Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation
The Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Palm Beach, Florida. It makes grants to charitable organizations, with 2025 awards supporting organizations working in areas including education, literacy, arts, child welfare, food access, and campus engagement.
Key facts about Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation
In short: Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation gave $717K across 58 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), top state New York. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-2067790
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $717,100
- Grants made (2025)
- 58
- Average grant
- $12,364
- Median grant
- $8,750
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (14 of 51, 2025)
- Total assets
- $3,324,684
- Primary geography
- New York (30% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.3M
+109.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$717K
-46.0% YoY
Grant Count
58
-6.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
-42.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $206K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 51 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 528% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for iCivics, whose mission is to advance equitable, nonpartisan civic education; the Norton Museum of Art, which describes its work as helping visitors experience the power of art; and Literacy Academy Collective, which works with New York City public schools to support struggling readers through culturally relevant, structured literacy.
Other 2025 recipients include Voices for Children Foundation, which supports children and youth in the Miami-Dade County foster care system; Ladies of Virtue, which prepares girls ages 9–18 for college, careers, and community leadership; and Feeding South Florida, whose mission includes providing nutritious food and addressing hunger and poverty.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 58 grants totaling $717,100. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $50,000, with a median grant of $8,750. Among the largest awards were $50,000 to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee for its GRID Disaster Rapid Response Fund; $40,000 each to iCivics for its K-12 Private i History Detectives curriculum and the Norton Museum of Art for two afterschool arts programs for children in underresourced areas; and $35,000 each to Literacy Academy Collective for curriculum development and Voices for Children Foundation as an unrestricted grant.
Other notable awards included $32,100 to Ladies of Virtue for staff coaching, development staff support, and program matching funds; $25,000 to Feeding South Florida to support food-insecure individuals and families; $25,000 each to Hillel International for its campus climate initiative and Israel Policy Forum as an unrestricted grant; and $24,000 to Israel on Campus Coalition for Academic Engagement Network Fellowships.
Separately, the foundation reported a $180,000, 24-month, no-interest program-related loan to CATS2 Foundation for its OWL for Schools safety platform. The stated activities include fundraising, developing funding streams, and maintaining the platform and limited support for pilot schools.
How to Apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (30%), Florida (29%), Illinois (15%), Massachusetts (10%), and Washington, DC (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 58 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $717K (2025) to $1.3M (2024). In 2025 it made 58 grants totaling $717K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was JDC- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee ($61K across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $345K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
310 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 299 grants of 310 (96%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| JDC- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee New York, NY | Restricted to the GRID Disaster Rapid Response Fund | $50,000 |
| iCivics Cambridge, MA | Restricted to the K-12 Private i History Detectives curriculum | $40,000 |
| Norton Museum of Art West Palm Beach, FL | Restricted to support two afterschool arts programs for children in underresourced areas | $40,000 |
| Literacy Academy Collective New York, NY | Restricted to Curriculum Development | $35,000 |
| Voices for Children Foundation Miami, FL | Unrestricted | $35,000 |
| Ladies of Virtue Chicago, IL | Restricted to staff coaching, development staff support, and LOV program matching funds | $32,100 |
| Berkshire School Sheffield, MA | Restricted to Annual Fund | $25,000 |
| Feeding South Florida Pembroke Park, FL | Restricted to support food insecure individuals and familes | $25,000 |
| Hillel International Washington, DC | Restricted to Campus Climate Initative | $25,000 |
| Israel Policy Forum New York, NY | Unrestricted | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,324,684 | $2,680,897 | $942,338 | $717,100 | 58 |
| 2024 | $1,586,125 | $1,009,554 | $1,587,250 | $1,327,942 | 62 |
| 2023 | $2,465,507 | $182,604 | $1,458,411 | $1,199,100 | 63 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,324,684 | $1,586,125 | $2,465,507 |
| Revenue | $2,680,897 | $1,009,554 | $182,604 |
| Expenses | $942,338 | $1,587,250 | $1,458,411 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,090,706 | $1,558,677 | $1,404,008 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,741,135 | $427,111 | $153,999 |
| Distributable Amount | $206,462 | $177,038 | $185,323 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ellen Block, Laurie A Block, Michael H Block, and Susan S Block Casdin as directors, and Jane S Englebardt as an officer.
Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ellen Block
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laurie A Block
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael H Block
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan S Block Casdin
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jane S Englebardt
Officer
On filings since 2020
12 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.
Contact
Mailing address: 2 North Breakers Row, Palm Beach, FL 33480
Phone: (561) 659-2470
Frequently asked questions about Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation
How much does Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation give each year?
Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation gave $717K across 58 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.3M across 62 grants.
What is Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $8,750, and its average grant was $12,364, across 58 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation give grants?
Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation's top state is New York, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (29%) and Illinois (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (14 grants), Chicago, IL (10 grants), West Palm Beach, FL (7 grants) and Palm Beach, FL (5 grants).
Does Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 36% of Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 58) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Restricted to support food insecure individuals and families" (4 grants).
Who are Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include JDC- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee ($61,000 across 4 grants), iCivics ($40,000) and Norton Museum of Art ($40,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation?
Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation reported $3.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $206K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 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 2020–2025.
Does Ellen & Ronald Block Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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