Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation
The Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1984 with proceeds from the sale of Ridgeway Hospital—a nonprofit psychiatric facility that served low-income adolescents—the foundation has evolved into a significant funder of health care and housing services for economically disadvantaged populations.
Key facts about Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation
- EIN
- 36-2488355
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,095,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 78
- Average grant
- $14,038
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis (outside of the current pause period).
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation's 78 itemized 2025 grants were Illinois (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (43 grants), Wheaton, IL (3 grants), Palatine, IL (3 grants) and Elgin, IL (3 grants). 60% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+1.0% YoY
Grant Count
78
-2.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
+3.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to provide grants and program-related investments primarily in the areas of health, mental and physical disability, and social services, with emphasis on children and youth.
In late 2017, the foundation refined its funding focus to concentrate on two primary areas:
- Health Care Services: Supporting nonprofit agencies that provide medical and psychological services to economically disadvantaged individuals, with particular attention to addressing social and economic barriers that cause health disparities
- Housing and Homeless Services: Funding programs that provide access to prevention, treatment, and support services for individuals experiencing homelessness, recognizing housing as a critical social determinant of physical and mental health
The foundation is committed to supporting organizations that serve low-income, uninsured, and medically underserved communities.
Grantmaking
Average Grant
of approximately $15,000.
How to Apply
**: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis (outside of the current pause period).
Ready to take the next step with Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation provides support geographically within Chicago and six collar counties: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will. The foundation also funds projects in Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 78 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $23,651,528 (as of 2024)
Annual Giving: $1,084,500 (2024 fiscal year)
Total Revenue: $834,038 (2024)
Total Expenses: $1,545,351 (2024)
Giving Rate: 6.6%
Staff: 2 employees
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
389 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Community Health ($20,000), Connections for Abused Women and their Children ($20,000), Franciscan Outreach Association ($20,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Health Chicago, IL | For General Operating Support of this free health care center which provides uninsured and low-income individuals in Chicago with primary, dental, specialty care, medication, mental health, and lab services, as well as health education, Telehealth, etc. | $20,000 |
| Connections for Abused Women and their Children Wheaton, IL | For General Operating Support. CAWC's comprehensive domestic violence services include crisis intervention, shelter, safety planning/assessment, legal and medical advocacy, individual and group counseling for survivors of domestic violence in Chicago. | $20,000 |
| Franciscan Outreach Association Chicago, IL | For General Operating Support to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, rapid rehousing, case management, meals, financial assistance, access to health care, etc. for individuals who are homeless in Chicago, shelters in the west side and Pilsen. | $20,000 |
| Heartland Alliance International Chicago, IL | For General Operating Support of the Kovler Center, which provide critical trauma-informed services to individuals, unaccompanied children, and families affected by forced migration, now residing in Chicago and surrounding Cook County suburbs. | $20,000 |
| KAN-WIN (Korean American Women in Need) Chicago, IL | For General Operating Support. KAN-WIN serves Asian American domestic violence and sexual assault survivors in Chicago and suburbs. Programs include multi-lingual crisis hotline, legal clinic, advocacy, transitional housing, emergency hotel stay, etc. | $20,000 |
| South Suburban PADS Oak Park, IL | For General Operating Support. Programs and Services include Prevention (emergency funds), Street Outreach, Emergency Shelter, Rapid Rehousing, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Supportive Services for homeless individuals/families in south suburban Cook. | $20,000 |
| Deborah's Place Chicago, IL | For General Operating Support. Deborah's Place provides housing and comprehensive supportive services to chronically homeless women in Chicago. Services include Interim/Permanent Supportive Housing, comprehensive support services, case management, etc. | $17,500 |
| Alexian Brothers Housing & Health Alliance Chicago, IL | For Bonaventure House, a transitional housing program for formerly homeless adults living with HIV/AIDS in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. Program provides therapeutic/supportive services such as case management, recovery services, etc. | $15,000 |
| Apna Ghar Inc (Our Home) Homewood, IL | For General Operating Support. Apna Ghar provides comprehensive culturally competent services, outreach and advocacy services to immigrant and non-immigrant women experiencing domestic violence and other gender violence in Chicago. | $15,000 |
| Beds Plus Care Chicago, IL | For General Operating Support. Beds provides housing and stabilization services to individuals and families in Southwest Suburban Cook County who are homeless. Programs and services include prevention, housing for families, street outreach, etc. | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Sandra Swantek, MD – President
- Serena L. Moy – Executive Director
- Laura Romero – Grants Manager
- Pierre LeBreton – Vice President
- Esther Nieves – Secretary
- Jennifer Arwade – Trustee
- Rebekah Azar Rashidfarokhi – Trustee
- Ponda Barnes – Trustee
- Angel Beltran – Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandra Swantek MD | President | 4 | $5,000 |
| Pierre LeBreton | Vice President - End 7/2025 | 4 | $3,750 |
| Esther Nieves | Vice President | 4 | $5,000 |
| Jennifer Arwade | Trustee | 4 | $5,000 |
| Rebekah Azar Rashidfarokhi | Secretary | 4 | $5,000 |
| Serena Moy | Executive Director | 40 | $128,825 |
| Ponda Barnes | Trustee | 4 | $5,000 |
| Angel Beltran | Treasurer | 4 | $5,000 |
| Elizabeth L Carter | Trustee | 4 | $5,000 |
Recent Grant Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grantees include:
RefugeeOne – $20,000 (2024)
Connections for the Homeless – $20,000 (2024)
South Suburban PADS – $20,000 (2024)
Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (Youth Futures Legal Clinic) – $15,000 (2023)
YWCA Evanston/North Shore – $15,000 (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to provide grants and program-related investments primarily in the areas of health, mental and physical disability, and social services, with emphasis on children and youth. In late 2017, the foundation refined its funding focus to concentrate on two primary areas: • **Health Care Services**: Supporting nonprofit agencies that provide medical and psychological services to economically disadvantaged individuals, with particular attention to addressing social and econo…
How do I apply for a grant from Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation?
**Grant Amounts**: Typical awards range from $2,150 to $20,000, with a median grant amount of $15,000 and an average grant of approximately $15,000. **Recent Activity**: As of September 30, 2023, the foundation had provided $42.5 million in cumulative grants and program-related investments. In the most recent reporting year (2024), the foundation made 146 grants totaling $1,084,500. **Application Status**: The foundation is temporarily pausing acceptance of applications from new organizations, …
Where does Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation make grants?
The foundation provides support geographically within Chicago and six collar counties: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will. The foundation also funds projects in Colorado.
What size grants does Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation award?
In 2025, Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation awarded 78 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $14K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation's EIN?
Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2488355. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.