Ross C Robbins Foundation
The Ross C Robbins Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports 19 grants totaling $19,955, supporting charitable organizations in Illinois and several other states.
Ross C Robbins Foundation at a glance
In short: Ross C Robbins Foundation gave $20K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Illinois. 37% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $19,955
- +34.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +18.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,050
- +13.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $350
- Total assets
- $199,889
- -8.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (7 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (70% 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 Ross C Robbins 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 for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 700 W Fullerton Ave Ste 617, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (312) 505-8066
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ross C Robbins Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Opportunity International ($5K). Together the top 10 received $18K.
Grant Size Distribution
64 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 64 grants of 64 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 70% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 13% to New Hampshire, 12% to Wisconsin, 2% to Tennessee, and 2% to Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ross C Robbins Foundation open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 19 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $275 repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 73% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 144% of 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $12K (2022) to $20K (2025). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $20K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity International Chicago, IL | Social Justice | $5,000 |
| Dartmouth College Fund Hanover, NH | Education | $2,500 |
| Forbeck Foundation Lake Geneva, WI | Social Justice | $2,400 |
| Chicago Archdiocese Chicago, IL | Religious | $2,000 |
| Friends of Lane Chicago, IL | Social | $1,555 |
| Illinois Holocaust Museum Skokie, IL | Social Justice | $1,500 |
| Saint Clement Parish Chicago, IL | Religious | $1,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Chicago, IL | Social Justice | $1,000 |
| Saint Alphonsus Chicago, IL | Religious | $1,000 |
| St Judes Memphis, TN | Health | $350 |
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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 | $199,889 | $3,607 | $22,491 | $19,955 | 19 | $20,580 | $1,696 | $14,289 |
| 2024 | $218,773 | $9,950 | $16,357 | $14,830 | 16 | $15,599 | $9,192 | — |
| 2023 | $226,013 | $45,604 | $16,430 | $13,475 | 12 | $14,603 | $43,767 | $11,239 |
| 2022 | $191,410 | $7,678 | $18,567 | $11,550 | 8 | $13,309 | $2,420 | $12,765 |
| 2021 | $206,612 | $16,078 | $24,089 | $17,500 | 9 | $18,878 | $11,019 | $13,651 |
| 2020 | $215,502 | $4,393 | $19,135 | $15,800 | 12 | — | $2,273 | $13,485 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ross C Robbins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $14K 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
The available filing information does not state a foundation mission. Its 2025 grants included organizations described as working in social justice, education, religious, social, and health areas. For example, Opportunity International says it provides financial solutions, support, and training to help people living in poverty in developing countries build sustainable incomes and escape generational poverty. Friends of Lane says its goal is to build community and support Lane Tech’s parents, teachers, students, administration, and staff. Habitat for Humanity describes its work as bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 19 grants totaling $19,955. Grants ranged from $100 to $5,000, with a median grant of $350. The largest awards included $5,000 to Opportunity International, $2,500 to Dartmouth College Fund, $2,400 to Forbeck Foundation, $2,000 to Chicago Archdiocese, $1,555 to Friends of Lane, and $1,500 to Illinois Holocaust Museum.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ross Robbins as director and Wendy Robbins as officer.
Ross C Robbins Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ross C Robbins
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Robbins
Officer
Director → Officer, 2025
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Irene McCausland Robbins (2020–2023) — 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.
Frequently asked questions about Ross C Robbins Foundation
How much does Ross C Robbins Foundation give each year?
Ross C Robbins Foundation gave $20K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $15K across 16 grants.
What is Ross C Robbins Foundation's typical grant size?
Ross C Robbins Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $350, and its average grant was $1,050, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ross C Robbins Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Ross C Robbins Foundation give grants?
Ross C Robbins Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Hampshire (13%) and Wisconsin (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (10 grants).
Does Ross C Robbins Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Ross C Robbins Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Social Justice" (8 grants), "Religious" (5 grants) and "Health" (3 grants).
Who are Ross C Robbins Foundation's largest grantees?
Ross C Robbins Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Opportunity International ($5,000), Dartmouth College Fund ($2,500) and Forbeck Foundation ($2,400), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ross C Robbins Foundation?
Ross C Robbins Foundation reported $200K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $21K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $14K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ross C Robbins Foundation fund?
The available filing information does not state a foundation mission. Its 2025 grants included organizations described as working in social justice, education, religious, social, and health areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ross C Robbins Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Ross C Robbins Foundation's EIN?
Ross C Robbins Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3384341. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Ross C Robbins 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 18, 2026)
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