Gidwitz Family Foundation
The Gidwitz Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports one grant of $135,793, listed for general use; earlier grants went to organizations working in areas including environmental conservation, youth activities, education, and marine-life conservation.
Gidwitz Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Gidwitz Family Foundation gave $136K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $136K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $135,793
- -71.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $135,793
- -71.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $135,793
- Total assets
- $646,318
- +59.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Gidwitz Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2025 filing says to contact Kevin O’Keefe in writing and state the purpose. The filing lists no deadline and no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Kevin O'Keefe
Mailing address: 110 N Wacker Drive Ste 3300, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 541-7224
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gidwitz Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
5 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 4 grants of 5 (80%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to Illinois. The listed 2019 grants included organizations in Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
Cities
How Gidwitz Family Foundation gives
- Giving fell 22% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 66% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $122K (2021) to $470K (2024). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $136K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| See Attached Chicago, IL | General Use | $135,793 |
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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 | $646,318 | $385,111 | $142,061 | $135,793 | 1 | $135,793 | $384,210 | $204,421 |
| 2024 | $405,931 | $377,403 | $476,108 | $470,237 | 1 | $470,237 | $351,523 | $191,810 |
| 2023 | $502,246 | $163,767 | $176,609 | $173,487 | 1 | $173,487 | $162,936 | $176,635 |
| 2022 | $514,823 | $268,428 | $177,759 | $173,895 | 1 | $173,895 | $151,515 | $162,574 |
| 2021 | $426,576 | $237,511 | $127,698 | $122,307 | 1 | $122,307 | $86,368 | $77,023 |
| 2020 | $267,828 | $219,219 | $321,476 | $318,260 | 1 | — | $217,327 | $63,493 |
| 2019 | $334,277 | $363,362 | $345,444 | $340,681 | 40 | — | $222,238 | $79,211 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gidwitz Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $204K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants have supported organizations with varied missions. For example, the Buzzards Bay Coalition describes its work as protecting and restoring Buzzards Bay and its watershed, while the Native Plant Trust says it conserves and promotes New England’s native plants. Other supported organizations include the Boys and Girls Club in Dudley, whose mission includes recreational, educational, and cultural activities for youth; Our Sisters’ School, which educates and supports girls in the New Bedford area; the Fresh Air Fund, which provides experiences for children from low-income New York City families; and the American Littoral Society, which promotes marine-life conservation and protects coastal areas.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported one grant totaling $135,793. It also reported one grant of $470,237 in 2024 and one grant of $173,487 in 2023. Earlier listed grants included $80,000 to the Buzzards Bay Coalition in 2019, along with smaller grants to the Boys and Girls Club in Dudley ($1,000), the Native Plant Trust ($500), Our Sisters’ School ($300), the Fresh Air Fund ($200), and the American Littoral Society ($100).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Betsy Gidwitz as president, Nancy Gidwitz as secretary, and Kevin O’Keefe as treasurer.
Gidwitz Family Foundation is led by Betsy Gidwitz, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Betsy Gidwitz
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Nancy Gidwitz
Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Kevin O'Keefe
Treasurer
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Teri Gidwitz (2019–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Gidwitz Family Foundation
How much does Gidwitz Family Foundation give each year?
Gidwitz Family Foundation gave $136K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $470K across 1 grant.
How large is Gidwitz Family Foundation?
Gidwitz Family Foundation reported $646K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $136K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $204K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Gidwitz Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants have supported organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gidwitz Family Foundation?
The foundation’s 2025 filing says to contact Kevin O’Keefe in writing and state the purpose. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Gidwitz Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation’s 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to Illinois. The listed 2019 grants included organizations in Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey.
What is Gidwitz Family Foundation's EIN?
Gidwitz Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4118455. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 3, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 5, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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