Blazer Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Rockford, IL EIN: 36-3480054 Website

The Blazer Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation located in Rockford, Illinois. Established in 1986 by Cedric W. Blazer, the foundation was originally known as the CWB Foundation before adopting its current name. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to supporting individuals with mental or physical disabilities in the Rockford area and surrounding northern Illinois counties.

Key facts about Blazer Foundation

EIN: 36-3480054
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025): $1,422,133
Grants made (2025): 24
Average grant: $59,256
Median grant: $10,000
New grantees (estimate): 38% first-time grantees (9 of 24, 2025)
Primary geography: Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
How to apply: Organizations submit grant applications via email or the foundation's website. Full details ↓
Deadline: Next deadline: May 12, 2026

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Blazer Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Blazer Foundation's 24 itemized 2025 grants were Illinois (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Rockford, IL (15 grants) and Loves Park, IL (2 grants). None of its 24 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (15 grants), "Educational" (3 grants) and "Medical" (3 grants).

Is Blazer Foundation open to new grantees?

38%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 9 of 24 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $88K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $21K repeat.

54% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Giving grew 155% from 2022 to 2025. Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Next steps with Blazer Foundation

How to evaluate Blazer Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$1.4M

+54.2% YoY

Grant Count

-4.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$59K

+60.6% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission Statement: To improve the lives of individuals with mental or physical disabilities living in Winnebago County and adjoining counties of northern Illinois. The Foundation supports local initiatives in research and development, as well as programs designed to directly support those individuals with disabilities.

The foundation's primary focus areas include:

Support for individuals with mental or physical disabilities
Research and development initiatives
Direct service programs benefiting people with disabilities
Charitable, social welfare, educational, and medical organizations serving the greater Rockford area

Grantmaking

Grant Range

s:**

Review Cycle

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds organizations and initiatives in Winnebago County and adjoining counties of northern Illinois, with primary focus on the Rockford, Illinois region.

Grant Distribution by State

Illinois $1.4M (100%)

Washington $5K (0%)

Share of all 24 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

States

Illinois Kentucky Massachusetts Washington

Cities

RockfordLoves ParkMachesney ParkWilliamsburgNewtonOregonRocktonCaledoniaChicagoCrystal LakeFederal WayFreeportHomer GlenPecatonicaWinnebago

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

2024 Financial Data:

Total Assets: $16,686,792
Total Revenues: $1,267,006
Total Expenses: $1,031,362
Number of Employees: 0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2025	2024	2023
Total Assets	—	—	—
Revenue	—	—	—
Expenses	—	—	—
Qualifying Distributions	—	—	—
Net Investment Income	—	—	—
Distributable Amount	—	—	—

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

September 26, 2026 Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 24, 2021)
September 26, 2026 Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
September 26, 2026 Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
September 26, 2026 Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
September 26, 2026 Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
September 26, 2026 Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
March 2, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Grant Size Distribution

106 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Rockford Park District ($702,000), Midway Village ($268,500), Gigi's Playhouse ($104,890).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ROCKFORD PARK DISTRICT Rockford, IL	CHARITABLE	$702,000
MIDWAY VILLAGE Rockford, IL	CHARITABLE	$268,500
GIGI'S PLAYHOUSE Machesney Park, IL	EDUCATIONAL	$104,890
LAURENT HOUSE Rockford, IL	CHARITABLE	$75,500
205 DIRECT DENTAL SERVICES Rockford, IL	MEDICAL	$50,000
BARBARA OLSON CENTER OF HOPE Rockford, IL	CHARITABLE	$40,000
MILESTONE INC Loves Park, IL	MEDICAL	$28,500
WALTER LAWSON Loves Park, IL	SOCIAL WELFARE	$22,324
GOLDEN APPLE FOUNDATION Rockford, IL	EDUCATIONAL	$21,149
SPECIAL OLYMPICS ILLINOIS Rockford, IL	CHARITABLE	$12,300

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Board Members:

Pat Shaw (Board Chair)
Tara Blazer (Board Member, joined 2020) — wife of founder Cedric W. Blazer; brings historical perspective and knowledge of the foundation from its inception

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

From 2025 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
James W Keeling	President	—	—
Mark Blazer	Vice President	—	—
Tara Blazer	Director	—	—
Shendet Ismajlaj	Treasurer/Secretary	—	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2024

**2024:** The foundation made 25 grants to organizations including the University of Illinois College of Medicine and other local agencies.

Blaze Foundation Awards $125,000 in Community Impact Grants | Blaze Credit

2020

**2020:** The Board approved over $353,000 in grants at its May meeting. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the March board meeting was cancelled, and grant reviews were consolidated into the May meeting. In addition to regular funding, the board provided emergency support to organizations affected by the pandemic. Agencies receiving grants included Barbara Olson Center of Hope, Fish-Abled Foundation, GiGi's Playhouse Rockford, Goldie Floberg Center, Milestone Inc., RAMP, Rockford Park District, Special Olympics Illinois, YMCA of the Rock River Valley, and others.

Blaze Foundation Awards $125,000 in Community Impact Grants | Blaze Credit

**Supported Organizations:**

Examples of agencies that have received foundation funding in recent years include: Barbara Olson Center of Hope, Discovery Center Museum, Fish-abled Foundation, Gigi's Playhouse—Rockford, Goldie Floberg Center, Lifescape Community Services, Milestone, RAMP, Rockford Park District Therapeutic Recreation Programs, Special Olympics, and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford.

PCFC Awarded $15,000 from Trail Blazers Foundation Fund of Oregon Community\

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Blazer Foundation fund?

**Mission Statement:** To improve the lives of individuals with mental or physical disabilities living in Winnebago County and adjoining counties of northern Illinois. The Foundation supports local initiatives in research and development, as well as programs designed to directly support those individuals with disabilities. The foundation's primary focus areas include: • Support for individuals with mental or physical disabilities • Research and development initiatives • Direct service programs …

How do I apply for a grant from Blazer Foundation?

Organizations submit grant applications via email or the foundation's website. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

Where does Blazer Foundation make grants?

The foundation funds organizations and initiatives in Winnebago County and adjoining counties of northern Illinois, with primary focus on the Rockford, Illinois region.