Burton W Ruder Family Foundation
The Burton W Ruder Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Highland Park, Illinois. Its 2025 filing describes grants for artistic, social, and educational purposes and services.
Burton W Ruder Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Burton W Ruder Family Foundation gave $48K across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $920.865), top state Illinois. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $47,885
- +33.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 52
- +57.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $921
- -15.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $176,346
- -14.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (14 of 52, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (35% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Burton W Ruder Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2238 Egandale Road, Highland Park, IL 60035-2502
Phone: (847) 432-7755
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Burton W Ruder Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Jewish National Fund ($10K). Together the top 10 received $25K.
Grant Size Distribution
210 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 210 grants of 210 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 35% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 30% to recipients in New York. Other leading recipient states were California (6%), Washington (4%), and Maryland (4%). The listed grants also include recipients in other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 52 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Burton W Ruder Family Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 52 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $525; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $525 repeat.
- 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 50% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 320% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $19K (2020) to $48K (2025). In 2025 it made 52 grants totaling $48K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish National Fund Rockville Center, NY | Artistic, Social and Education Purposes | $10,000 |
| Ronald McDonald Charities Oak Brook, IL | Artistic, Social and Education Services | $2,500 |
| Fisher Center for Alzheimers New York, NY | Artistic, Social and Education Purposes | $2,000 |
| Highland Park Community Foundation Highland Park, IL | Artistic, Social and Education Purposes | $2,000 |
| Keshet Northbrook, IL | Artistic, Social and Education Purposes | $2,000 |
| American Jewish World Service Etna, NH | Artistic, Social and Education Services | $1,500 |
| Doctors Without Borders Hagerstown, MD | Artistic, Social and Education Services | $1,500 |
| Per Scholas Chicago, IL | Artistic, Social and Education Services | $1,500 |
| Alight Minneapolis, MN | Artistic, Social and Education Services | $1,000 |
| Alzheimers Association Chicago, IL | Artistic, Social and Education Purposes | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $176,346 | $26,718 | $56,185 | $47,885 | 52 | $53,066 | $23,598 | $16,571 |
| 2024 | $205,527 | $24,237 | $41,154 | $35,780 | 33 | $38,773 | $21,650 | $16,927 |
| 2023 | $224,381 | $26,256 | $41,171 | $35,099 | 46 | $38,189 | $22,982 | $16,818 |
| 2022 | $239,148 | $20,998 | $38,160 | $31,975 | 41 | $35,080 | $17,233 | $19,240 |
| 2021 | $254,704 | $40,192 | $27,787 | $22,140 | 38 | — | $37,432 | $19,641 |
| 2020 | $239,450 | $14,889 | $25,504 | $19,080 | 31 | — | $12,711 | $16,809 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Burton W Ruder Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $17K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s 2025 grant descriptions repeatedly cite artistic, social, and educational purposes or services. Its grantees work in a range of areas. For example, Keshet says it supports people with disabilities through activities and services spanning childhood and adulthood; Alight says it works with displaced people to support lives with dignity, connection, and purpose; and the Greater Chicago Food Depository says its mission is to end hunger in Cook County. Other 2025 grantees include organizations working in guide-dog partnerships, animal welfare, civil liberties, and mental health.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 52 grants totaling $47,885. Grants ranged from $100 to $10,000, with a median of $500. Its largest grant was $10,000 to Jewish National Fund. Other notable grants included $2,500 to Ronald McDonald Charities and $2,000 each to Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s, Highland Park Community Foundation, and Keshet.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Burton Ruder as president, treasurer, and director, and Linda Ruder as secretary and director.
Burton W Ruder Family Foundation is led by Burton Ruder, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Burton Ruder
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda Ruder
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Burton W Ruder Family Foundation
How much does Burton W Ruder Family Foundation give each year?
Burton W Ruder Family Foundation gave $48K across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $36K across 33 grants.
What is Burton W Ruder Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Burton W Ruder Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $921, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Burton W Ruder Family Foundation that year got $525 on average.
Where does Burton W Ruder Family Foundation give grants?
Burton W Ruder Family Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 35% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (30%) and California (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (11 grants), New York, NY (6 grants), Highland Park, IL (4 grants) and Washington DC, WA (2 grants).
Does Burton W Ruder Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 52 grants with a stated purpose on Burton W Ruder Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Artistic, Social and Education Services" (43 grants) and "Artistic, Social and Education Purposes" (9 grants).
Who are Burton W Ruder Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Burton W Ruder Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Jewish National Fund ($10,000), Ronald McDonald Charities ($2,500) and Fisher Center for Alzheimers ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Burton W Ruder Family Foundation?
Burton W Ruder Family Foundation reported $176K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $53K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $17K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Burton W Ruder Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s 2025 grant descriptions repeatedly cite artistic, social, and educational purposes or services. Its grantees work in a range of areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Burton W Ruder Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Burton W Ruder Family Foundation's EIN?
Burton W Ruder Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3428676. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Burton W Ruder Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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