Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati
The Charles W. & Patricia S. Bidwill Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. It supports 501(c)(3) organizations, primarily in education and intellectual and developmental disability, with a stated focus on helping underserved individuals thrive.
Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati at a glance
In short: Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati gave $1.1M across 30 grants in 2024 (avg $38K), mostly in Illinois. 28% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,141,000
- +49.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 30
- +30.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $38,033
- +14.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $18,611,862
- +11.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (8 of 29, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (58% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Grants are by invitation, and the foundation says it has no open letter-of-intent or proposal process.
- Contact
Mailing address: 200 W Madison St Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (708) 606-0790
Website: https://bidwillfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Thrive Scholars ($200K). Together the top 10 received $744K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($75,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
101 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 85 grants of 101 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation prioritizes greater Chicagoland and has representation in Los Angeles. It says it may fund special projects outside those areas on a case-by-case basis. In 2024, 58% of grant dollars went to Illinois recipients, 22% to Massachusetts, 13% to California, 4% to New York, and 2% to Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 29 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $44K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 72% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 613% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 474% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $160K (2021) to $1.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 30 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Thrive Scholars Boston, MA | Provide educational opportunities to students of color from under-resourced communities. | $200,000 |
| Bandwith Music Ltd Chicago, IL | Provide Performing Arts Instruction to Underserved Communities | $160,000 |
| Mychals Learning Place Hawthorne, CA | Center for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities | $77,000 |
| Big Shoulders Chicago, IL | Provide financial support to catholic schools in the neediest areas of inner-city chicago. | $50,000 |
| Cristo Rey St Martin Waukegan, IL | Offers catholic college preparatory education for economically disadvantaged students in the north chicago and waukegan area. | $50,000 |
| Momentum Woodland Hills, CA | Programs dedicated to advancing the independence, productivity and full citizenship of children and adults with disabilities and medical conditions. | $50,000 |
| 2 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $75,000 |
| Irish American Partnership Boston, MA | Promotes Higher Education | $50,000 |
| Midtown Education Foundation Chicago, IL | Provides educational opportunities to less advantaged youth, (4th grade through high school)in the chicagoland area. | $40,000 |
| Frank Lentz Foundation Skokie, IL | Promotes Higher Education | $37,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $18,611,862 | $24,109,525 | $1,557,491 | $1,141,000 | 30 | $6,223,182 | $3,154,979 | $1,313,760 |
| 2023 | $16,773,994 | $31,421,464 | $1,027,592 | $761,000 | 23 | $889,407 | $16,199,698 | $479,770 |
| 2022 | $1,416,627 | $136,021 | $341,159 | $280,000 | 21 | $308,855 | $104,576 | $95,801 |
| 2021 | $1,621,765 | $183,512 | $210,721 | $160,000 | 12 | $184,800 | $161,591 | $112,428 |
| 2020 | $1,648,974 | $115,015 | $244,935 | $183,000 | 15 | — | $88,812 | $101,446 |
| 2019 | $1,778,937 | $107,035 | $292,209 | $202,000 | 15 | — | $72,295 | $107,442 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2024 — 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 says it believes underserved groups deserve trust and that quality education—in many forms—helps people participate in society. Its giving has historically emphasized young people’s educational needs and improved access for students facing educational barriers. The foundation also identifies intellectual and developmental disability as a funding area and says it anticipates expanding support to include continuing education, non-traditional educational pathways, and other programs.
The foundation reports providing general operating support as well as assistance for scholarships, special education programs, tutoring, and character development. Its grantees illustrate this range: BandWith describes its work as promoting wellness in underserved Chicago communities through performing arts instruction; Mychal’s Learning Place says it supports youth and young adults with developmental disabilities to build independence and pursue their goals; and Fiver Children’s Foundation describes its work as youth development for children from systemically under-resourced communities. Other 2024 recipients include schools and organizations whose stated missions involve college-preparatory education, higher education access, and support for people with disabilities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $1,141,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $200,000, with a median of $25,000. It reported 23 grants totaling $761,000 in 2023 and 21 grants totaling $280,000 in 2022.
Among the largest 2024 awards were $200,000 to Thrive Scholars for educational opportunities for students of color from under-resourced communities; $160,000 to BandWith Music Ltd for performing arts instruction in underserved communities; and $77,000 to Mychal’s Learning Place, which the filing describes as a center for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Other notable awards included $50,000 each to Big Shoulders, Cristo Rey St. Martin, Momentum, St. Ignatius College Prep, and Irish American Partnership.
The foundation says it is open to multi-year support and general operating support, and that it may support new organizations or programs. Its website reports that 80% of grants are multi-year and 90% of giving is scholarship or general operating support. The foundation also reported making a loan as part of structuring for BandWith Chicago to qualify for New Market Tax Credits for its new performing arts center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Patricia M. Bidwill as director and president; Shauna B. Valenzuela as director and secretary; Brian R. Bidwill as director and vice-president; Amelia B. Valenzuela as director and treasurer; and Charles W. Bidwill Jr. as trustee.
Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati is led by Patricia M. Bidwill, Director & President since 2022 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Patricia M. Bidwill
Director & President
Director & Treasurer → Director & President, 2022
On filings since 2019
8 hrs/week
$70K (2019) → $20K (2024)
Amelia B. Valenzuela
Director & Treasurer
Director → Director & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian R. Bidwill
Director & Vice President
Director → Director & Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles W. Bidwill Jr.
Trustee
Director & President → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shauna B. Valenzuela
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $20K, to Patricia M Bidwill (Director/President).
Frequently asked questions about Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati
How much does Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati give each year?
Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati gave $1.1M across 30 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $761K across 23 grants.
What is Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati's typical grant size?
Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $38,033, across 30 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati that year got $26K on average.
Where does Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati give grants?
Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati gives mostly in Illinois: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (22%) and California (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (14 grants), Boston, MA (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Promotes Higher Education" (9 grants).
Who are Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati's largest grantees?
Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati's largest 2024 grantees include Thrive Scholars ($200,000), Bandwith Music Ltd ($160,000) and Mychals Learning Place ($77,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($75,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati?
Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati reported $18.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati fund?
The foundation says it believes underserved groups deserve trust and that quality education—in many forms—helps people participate in society. Its giving has historically emphasized young people’s educational needs and improved access for students facing educational barriers. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati's EIN?
Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4479735. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 21, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/charles-w-and-patrica-s-bidwill-foundati-morg_086bee6430dd45e5a6a703b03d0025c3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364479735_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Charles W \& Patrica S Bidwill Foundati funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/charles-w-and-patrica-s-bidwill-foundati-morg_086bee6430dd45e5a6a703b03d0025c3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Charles W & Patrica S Bidwill Foundati's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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