Blue Waters Foundation
Blue Waters Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Boca Grande, FL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $2.1M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 14 grants totaling $150K. Net investment income was $118K.
Key facts about Blue Waters Foundation
- EIN
- 27-4297287
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $149,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- Average grant
- $10,679
- Median grant
- $7,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 14, 2024)
- Total assets
- $2,146,901
- Primary geography
- Illinois (36% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated April 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Blue Waters Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Blue Waters Foundation's 14 itemized 2024 grants were Illinois (36%), Michigan (32%) and Florida (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (3 grants) and Traverse City, MI (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Blue Waters Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 14 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 119% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). 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 Blue Waters Foundation
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.1M
-1.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$150K
-19.6% YoY
Grant Count
14
-6.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
-13.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Blue Waters Foundation reported a distributable amount of $127K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About Blue Waters Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Blue Waters Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Boca Grande, FL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $2.1M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 14 grants totaling $150K. Net investment income was $118K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 14 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,146,901 | $2,181,930 | $2,265,354 |
| Revenue | $134,127 | $123,081 | $138,633 |
| Expenses | $169,384 | $206,263 | $200,849 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $151,690 | $188,190 | $181,062 |
| Net Investment Income | $117,953 | $106,783 | $121,608 |
| Distributable Amount | $127,487 | $122,006 | $127,648 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
96 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Munson Healthcare Regional Foundation ($30,000), The Greater Chicago Food Depository ($25,000), Shedd Aquarium ($22,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MUNSON HEALTHCARE REGIONAL FOUNDATION Traverse City, MI | GENERAL SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| THE GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY Chicago, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| SHEDD AQUARIUM Chicago, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $22,000 |
| FOLDS OF HONOR FOUNDATION Owasso, OK | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| THE SALVATION ARMY OF TRAVERSE CITY Traverse City, MI | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION Staten Island, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| MOFFITT CANCER CENTER FOUNDATION Tampa, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK Chicago, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| THE WALLACE R BOSTWICK MEMORIAL FUND Placida, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,000 |
| CHADTOUGH DEFEAT DIPG FOUNDATION Saline, MI | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kristin Elbert | President/Secretary | 5 | — |
| Phillip Elbert | Vice President/Treasurer | 0.5 | — |
| Charles W Elbert | Director | 0.5 | — |
| Linlee Elbert | Director | 0.5 | — |
| Lauren E McCourt | Director | 0.5 | — |
| James P McCourt III | Director | 0.5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Blue Waters Foundation?
Blue Waters Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Boca Grande, FL. It holds $2.1M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is Blue Waters Foundation?
As of 2024, Blue Waters Foundation holds $2.1M in total assets with $134K in annual revenue. It awarded 14 grants totaling $150K in 2024.
Where does Blue Waters Foundation operate?
Blue Waters Foundation has awarded grants in Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma.
What size grants does Blue Waters Foundation award?
In 2024, Blue Waters Foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $150K — an average of about $11K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Blue Waters Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Blue Waters Foundation reported a distributable amount of $127K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Blue Waters Foundation's EIN?
Blue Waters Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4297287. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.