Ritter Family Foundation
The Ritter Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Ridgefield, Connecticut. It makes place-based philanthropic investments primarily in Norwalk and Bridgeport, supporting organizations working to improve equitable outcomes for children and families in under-resourced communities.
Key facts about Ritter Family Foundation
In short: Ritter Family Foundation gave $1.8M across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $68K), mostly in Connecticut. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 06-1468578
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,768,628
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- Average grant
- $68,024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (6 of 26, 2025)
- Total assets
- $600,511
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (89% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 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 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$601K
-9.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
+2.5% YoY
Grant Count
26
+4.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$68K
-1.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ritter Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $37K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Ritter Family Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 26 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $97K; repeat grants $59K. How we count
Medians: $63K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 65% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 23% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that every child should have access to quality education and social, emotional, and physical support and learning, regardless of where they are born. It invests in and partners with organizations working to improve opportunity, access, and the quality of services for children and families in under-resourced communities.
The foundation values systems-change work, data-informed decision-making, and collective-impact strategies. Its stated principles include investing as a partner, providing unrestricted and renewable funding whenever possible, offering support beyond grants, and communicating transparently.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work represented in its grantmaking. Catalyst CT describes its work as building healthier and safer communities through substance-abuse prevention and community education. Alliance for Community Empowerment says it focuses on addressing causes of poverty and supporting institutional change. Family & Children’s Agency describes providing human services to children, families, adults, and seniors. Norwalk ACTS says it works to transform systems and advance equitable outcomes for Norwalk children and young people. Youth Business Initiative describes providing workforce-readiness and business-development programming for youth.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $1,768,628. Grant amounts ranged from $18,740 to $285,000, with a median of $50,000. In 2024, it reported 25 grants totaling $1,725,460.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its philanthropic investments are primarily in Norwalk and Bridgeport, Connecticut. In 2025, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut, 6% to Colorado, 3% to New York, and 3% to Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.6M (2021) to $2.3M (2022). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $1.8M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mid-Fairfield Community Care Center ($285K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
130 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 55 grants of 130 (42%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-Fairfield Community Care Center Norwalk, CT | Donation | $285,000 |
| Odyssey Family Executive Center Norwalk, CT | Donation | $126,000 |
| CT Rise Network New Haven, CT | Donation | $125,000 |
| Catalyst CT Brideport, CT | Donation | $100,000 |
| Changent - Child First CT Denver, CO | Donation | $100,000 |
| Alliance for Community Empowerment Bridgeport, CT | Donation | $89,000 |
| CT Network for Children & Youth Hartford, CT | Donation | $75,000 |
| Family & Children's Agency Norwalk, CT | Donation | $75,000 |
| Norwalk Housing Foundations- SSTP Norwalk, CT | Donation | $75,000 |
| Rvnahealth Ridgefield, CT | Donation | $75,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $600,511 | $2,028,907 | $2,092,473 | $1,768,628 |
| 2024 | $664,077 | $1,034,278 | $1,987,664 | $1,725,460 |
| 2023 | $1,617,463 | $92,853 | $1,874,042 | $1,613,851 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $600,511 | $664,077 | $1,617,463 |
| Revenue | $2,028,907 | $1,034,278 | $92,853 |
| Expenses | $2,092,473 | $1,987,664 | $1,874,042 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,768,628 | $1,725,460 | $1,613,851 |
| Net Investment Income | $27,917 | $1,033,751 | $83,847 |
| Distributable Amount | $36,978 | $80,603 | $171,862 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 28, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Bruce Ritter as president, Diane Ritter as vice president/secretary, Tom Reynolds as treasurer, and Kathryn Repen as executive director.
Ritter Family Foundation is led by Kathryn Repen, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kathryn Repen
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$201K (2024) → $225K (2025)
Bruce Ritter
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Diane Ritter
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Tom Reynolds
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Kathryn Ritter (2020–2023) — Executive Director
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 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $225K, to Kathryn Repen (Executive Director).
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 594, Ridgefield, CT 06877
Phone: (203) 470-9223
Website: https://ritterfamilyfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Ritter Family Foundation
How much does Ritter Family Foundation give each year?
Ritter Family Foundation gave $1.8M across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.7M across 25 grants.
What is Ritter Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Ritter Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $68,024, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ritter Family Foundation that year got $97K on average.
Where does Ritter Family Foundation give grants?
Ritter Family Foundation gives mostly in Connecticut: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Norwalk, CT (9 grants), Bridgeport, CT (3 grants) and Hartford, CT (3 grants).
Does Ritter Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 26 grants with a stated purpose on Ritter Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (26 grants).
Who are Ritter Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Ritter Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Mid-Fairfield Community Care Center ($285,000), Odyssey Family Executive Center ($126,000) and CT Rise Network ($125,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ritter Family Foundation?
Ritter Family Foundation reported $601K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $37K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ritter Family Foundation fund?
The foundation states that every child should have access to quality education and social, emotional, and physical support and learning, regardless of where they are born. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ritter Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ritter Family Foundation's EIN?
Ritter Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1468578. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Ritter Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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