nonprofit organizations.' This means relationship development is the application process — there is no form to submit until the relationship already exists.

Build your path through Jewish community infrastructure. The most effective access route runs through Chicago's Jewish philanthropic establishment. Organizations affiliated with Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago (312-444-2090), those active at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El in Highland Park, or those connected to the broader Jewish Federation network have the clearest pathway to warm introductions with the Lavin family. Ask a JUF program officer directly whether they can facilitate an introduction.

Lead with cancer research, oncology, or Jewish ethics-aligned healthcare. Rush University Medical Center's $4,025,000 commitment — specifically for a cancer center — is the defining investment in the foundation's history. Healthcare organizations focused on oncology, neurology, MS research, or pediatric care should frame programs around direct patient outcomes and measurable research impact, echoing the language of the Rush grant purpose: concrete, facility-level, outcome-oriented.

Israel-connected organizations have a distinct lane. Approximately 8% of documented grant dollars flow consistently to Israeli institutions and Israel-America relations programs: Weizmann Institute of Science, Friends of IDF, United Hatzalah, Jewish National Fund, American Israel Education Fund, American Friends of Hebrew University. Organizations with credible Israel programming, Israel-American academic exchange, or Middle East security research should highlight this explicitly in any introductory materials.

Right-size the first ask. The most common non-anchor grant falls between $5,000 and $100,000. First-time applicants should request $10,000-$25,000 — a level that signals seriousness without overreaching. Frame it as year one of a multi-year initiative: Rush Medical, Jewish United Fund, and Goodman Theatre all demonstrate the foundation rewards relationship longevity with increasing support.

Time outreach to Q3-Q4. The foundation's fiscal year ends December 31. Contributions typically arrive mid-year (FY2024 received $6.4M in contributions), suggesting grant decisions are made in Q3-Q4. Initiate relationship contact by September and submit any informal inquiry by October for year-end consideration.