Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation

CHICAGO, IL EIN: 36-3209007

The Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation is a private family foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1983 as the Division Foundation, the organization operates as a grantmaking foundation with a focus on Jewish philanthropic causes and community initiatives.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$14.3M

-3.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.3M

-21.0% YoY

Grant Count

+28.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$74K

-38.5% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation gives primarily to Jewish federated giving programs. Recent grant activity demonstrates support across Jewish community services, social services, education, and cultural institutions.

Grantmaking

The foundation made 16 grants in 2023. Recent grants include:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports organizations in Chicago and the metropolitan area, as well as international Jewish institutions and projects.

Grant Distribution by State

Illinois $5.8M (91%)

District of Columbia $275K (4%)

New York $250K (4%)

Massachusetts $50K (1%)

Florida $25K (0%)

States

District of Columbia Florida Illinois Massachusetts New York

Cities

ChicagoGlencoeHighland ParkMiamiNew BedfordNew YorkSkokieWashington

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 31, 2023:

Total assets: $14,768,437
Total revenues: $738,549
Total expenses: $2,001,775
Number of employees: 0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$14,329,716	$14,768,437	$15,900,869
Revenue	$1,263,053	$738,549	$924,768
Expenses	$1,647,392	$2,001,775	$1,467,838
Qualifying Distributions	$1,337,556	$1,692,545	$1,092,562
Net Investment Income	$1,026,826	$497,441	$622,567
Distributable Amount	$1,209,559	$1,162,148	$1,218,835

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

81 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Council for Jewish Elderly ($300,000), University of Chicago ($250,000), Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago ($200,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
University of Chicago Chicago, IL	School of Social Service Administration	$250,000
Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL	Fund for the Future-PJ Library	$100,000
Council for Jewish Elderly Chicago, IL	Gidwitz Place	$300,000
Nicklaus Children's Hospital Foundation Miami, FL	Neurodevelopmental Health Services	$25,000
Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago Chicago, IL	Annual Campaign	$200,000
American Jewish Committee New York, NY	Annual Campaign	$25,000
Anti Defamation League Chicago, IL	Annual Campaign	$20,000
DonorsChooseOrg New York, NY	General Use	$20,000
Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL	General Use	$50,000
Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago Chicago, IL	Israel Action Network	$100,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Trustees include Betsy Gidwitz, Kevin O'Keefe, and Richard Horwood.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
BETSY GIDWITZ	President	—	—
RICHARD HORWOOD	Director	—	—
TERI GIDWITZ	Director	—	—
KEVIN O'KEEFE	Secretary	—	—

Contact Information

Address: 110 N Wacker Dr Ste 3300, Chicago, IL 60606-1513

Telephone: 312-541-7224

EIN: 36-3209007

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation fund?

The foundation gives primarily to Jewish federated giving programs. Recent grant activity demonstrates support across Jewish community services, social services, education, and cultural institutions.

How do I apply for a grant from Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation?

The foundation made 16 grants in 2023. Recent grants include: • Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago: $500,000 (Israel Emergency Fund) • Council for Jewish Elderly (CJE): $290,000 (Gidwitz Place Renovation) • The University of Chicago: $250,000 (School of Social Service Administration) The foundation has also supported international Jewish cultural projects, including a $5-ton spinning granite sphere installation at the Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem, gifted through the Jewish Uni…

Where does Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation make grants?

The foundation supports organizations in Chicago and the metropolitan area, as well as international Jewish institutions and projects.

What size grants does Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation award?

In 2024, Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $74K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation's EIN?

Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3209007. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.