Ross Family Foundation
Ross Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Winnetka, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants to preselected charitable organizations, including organizations working in local journalism, Great Lakes conservation, community activities, and services for older adults.
Ross Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Ross Family Foundation gave $119K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Illinois. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $118,994
- +25.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- -15.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,437
- +49.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,700
- Total assets
- $421,851
- -11.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (1 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (69% 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 Family 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: 921 Tower Rd, Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: (847) 446-5446
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ross Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Alliance for the Great Lakes ($25K). Together the top 10 received $115K.
Grant Size Distribution
105 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 105 grants of 105 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 69% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 21% to recipients in Washington, DC, and 10% to recipients in Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ross Family Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 16 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 27% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 88% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $41K (2019) to $119K (2025). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $119K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance for the Great Lakes Chicago, IL | CIVIC | $25,000 |
| American Red Cross Washington, DC | CIVIC | $25,000 |
| Chicago Public Media Chicago, IL | CIVOC | $25,000 |
| Gary Sinise Fdn Nashville, TN | CIVIC | $12,000 |
| Margaret's Villages Chicago, IL | CIVIC | $10,000 |
| Erie Family Health Fdn Chicago, IL | CIVIC | $6,000 |
| Winnetka Community House Winnetka, IL | CIVIC | $4,100 |
| Nature Conservancy Chicago, IL | CIVIC | $2,700 |
| Northwestern Settlemenr Chicago, IL | CIVIC | $2,700 |
| Down Syndrome Chicago, IL | HEALTH | $2,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Ross Family 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $421,851 | $129,983 | $120,688 | $118,994 | 16 | $118,994 | $55,468 | $135,596 |
| 2024 | $475,799 | $86,284 | $98,058 | $94,675 | 19 | $94,675 | $36,308 | $118,994 |
| 2023 | $530,305 | $218,287 | $100,058 | $97,000 | 24 | $97,000 | $158,248 | $95,041 |
| 2022 | $467,768 | $190,367 | $95,233 | $93,949 | 28 | $93,949 | $137,018 | $96,682 |
| 2021 | $411,503 | $77,735 | $72,956 | $70,104 | 18 | $70,104 | $16,382 | $93,899 |
| 2020 | $465,346 | $179,553 | $54,125 | $52,171 | 24 | — | $128,499 | $70,104 |
| 2019 | $381,255 | $88,663 | $42,474 | $41,164 | 16 | — | $48,942 | $52,189 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ross Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $136K 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 2025 grants included support for Chicago Public Media, whose mission is to strengthen local communities and democracy through independent local journalism, and the Alliance for the Great Lakes, which works to protect, conserve, and restore the Great Lakes.
Other 2025 grantees described their work as serving as a gathering place for community activities and shared experiences (Winnetka Community House) and fostering older adults’ independence, well-being, dignity, and community participation (North Shore Senior Center).
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 16 grants totaling $118,994. Grant amounts ranged from $300 to $25,000, with a median grant of $2,700. The largest listed grants were $25,000 each to Alliance for the Great Lakes, American Red Cross, and Chicago Public Media. Other notable grants included $12,000 to Gary Sinise Foundation, $10,000 to Margaret’s Villages, and $6,000 to Erie Family Health Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists:
- Deborah Ross — President and Director
- Susanna R. Block — Vice President and Director
- Magaret R. Meiners — Secretary and Director
- Alexander L. Ross — Treasurer and Director
- Victoria R. Ross — Assistant Treasurer
- Jeffrey S. Ross — listed as “SP” and Director
Ross Family Foundation is led by Deborah Ross, President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Deborah Ross
President & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Alexander L. Ross
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Jeffrey S. Ross
Sp & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Magaret R. Meiners
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Susanna R. Block
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Victoria R. Ross
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Family Foundation
How much does Ross Family Foundation give each year?
Ross Family Foundation gave $119K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $95K across 19 grants.
What is Ross Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Ross Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,700, and its average grant was $7,437, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ross Family Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Ross Family Foundation give grants?
Ross Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (21%) and Tennessee (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (9 grants) and Winnetka, IL (3 grants).
Does Ross Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Ross Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Civic" (11 grants).
Who are Ross Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Ross Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Alliance for the Great Lakes ($25,000), American Red Cross ($25,000) and Chicago Public Media ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ross Family Foundation?
Ross Family Foundation reported $422K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $119K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $136K (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 Ross Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ross Family 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 Family Foundation's EIN?
Ross Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4485964. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Ross Family 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 31, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 23, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 19, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 26, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ross Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ross-family-foundation-morg_cf715ddc6f744eceae764bfff5cc2efc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364485964_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ross Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ross-family-foundation-morg_cf715ddc6f744eceae764bfff5cc2efc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Ross Family 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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