The Mayer and Morris Kaplan Family Foundation

In December 2007, the Foundation Trustees initiated a strategic planning process to develop a new approach to the Foundation’s philanthropy. They spent the full year of 2008 in thoughtful analysis of the direction of the Foundation, including the interests and philanthropic goals of the geographically diverse members of the Kaplan family.

The Foundation’s strategic planning resulted in the following changes: the Trustees have narrowed the focus of funding to a few programmatic goals, reduced the number of grant cycles each year from three to two, and expanded the Foundation’s geographic reach to better include communities where Kaplan family members live.

Starting in June 2009, the Foundation will expand its geographic focus to include funding in some parts of New York, California, and the Rocky Mountain West. The new funding goals can be found in the Areas of Interest section of this website.

We will continue to fund in Chicago, although the program areas and scale of funding are greatly reduced. Specifically, the family has made the decision to cease funding in several Chicago-based programmatic areas: Community Organizing, Family, Jewish, and Arts.

The Foundation Trustees and staff are very proud of the work accomplished by Foundation grantees in these areas over the past 10 years. We will provide an opportunity for some previous Kaplan grantees to apply for a final grant from the Foundation through a competitive process. Please click this link for information on Exit Grants.

In addition, the economic climate for non-profit organizations and philanthropic foundations is more challenging than we have seen in the recent past. The Kaplan Foundation saw a decrease in its assets of more than 20% in 2008 and made grants in excess of 10% of its endowment. As such, we have seen a 30% decrease in the value of our fund. The Kaplan family is committed to being responsive to the needs of non-profits and will continue to give well over the 5% threshold required by the IRS. Unfortunately, prudence requires the Foundation to scale back giving by 25% in 2009 over its 2008 grant level.

Should you have any questions regarding the Foundation’s strategic planning process or its new funding goals, please feel free to contact us at (847) 926-8350.

In 1958 Mayer & Morris Kaplan, father and son established The Mayer & Morris Kaplan Family Foundation as a manifestation of their commitment to "Tzedakah," a Jewish concept of helping others and encouraging justice. A large portion of the Foundation's resources came from the 1986 sale of the family's business, Sealy Mattress Company, and a bequest of funds from lifelong friend Jerome Joss. Today, Morris Kaplan, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren maintain the growth of the foundation with their time and resources.

The Mayer & Morris Kaplan Family Foundation is a multi-generational family foundation that focuses its resources in the City of Chicago. Its mission is to help the people and communities of Chicago to forge a more progressive, inclusive and democratic society. In pursuit of this mission, the Foundation is guided by the following goals: to advance educational opportunities for young people; to support a range of social services that build strong cohesive families; to foster a vibrant visual and performing arts environment; to ensure access to reproductive rights; and to help give a more powerful civic voice to the underserved people and communities of our city.


	In December 2007, the Foundation Trustees initiated a strategic planning process to develop a new approach to the Foundation’s philanthropy. They spent the full year of 2008 in thoughtful analysis of the direction of the Foundation, including the interests and philanthropic goals of the geographically diverse members of the Kaplan family. The Foundation’s strategic planning resulted in the following changes: the Trustees have narrowed the focus of funding to a few programmatic goals, reduced the number of grant cycles each year from three to two, and expanded the Foundation’s geographic reach to better include communities where Kaplan family members live. Starting in June 2009, the Foundation will expand its geographic focus to include funding in some parts of New York, California, and the Rocky Mountain West. The new funding goals can be found in the Areas of Interest section of this website. We will continue to fund in Chicago, although the program areas and scale of funding are greatly reduced. Specifically, the family has made the decision to cease funding in several Chicago-based programmatic areas: Community Organizing, Family, Jewish, and Arts. The Foundation Trustees and staff are very proud of the work accomplished by Foundation grantees in these areas over the past 10 years. We will provide an opportunity for some previous Kaplan grantees to apply for a final grant from the Foundation through a competitive process. Please click this link for information on Exit Grants. In addition, the economic climate for non-profit organizations and philanthropic foundations is more challenging than we have seen in the recent past. The Kaplan Foundation saw a decrease in its assets of more than 20% in 2008 and made grants in excess of 10% of its endowment. As such, we have seen a 30% decrease in the value of our fund. The Kaplan family is committed to being responsive to the needs of non-profits and will continue to give well over the 5% threshold required by the IRS. Unfortunately, prudence requires the Foundation to scale back giving by 25% in 2009 over its 2008 grant level. Should you have any questions regarding the Foundation’s strategic planning process or its new funding goals, please feel free to contact us at (847) 926-8350. In 1958 Mayer & Morris Kaplan, father and son established The Mayer & Morris Kaplan Family Foundation as a manifestation of their commitment to "Tzedakah," a Jewish concept of helping others and encouraging justice. A large portion of the Foundation's resources came from the 1986 sale of the family's business, Sealy Mattress Company, and a bequest of funds from lifelong friend Jerome Joss. Today, Morris Kaplan, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren maintain the growth of the foundation with their time and resources. The Mayer & Morris Kaplan Family Foundation is a multi-generational family foundation that focuses its resources in the City of Chicago. Its mission is to help the people and communities of Chicago to forge a more progressive, inclusive and democratic society. In pursuit of this mission, the Foundation is guided by the following goals: to advance educational opportunities for young people; to support a range of social services that build strong cohesive families; to foster a vibrant visual and performing arts environment; to ensure access to reproductive rights; and to help give a more powerful civic voice to the underserved people and communities of our city.

© Mayer & Morris Kaplan Family Foundation.