Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation
The Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 grants went primarily to Illinois recipients and included organizations working in Jewish community services, social services, education, food assistance, and health services.
Key facts about Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation
In short: Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation gave $1.3M across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $74K), mostly in Illinois. 21% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 36-3209007
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,337,556
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- Average grant
- $74,309
- Median grant
- $35,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (3 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Total assets
- $14,329,716
- Primary geography
- Illinois (95% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The filing lists Kevin O’Keefe as the contact and says to submit materials in writing. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$14.3M
-3.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
-21.0% YoY
Grant Count
18
+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.
Is Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 14 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $116K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 79% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 111% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations including the University of Chicago, Jewish United Fund organizations, the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation. The University of Chicago describes its mission as advancing the communication and creation of knowledge and fostering a community of scholars and students. Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago says it provides resources for food, refuge, health care, education, and emergency assistance. The Greater Chicago Food Depository describes its mission as ending hunger.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $1,337,556. Grant amounts ranged from $56 to $300,000, with a median of $35,000. The largest grants included $300,000 to Council for Jewish Elderly for Gidwitz Place; $250,000 to the University of Chicago for its School of Social Service Administration; and $200,000 to Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago for its Annual Campaign. Other grants included $100,000 to Jewish United Fund for its Fund for the Future-PJ Library and $100,000 to Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago for its Israel Action Network. The Greater Chicago Food Depository received $50,000 for general use, and DonorsChoose.org received $20,000.
How to Apply
The filing lists Kevin O’Keefe as the contact and says to submit materials in writing. The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations, and awards have no stated restrictions.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 3% to New York, and 2% to Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2020) to $1.7M (2023). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Council for Jewish Elderly ($400K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
81 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 38 grants of 81 (47%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Council for Jewish Elderly Chicago, IL | Gidwitz Place | $300,000 |
| University of Chicago Chicago, IL | School of Social Service Administration | $250,000 |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago Chicago, IL | Annual Campaign | $200,000 |
| Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL | Fund for the Future-PJ Library | $100,000 |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago Chicago, IL | Israel Action Network | $100,000 |
| Council for Jewish Elderly Chicago, IL | Anshe Emet Needs Assessment Study | $100,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | General Use | $50,000 |
| Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL | Israel Education Center | $50,000 |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago Chicago, IL | Ezra Multi Service Center | $45,000 |
| Nicklaus Children's Hospital Foundation Miami, FL | Neurodevelopmental Health Services | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $14,329,716 | $1,263,053 | $1,647,392 | $1,337,556 | 18 |
| 2023 | $14,768,437 | $738,549 | $2,001,775 | $1,692,545 | 14 |
| 2022 | $15,900,869 | $924,768 | $1,467,838 | $1,092,562 | 15 |
| 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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Betsy Gidwitz as president, Richard Horwood and Teri Gidwitz as directors, and Kevin O’Keefe as secretary.
Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation is led by Betsy Gidwitz, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Betsy Gidwitz
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Richard Horwood
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Teri Gidwitz
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kevin O'Keefe
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Kevin O'Keefe
Mailing address: 110 N Wacker Drive Ste 3300, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 541-7224
Frequently asked questions about Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation
How much does Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation give each year?
Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation gave $1.3M across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 14 grants.
What is Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation's typical grant size?
Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $35,000, and its average grant was $74,309, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation that year got $22K on average.
Where does Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation give grants?
Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (13 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 28% of Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Annual Campaign" (3 grants).
Who are Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation's largest grantees?
Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Council for Jewish Elderly ($400,000 across 2 grants), Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago ($345,000 across 3 grants) and University of Chicago ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 74% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation?
Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation reported $14.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations including the University of Chicago, Jewish United Fund organizations, the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Joseph L & Emily K Gidwitz Memorial Foundation?
The filing lists Kevin O’Keefe as the contact and says to submit materials in writing. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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