Ridgefield Fresh Air Association
Ridgefield Fresh Air Association is a private foundation based in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Its filing states that donations must benefit children or disabled persons pursuing outdoor camps or outdoor-education camps.
Ridgefield Fresh Air Association at a glance
In short: Ridgefield Fresh Air Association gave $61K across 13 grants in 2026 (avg $5K), mostly in Connecticut. 15% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $61,000
- +20.8% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 13
- +0.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $4,692
- +20.8% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $355,367
- -3.3% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (2 of 13, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (100% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ridgefield Fresh Air Association
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing directs applicants to send donation letters to the president and treasurer.
- Review Cycle
- May 1, as listed on the 2025 filing; that cycle has passed.
- Deadline
- May 1, as listed on the 2025 filing; that cycle has passed.
- Contact
Application contact: Mr David Schneider President Treasu
Mailing address: C/O Fairfield County Bank 94, Danbury Rd, Ridgefield, CT 06877
Phone: (203) 431-7488
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ridgefield Fresh Air Association funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Ridgefield Boys and Girls Club ($20K). Together the top 10 received $58K.
Grant Size Distribution
77 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 77 grants of 77 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing states that recipients must be located in Connecticut or contiguous states, or send campers to those states. In 2026, all reported grant dollars went to Connecticut recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ridgefield Fresh Air Association open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 2 of 13 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 85% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (+2%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). 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 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $45K (2021) to $65K (2022). In 2026 it made 13 grants totaling $61K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ridgefield Boys and Girls Club Ridgefield, CT | Support Summer Camp | $20,000 |
| RVNA Health of Ridgefield Ridgefield, CT | Support Summer Camp | $7,000 |
| Woodcock Nature Center Wilton, CT | Support Summer Camp | $7,000 |
| Redding Boys and Girls Club Redding Ridge, CT | Support Summer Camp | $5,000 |
| Wilton Family Y Wilton, CT | Support Summer Camp | $5,000 |
| A Better Chance Ridgefield Ridgefield, CT | Support Summer Camp | $3,000 |
| Cardinal Sheehan Center Bridgeport, CT | Support Summer Camp | $3,000 |
| Mishkam Israel Summer Day Camp Trumbull, CT | Support Summer Camp | $3,000 |
| Town of Ridgefield Social Service Department Ridgefield, CT | Support Summer Camp | $3,000 |
| Ability Beyond Bethel, CT | Support Summer Camp | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ridgefield Fresh Air Association?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $355,367 | $50,319 | $62,616 | $61,000 | 13 | $61,000 | $7,269 | $60,754 |
| 2025 | $367,664 | $52,912 | $52,064 | $50,500 | 13 | $50,500 | $10,322 | $60,554 |
| 2024 | $366,816 | $41,492 | $64,432 | $63,000 | 17 | $63,000 | $8,333 | $51,109 |
| 2023 | $389,756 | $46,128 | $61,365 | $60,000 | 17 | $60,000 | $2,470 | $62,819 |
| 2022 | $404,993 | $43,904 | $66,290 | $65,000 | 17 | $65,000 | $1,241 | $62,592 |
| 2021 | $427,379 | $45,611 | $46,209 | $45,000 | 17 | — | $1,250 | $65,392 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ridgefield Fresh Air Association reported a distributable amount of $61K for 2026 — 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 2025 filing describes support for outdoor camps and outdoor-education camps benefiting children or disabled persons. The 2026 grants listed were all designated to support summer camp.
One grantee, Woodcock Nature Center, describes its own mission as “to creatively reconnect the community to nature and to one another.”
Grantmaking
In 2026, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $61,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median of $3,000. All grant dollars were reported for recipients in Connecticut.
The largest reported grants included $20,000 to Ridgefield Boys and Girls Club, $7,000 each to RVNA Health of Ridgefield and Woodcock Nature Center, and $5,000 each to Redding Boys and Girls Club and Wilton Family Y. Each was designated to support summer camp.
The 2025 filing says donation requests should be submitted by letter and include a description of the camp, how the funds will be used, and camp literature. It also says recipients must be located in Connecticut or contiguous states, or send campers there, and that donations must benefit children or disabled persons pursuing outdoor camps or outdoor-education camps.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists David A. Schneider as president and treasurer; Daniel Berta as vice president and secretary; and Paul S. McNamara and John C. Ancona as trustees.
Ridgefield Fresh Air Association is led by David A. Schneider, President & Treasurer since 2026 (on filings since 2021); none of the 4 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
David A. Schneider
President & Treasurer
Treasurer → President & Treasurer, 2026
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
John C. Ancona
Trustee
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Paul S. McNamara
Trustee
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Daniel Berta
Vice President & Secretary
Secretary → Vice President & Secretary, 2026
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Gary C. Smith (2021–2025) — President
- Former: Ronald Raymond (2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "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 Ridgefield Fresh Air Association
How much does Ridgefield Fresh Air Association give each year?
Ridgefield Fresh Air Association gave $61K across 13 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $51K across 13 grants.
What is Ridgefield Fresh Air Association's typical grant size?
Ridgefield Fresh Air Association's median grant in 2026 was $3,000, and its average grant was $4,692, across 13 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ridgefield Fresh Air Association that year got $5K on average.
Where does Ridgefield Fresh Air Association give grants?
Ridgefield Fresh Air Association gives mostly in Connecticut: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Ridgefield, CT (4 grants), Wilton, CT (2 grants) and Danbury, CT (2 grants).
Does Ridgefield Fresh Air Association give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on Ridgefield Fresh Air Association's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Summer Camp" (13 grants).
Who are Ridgefield Fresh Air Association's largest grantees?
Ridgefield Fresh Air Association's largest 2026 grantees include Ridgefield Boys and Girls Club ($20,000), RVNA Health of Ridgefield ($7,000) and Woodcock Nature Center ($7,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Ridgefield Fresh Air Association?
Ridgefield Fresh Air Association reported $355K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $61K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $61K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ridgefield Fresh Air Association fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 filing describes support for outdoor camps and outdoor-education camps benefiting children or disabled persons. The 2026 grants listed were all designated to support summer camp. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ridgefield Fresh Air Association?
The 2025 filing directs applicants to send donation letters to the president and treasurer. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ridgefield Fresh Air Association's EIN?
Ridgefield Fresh Air Association's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-6044680. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
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 2026 (received by the IRS July 20, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ridgefield Fresh Air Association's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Colon Family Education Foundation Inc
Milford, CT
Assets
$27K
Grants
7
Total Given
$17K
Smith Richardson Foundation Inc
Greensboro, NC
Smith Richardson Foundation funds research and writing on U.S. domestic public policy, national security, and foreign policy, with small direct-service grants for disadvantaged children and families in North Carolina and Connecticut. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $400,000, with a median of about $50,000; grants went mainly to organizations in Washington, DC, California, Virginia, New York, and Massachusetts. It accepts concept papers for policy projects, inviting full proposals if a project merits further consideration; direct-service grants are customarily solicited by its governors.
Assets
$557.9M
Grants
282
Total Given
$22.9M
Burn Care Everywhere Foundation Inc
White Plains, NY
BURN CARE
Assets
$20K
Grants
4
Total Given
$70K
The Lumpkin Family Foundation
Mattoon, IL
The Lumpkin Family Foundation supports environmental protection, health and wellness, local food and agriculture, and community collaboration, primarily in East Central Illinois and Chicago, with some national grants. In 2024, grants ranged from $50 to $630,000, with a median of $6,000. It says it does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected charitable organizations.
Assets
$39.9M
Grants
209
Total Given
$4.0M
Laurence W Levine Foundation Inc
New York, NY
The Laurence W Levine Foundation funds education, human services, and philanthropy and grantmaking, primarily in New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Its 2024 grants ranged from $5,000 to $130,000, with a median of $10,000; the filing describes typical grants as $1,000 to $800,000. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$12.3M
Grants
59
Total Given
$895K
The Seelert Foundation Inc
New Canaan, CT
The Seelert Foundation supports a range of charitable causes, including conservation, community programs, arts, libraries, and services for seniors and people with special needs. In 2025, grants ranged from $500 to $16,000, with a median of $2,000; 92% of funding went to Connecticut, with smaller amounts in New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont. It does not accept unsolicited requests and funds only preselected organizations.
Assets
$538K
Grants
18
Total Given
$73K
More similar funders
More Funders in Connecticut
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ridgefield Fresh Air Association funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ridgefield-fresh-air-association-morg_7dce78dc3ec2455d99d472c013f3c133
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_066044680_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ridgefield Fresh Air Association funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ridgefield-fresh-air-association-morg_7dce78dc3ec2455d99d472c013f3c133},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Ridgefield Fresh Air Association'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.
Ridgefield Fresh Air Association down — hundreds of funders to go?