Irene Ritter Foundation
The Irene Ritter Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations working in areas including civil liberties, conservation, education, employment, economic inclusion, youth development, homelessness services, and the arts.
Irene Ritter Foundation at a glance
In short: Irene Ritter Foundation gave $539K across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in New York. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $538,710
- -3.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 52
- -3.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,360
- -0.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $8,453,913
- +11.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (16 of 52, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (60% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Irene Ritter Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 45 East 89Th Street, New York, NY 10128
Phone: (212) 427-2484
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Irene Ritter Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was ACLU Foundation ($70K). Together the top 10 received $330K.
Grant Size Distribution
279 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 272 grants of 279 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 60% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York and 36% to recipients in New Mexico. The remaining reported shares were Illinois (2%), California (1%), and Washington (0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 52 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Irene Ritter Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 52 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 82% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $357K (2020) to $560K (2024). In 2025 it made 52 grants totaling $539K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACLU Foundation New York, NY | To provide financial support for the organization's charitable purposes | $70,000 |
| Commonwealth Conservancy Santa Fe, NM | To provide financial support for the organization's charitable purposes | $50,000 |
| School for Advanced Research Santa Fe, NM | To provide financial support for the organization's charitable purposes | $40,000 |
| Daily Acts Santa Fe, NM | To provide financial support for the organization's charitable purposes | $30,000 |
| Ariva Bronx, NY | To provide financial support for the organization's charitable purposes | $25,000 |
| Long Beach High School Scholarship Lido Beach, NY | To provide financial support for the organization's charitable purposes | $25,000 |
| The Hope Program Inc Brooklyn, NY | To provide financial support for the organization's charitable purposes | $25,000 |
| National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Brooklyn, NY | To provide financial support for the organization's charitable purposes | $25,000 |
| Central Park Conservancy New York, NY | To provide financial support for the organization's charitable purposes | $20,000 |
| Red Hook Initiative Brooklyn, NY | To provide financial support for the organization's charitable purposes | $20,000 |
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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 | $8,453,913 | $1,610,723 | $710,061 | $538,710 | 52 | $501,710 | $1,400,853 | $614,742 |
| 2024 | $7,553,251 | $2,034,457 | $685,906 | $560,300 | 54 | $560,300 | $1,907,549 | $560,547 |
| 2023 | $6,204,700 | $170,187 | $652,230 | $508,252 | 58 | $508,502 | $31,068 | $483,347 |
| 2022 | $6,686,743 | $734,111 | $629,316 | $500,600 | 49 | $496,150 | $600,235 | $479,096 |
| 2021 | $6,581,948 | $794,753 | $575,359 | $456,860 | 66 | — | $668,089 | $542,218 |
| 2020 | $6,362,554 | $893,651 | $492,774 | $357,140 | 63 | — | $758,267 | $406,209 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Irene Ritter Foundation reported a distributable amount of $615K 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 available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own missions address a range of needs. For example, the School for Advanced Research says it advances understanding of humanity through creative practice and scholarly research; The HOPE Program says it helps New Yorkers build sustainable futures through training, jobs, and career advancement; and Ariva says it works toward economic justice and financial inclusion for underserved communities.
Other 2025 grantees describe work in youth development (Red Hook Initiative), homelessness advocacy and direct services (Coalition for the Homeless), environmental protection (Environmental Advocates NY), housing safety and community improvement (Rebuilding Together NYC), and public awareness of modern and contemporary art (the Museum of Modern Art).
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 52 grants totaling $538,710. Grants ranged from $360 to $70,000, with a median of $5,000. It reported 54 grants totaling $560,300 in 2024 and 58 grants totaling $508,252 in 2023.
Among the largest reported 2025 grants were $70,000 to the ACLU Foundation; $50,000 to Commonwealth Conservancy; $40,000 to the School for Advanced Research; and $30,000 to Daily Acts. Other notable grants included $25,000 each to Ariva, Long Beach High School Scholarship, The HOPE Program, and the National Resources Defense Council; and $20,000 each to Central Park Conservancy, Red Hook Initiative, and Communities in Schools.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists David Ritter as director and president, and Jennifer Ritter and Michael Ritter as directors.
Irene Ritter Foundation is led by David Ritter, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David Ritter
Director & President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jennifer Ritter
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Michael Ritter
Director
On filings since 2020
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.
Frequently asked questions about Irene Ritter Foundation
How much does Irene Ritter Foundation give each year?
Irene Ritter Foundation gave $539K across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $560K across 54 grants.
What is Irene Ritter Foundation's typical grant size?
Irene Ritter Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $10,360, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Irene Ritter Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Irene Ritter Foundation give grants?
Irene Ritter Foundation gives mostly in New York: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New Mexico (36%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (18 grants), Brooklyn, NY (11 grants) and Santa Fe, NM (9 grants).
Does Irene Ritter Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 52 grants with a stated purpose on Irene Ritter Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Irene Ritter Foundation's largest grantees?
Irene Ritter Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include ACLU Foundation ($70,000), Commonwealth Conservancy ($50,000) and School for Advanced Research ($40,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Irene Ritter Foundation?
Irene Ritter Foundation reported $8.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $502K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $615K (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 Irene Ritter Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own missions address a range of needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Irene Ritter Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Irene Ritter Foundation's EIN?
Irene Ritter Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4090839. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Irene Ritter 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 3, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Irene Ritter Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Irene Ritter Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/irene-ritter-foundation-morg_269da74ecbec42159449597b49150ff4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_134090839_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Irene Ritter Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/irene-ritter-foundation-morg_269da74ecbec42159449597b49150ff4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Irene Ritter 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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