Ideal Industries Foundation
Ideal Industries Foundation is a private foundation based in Sycamore, Illinois. Its giving supports local communities, education access, and initiatives that contribute to the industries served by IDEAL’s brands.
Ideal Industries Foundation at a glance
In short: Ideal Industries Foundation gave $1.1M across 95 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), top state Georgia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,090,048
- +190.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 95
- +375.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,474
- -38.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,500
- Total assets
- $6,458,828
- -3.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Georgia (36% 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 Ideal Industries Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: Becker Place, Sycamore, IL 60178-2429
Phone: (815) 895-5181
Website: https://idealindustries.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ideal Industries Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Habitat for Humanity ($344K). Together the top 10 received $862K.
Grant Size Distribution
197 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 188 grants of 197 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation is based in Sycamore, Illinois. In 2025, grant dollars by recipient state were reported as Georgia 36%, Illinois 29%, Pennsylvania 12%, Washington, DC 9%, and Colorado 5%. The Foundation’s stated focus includes social service organizations in DeKalb County, Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 95 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Ideal Industries Foundation gives
- Giving grew 392% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 378% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $221K (2022) to $1.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 95 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Habitat for Humanity Americus, GA | General Support | $343,513 |
| Philadephia Youth Basketball Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $125,000 |
| Rebuilding Together Washington, DC | General Support | $100,000 |
| Family Services Agency Dekalb, IL | General Support | $77,545 |
| Junior Achievement Colorado Springs, CO | General Support | $50,000 |
| Lowes Foundation Mooresville, NC | General Support | $49,500 |
| The Home Depot Foundation Atlanta, GA | General Support | $44,000 |
| Hope Haven Dekalb, IL | General Support | $26,000 |
| Rooted for Good Dekalb, IL | General Support | $26,000 |
| Safe Passage Inc Dekalb, IL | General Support | $20,916 |
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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 | $6,458,828 | $1,191,086 | $1,394,856 | $1,090,048 | 95 | $1,302,834 | $254,694 | $344,262 |
| 2024 | $6,667,850 | $2,631,446 | $1,274,392 | $375,597 | 20 | $1,263,314 | $1,168,401 | $292,826 |
| 2023 | $5,315,296 | $603,959 | $279,923 | $251,422 | 30 | $268,822 | $124,583 | $259,786 |
| 2022 | $4,988,754 | $357,252 | $418,127 | $221,452 | 26 | $397,042 | $109,082 | $260,560 |
| 2021 | $5,050,220 | $330,764 | $325,815 | $295,504 | 26 | $310,342 | $315,791 | $294,385 |
| 2020 | $5,051,602 | $172,894 | $578,116 | $553,479 | 37 | — | $158,829 | $262,262 |
| 2019 | $5,659,533 | $911,580 | $321,973 | $287,458 | 31 | — | $476,526 | $245,913 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ideal Industries Foundation reported a distributable amount of $344K 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 stated focus areas are community impact, education access, and Purpose In Practice. Its website says education initiatives include the Pathways Program, which aims to reduce barriers for students pursuing education programs and skills in industries its brands specialize in. The Foundation also identifies support for social service organizations in DeKalb County, Illinois, and increased participation by women and people of color in the electrical trades as areas of focus.
Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Philadelphia Youth Basketball describes itself as a youth empowerment organization using basketball and related programming to address issues facing underserved communities. Hope Haven of DeKalb County says it provides shelter, food, and supportive services to homeless individuals and families. Safe Passage says it works to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault in DeKalb County.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 95 grants totaling $1,090,048. Grant amounts ranged from $77 to $343,513, with a median of $1,500. The largest awards included $343,513 to Habitat for Humanity in Americus, Georgia; $125,000 to Philadelphia Youth Basketball in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and $100,000 to Rebuilding Together in Washington, DC. Each was listed for general support.
Other 2025 grants included $77,545 to Family Services Agency in DeKalb, Illinois, and $50,000 to Junior Achievement in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 20 grants totaling $375,597, including $125,000 to Philadelphia Youth Basketball and $21,200 to Hope Haven of DeKalb County. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 95 grants totaling $1.1 million.
The Foundation’s website also describes $333,000 awarded in 2023 to support increased participation in the skilled trades. Listed awards included $250,000 over 24 months to PYB Generator for a pre-apprenticeship program for Black and Brown youth in Philadelphia; $50,000 over 24 months to the Cassandra Banks Foundation for mentorship in an electrical pre-apprenticeship program for women; $30,000 to Chicago Women in the Trades for pre-apprenticeship tools; and $3,000 to Rosie’s Girls for tools for graduates of an electrical pre-apprenticeship program for women.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Chris Baldwin as chair (start 12/15), Jeff Brown as treasurer, Shannon Schmittle as secretary, and Nicole Juday Rhoads as executive director. It also lists Carmen Cardillo and Alan Zantout as directors, Pam McMeen as vice chair, and Steve Henn as chair (end 12/25).
Ideal Industries Foundation is led by Nicole Juday Rhoads, Executive Director since 2024 (on filings since 2021); none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nicole Juday Rhoads
Executive Director
Executive Chairman → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$162K (2022) → $0 (2025)
Steve Henn
Chair
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chris Baldwin
Chair
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alan Zantout
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carmen Cardillo
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shannon Schmittle
Secretary
Recording Secretary → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Brown
Treasurer
Treausurer → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pam McMeen
Vice Chair
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Sheila Johnsen (2019–2024) — Vice President & Treasurer
- Former: Jordan Gladden (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Kent Wrenn (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Connie Holmes (2019–2021) — Executive Director
- Former: Stephanie Mendez (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Meghan Juday (2019–2020) — Co-Chair
- Former: Vicki Slomka (2019–2020) — Co-Chair
- Former: Kathleen Pierce (2019) — Secretary
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2022 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2022 filing was $162K, to Nicole Juday Rhoads (Executive Chairman).
Frequently asked questions about Ideal Industries Foundation
How much does Ideal Industries Foundation give each year?
Ideal Industries Foundation gave $1.1M across 95 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $376K across 20 grants.
What is Ideal Industries Foundation's typical grant size?
Ideal Industries Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,500, and its average grant was $11,474, across 95 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ideal Industries Foundation give grants?
Ideal Industries Foundation's top state is Georgia, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Illinois (29%) and Pennsylvania (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sycamore, IL (46 grants), Dekalb, IL (9 grants), Chicago, IL (7 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (2 grants).
Does Ideal Industries Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 56% of Ideal Industries Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (53 of 95) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (41 grants).
Who are Ideal Industries Foundation's largest grantees?
Ideal Industries Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Habitat for Humanity ($343,513), Philadephia Youth Basketball ($125,000) and Rebuilding Together ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ideal Industries Foundation?
Ideal Industries Foundation reported $6.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $344K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ideal Industries Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated focus areas are community impact, education access, and Purpose In Practice. Its website says education initiatives include the Pathways Program, which aims to reduce barriers for students pursuing education programs and skills in industries its brands specialize in. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ideal Industries Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ideal Industries Foundation's EIN?
Ideal Industries Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3449960. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Ideal Industries 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 24, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ideal Industries Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ideal Industries Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ideal-industries-foundation-morg_6ff20efec6b2452494f72a99d9934b1b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363449960_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ideal Industries Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ideal-industries-foundation-morg_6ff20efec6b2452494f72a99d9934b1b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Ideal Industries Foundation'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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