Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation
The Philip & Myn Rootberg Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations including arts and cultural groups, educational institutions, health organizations, and Jewish community organizations.
Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation at a glance
In short: Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation gave $60K across 40 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), top state California. 8% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $59,937
- -4.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 40
- -7.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,498
- +3.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $675
- Total assets
- $1,052,784
- +0.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (3 of 40, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (30% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 225 W Wacker Drive 2500, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 602-6800
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Los Angeles Opera ($15K). Together the top 10 received $43K.
Grant Size Distribution
209 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 209 grants of 209 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were distributed across recipient states, led by California (30%), Illinois (24%), Massachusetts (21%), and New York (15%); New Jersey received 3%. Listed recipients also include organizations in Oklahoma. These figures describe the locations of grant recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 40 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 40 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $967; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $650 repeat.
- 90% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 93% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $58K (2021) to $73K (2022). In 2024 it made 40 grants totaling $60K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Opera Los Angeles, CA | General Funding | $15,479 |
| Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL | General Funding | $12,000 |
| Trustees of Tufts College Somerville, MA | General Funding | $4,200 |
| Folk Arts Rajasthan New York, NY | General Funding | $3,000 |
| Amherst Cinema Amherst, MA | General Funding | $1,500 |
| Autism Speaks Princeton, NJ | General Funding | $1,500 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering New York, NY | General Funding | $1,500 |
| American Film Institute Los Angeles, CA | General Funding | $1,500 |
| American Cancer Society Oklahoma City, OK | General Funding | $1,400 |
| Smile Train New York, NY | General Funding | $1,400 |
Ready to take the next step with Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,052,784 | $71,806 | $70,574 | $59,937 | 40 | $62,528 | $63,791 | $67,241 |
| 2023 | $1,051,552 | $15,172 | $75,457 | $62,416 | 43 | $65,458 | $19,524 | $61,480 |
| 2022 | $1,111,837 | $43,316 | $85,785 | $72,765 | 51 | $75,602 | $35,133 | $65,252 |
| 2021 | $1,155,114 | $138,641 | $71,859 | $57,606 | 46 | $60,286 | $128,568 | $74,446 |
| 2020 | $1,087,697 | $60,382 | $73,742 | $62,841 | 29 | — | $52,487 | $63,723 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation reported a distributable amount of $67K for 2024 — 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 mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago says it provides food, refuge, health care, education, and emergency assistance through a network of agencies, schools, and programs. American Cancer Society says it works to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support. New England Public Media describes its work as enriching lives in western Massachusetts through programming that nurtures community, civility, and curiosity. These are grantees’ descriptions of their own missions, not stated missions of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 40 grants totaling $59,937. Grants ranged from $100 to $15,479, with a median grant of $675. The largest awards included $15,479 to Los Angeles Opera, $12,000 to Jewish United Fund, and $4,200 to the Trustees of Tufts College. Other listed grants included $3,000 to Folk Arts Rajasthan and $1,500 each to Amherst Cinema, Autism Speaks, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the American Film Institute. The filing lists the purposes of these grants as general funding.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ruth E. Rootberg as president, director, and treasurer; Susan R. Shapiro as secretary and director; and Leslie R. Wilder as vice president and director.
Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation is led by Ruth E. Rootberg, President, Director & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ruth E. Rootberg
President, Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leslie R. Wilder
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan R. Shapiro
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
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.
Frequently asked questions about Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation
How much does Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation give each year?
Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation gave $60K across 40 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $62K across 43 grants.
What is Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation's typical grant size?
Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $675, and its average grant was $1,498, across 40 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation that year got $967 on average.
Where does Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation give grants?
Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation's top state is California, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Illinois (24%) and Massachusetts (21%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (9 grants), Los Angeles, CA (3 grants), Chicago, IL (3 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (40 of 40) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation's largest grantees?
Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Los Angeles Opera ($15,479), Jewish United Fund ($12,000) and Trustees of Tufts College ($4,200), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation?
Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $63K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $67K (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 Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations with varied purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation?
The foundation 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 Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation's EIN?
Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7169351. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Philip & MYN Rootberg 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Philip & MYN Rootberg Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/philip-and-myn-rootberg-foundation-morg_caa1e525f9a2402bbdc66ef419380663
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237169351_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Philip \& MYN Rootberg Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/philip-and-myn-rootberg-foundation-morg_caa1e525f9a2402bbdc66ef419380663},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Philip & MYN Rootberg 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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