Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation
The Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 2005 and based in Palm Beach, Florida. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.6M
-35.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+10.7% YoY
Grant Count
62
-1.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$21K
+12.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $177K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation primarily funds unrestricted grants as well as grants restricted to specific initiatives including Ukraine emergency relief, annual funds, and program expenses.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Arts and Creative Writing
- Historic Buildings
Grantmaking
The foundation is an active grantmaker with significant annual giving activity. In 2023, the foundation made 66 grants totaling $1,199,100 in giving.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on New York, Illinois, and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $2,465,507
- Total Revenues: $182,604
- Total Expenses: $1,458,411
- Total Giving: $1,199,100
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,586,125 | $2,465,507 | $2,741,314 |
| Revenue | $1,009,554 | $182,604 | $1,883,245 |
| Expenses | $1,587,250 | $1,458,411 | $1,136,770 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,558,677 | $1,404,008 | $1,109,499 |
| Net Investment Income | $427,111 | $153,999 | $1,855,974 |
| Distributable Amount | $177,038 | $185,323 | $250,536 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cats2 Foundation ($500,000), Jdc- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee ($50,000), Jdc- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee ($45,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AID TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE DELRAY BEACH, FL | RESTRICTED TO VICTIM ADVOCATE STAFF RETENTION | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL MUSEUM NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED | $10,500 |
| APPEAL OF CONSCIENCE FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED | $2,500 |
| Armory Art Center WEST PALM BEACH, FL | UNRESTRICTED | $250 |
| ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED | $6,000 |
| ASPEN INSTITUTE WASHINGTON, DC | UNRESTRICTED | $2,500 |
| BEIT T'SHUVAH LOS ANGELES, CA | RESTRICTED TO THE HARRIET ROSSETTO SCHOLARSHIP FUND | $5,000 |
| BERKSHIRE SCHOOL SHEFFIELD, MA | RESTRICTED TO ANNUAL FUND | $25,000 |
| CATS2 FOUNDATION SUNNYVALE, CA | RESTRICTED TO OWL PROJECT | $500,000 |
| CENTER FOR HEARING & COMMUNICATION NEW YORK, NY | RESTRICTED TO PEDIATRICS | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Ellen Block serves as Director of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellen Block | Director | 5 | — |
| Laurie A Block | Director | 2 | — |
| Michael H Block | Director | 2 | — |
| Susan S Block Casdin | Director | 2 | — |
| Jane S Englebardt | Officer | 12 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has demonstrated active engagement in Jewish community initiatives and educational programming, with recent grants supporting campus climate initiatives and intensive training programs through Jewish organizations.
The Ellen Hermanson Foundation Grants $335,000 <br/>to Expand Breast Cancer\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation fund?
The foundation primarily funds unrestricted grants as well as grants restricted to specific initiatives including Ukraine emergency relief, annual funds, and program expenses. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Arts and Creative Writing • Historic Buildings
How do I apply for a grant from Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation?
The foundation is an active grantmaker with significant annual giving activity. In 2023, the foundation made 66 grants totaling $1,199,100 in giving. **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $100–$500,000 • Recent notable grants include: • Cats2 Foundation (Restricted to Owl for Schools): $500,000 • Hillel International (Restricted to Hillel Campus Climate Initiative): $36,500 • Jewish Council for Public Affairs (Restricted to Resetting the Table Hillel Campus Intensive Training): $33,…
Where does Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on New York, Illinois, and Florida.
What size grants does Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation awarded 62 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $21K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $177K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation's EIN?
Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2067790. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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