Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation
The Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations in Illinois and other states.
Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation gave $105K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Illinois. 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $105,100
- +7.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,204
- +7.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,000
- Total assets
- $525,556
- +12.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (4 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (76% 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 Michael Gidwitz Charitable 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. Its 2023 filing names Michael Gidwitz II as the contact, says there is no particular application form, and requires organizations to qualify under Section 170(c).
- Review Cycle
- The foundation states that there are no submission deadlines.
- Deadline
- The foundation states that there are no submission deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Michael Gidwitz Ii
Mailing address: 122 South Michigan Suite 1210, Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: (312) 939-9300
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Brother Rice High School ($10K). Together the top 10 received $72K.
Grant Size Distribution
134 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 134 grants of 134 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Illinois 76%, New Jersey 10%, California 10%, and Minnesota 5%. These figures are reported as provided.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 25 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% 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 $53K (2020) to $105K (2025). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $105K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brother Rice High School Chicago, IL | General Program Services | $10,000 |
| New Eyes for the Needy Short Hills, NJ | General Program Services | $10,000 |
| Wheelchair Foundation Danville, CA | General Program Services | $10,000 |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation Chicago, IL | General Program Services | $10,000 |
| Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired Winnetka, IL | General Program Services | $6,000 |
| St Germain School Oak Lawn, IL | General Program Services | $6,000 |
| Advocate Charitable Foundation Co Keyser Family Pediatric Cancer Center Downers Grove, IL | General Program Services | $5,000 |
| Evans Scholars Oak Brook, IL | General Program Services | $5,000 |
| Make-a-Wish Foundation of Northern Illinois Oak Lawn, IL | General Program Services | $5,000 |
| Mayo Foundation Rochester, MN | General Program Services | $5,000 |
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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 | $525,556 | $203,247 | $145,001 | $105,100 | 25 | $123,825 | $183,305 | $130,329 |
| 2024 | $467,310 | $119,608 | $125,625 | $97,840 | 25 | $108,391 | $100,290 | $121,823 |
| 2023 | $473,327 | $352,802 | $118,353 | $99,647 | 30 | $109,010 | $110,345 | $107,203 |
| 2022 | $239,877 | $149,153 | $123,475 | $105,000 | 30 | $105,000 | $149,153 | $105,515 |
| 2021 | $214,602 | $89,616 | $73,865 | $69,180 | 24 | — | $89,616 | $99,132 |
| 2020 | $198,447 | $21,379 | $62,616 | $53,000 | 22 | — | $22,062 | $69,615 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $130K 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 show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Brother Rice High School describes its work as supporting and enhancing its educational programs and facilities; New Eyes for the Needy says it provides eyeglasses to children and adults facing financial challenges; and PAWS Chicago describes its work as helping homeless and at-risk pets through spay/neuter, medical, and adoption programs.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 25 grants totaling $105,100. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $10,000, with a median of $4,000. Among the largest grants were $10,000 each to Brother Rice High School, New Eyes for the Needy, Wheelchair Foundation, and Northwestern Memorial Foundation. Other grants included $6,000 each to Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired and St Germain School, and $5,000 each to the Advocate Charitable Foundation’s Keyser Family Pediatric Cancer Center, Evans Scholars, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northern Illinois, Mayo Foundation, and PAWS Chicago.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael Gidwtiz II as president/treasurer and Dorothy Wallace as vice-president/secretary.
Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation is led by Michael Gidwtiz II, President & Treasurer on the 2025 filing; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael Gidwtiz II
President & Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dorothy Wallace
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$3K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Michael Gidwitz II (2020–2024) — President & Treasurer
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $1K, to Dorothy Wallace (Vice-President/Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation
How much does Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation give each year?
Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation gave $105K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $98K across 25 grants.
What is Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $4,204, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation give grants?
Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (10%) and California (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (14 grants), Oak Lawn, IL (2 grants) and Oak Brook, IL (2 grants).
Does Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Brother Rice High School ($10,000), New Eyes for the Needy ($10,000) and Wheelchair Foundation ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation?
Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation reported $526K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $124K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $130K (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 Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6033800. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Michael Gidwitz Charitable 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 23, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/michael-gidwitz-charitable-foundation-morg_f60d60250fe546188bf9907147f74132
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366033800_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Michael Gidwitz Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/michael-gidwitz-charitable-foundation-morg_f60d60250fe546188bf9907147f74132},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Michael Gidwitz Charitable 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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