Ruttenberg Arts Foundation
Ruttenberg Arts Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2021 filing stated that it was terminated as of July 31, 2022, and the most recent filing on record is for 2022, with no later filing reported; it therefore appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
Ruttenberg Arts Foundation at a glance
In short: Ruttenberg Arts Foundation gave $1.6M across 16 grants in 2022 (avg $100K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2022 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2022)
- $1,594,486
- -25.0% vs 2021
- Grants made (2022)
- 16
- +77.8% vs 2021
- Average grant
- $99,655
- -57.8% vs 2021
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Primary geography
- Illinois (98% of itemized 2022 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2022 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2022; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Ruttenberg Arts Foundation
- Contact
Application contact: David Ruttenberg
Mailing address: 1101 W Monroe Street Ste 200, Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: (312) 751-2777
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ruttenberg Arts Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2022
The largest 2022 recipient was Art Institue of Chicago ($505K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
25 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 13 grants of 25 (52%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2022 grants went primarily to Illinois recipients: 98% of grant dollars were reported in Illinois, 1% in Wisconsin, and 1% in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2022 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
How Ruttenberg Arts Foundation gives
- 6% of 2022 grantees were also funded in 2021. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022). 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 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $1.6M (2022) to $2.1M (2021). In 2022 it made 16 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Art Institue of Chicago Chicago, IL | Charitable Purpose of Recipient - Exhibition | $505,486 |
| Family Focus Chicago, IL | Charitable Purpose of Recipient - Exhibition | $500,000 |
| Chicago Humanities Festival Chicago, IL | Charitable purpose of recipient - exhibitioncharitable purpose of recipient - exhibitioncharitable purpose of recipient - exhibition | $125,000 |
| Lincoln Park Conservancy Chicago, IL | Charitable Purpose of Recipient - Exhibition | $100,000 |
| Friedman Place Chicago, IL | Charitable Purpose of Recipient - Exhibition | $100,000 |
| Jewish United Fund Chicago, IL | Charitable Purpose of Recipient - Exhibition | $69,000 |
| Block Museum of Art Evanston, IL | Charitable Purpose of Recipient - Exhibition | $25,000 |
| IL Holocaust Memorial Museum Skokie, IL | Charitable Purpose of Recipient - Exhibition | $25,000 |
| Project Education Plus Chicago, IL | Charitable Purpose of Recipient - Exhibition | $25,000 |
| Youth for a Better Future Chicago, IL | Charitable Purpose of Recipient - Exhibition | $25,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | — | $66,826 | $1,649,977 | $1,594,486 | 16 | $1,630,409 | $47,258 |
| 2021 | $1,081,234 | $784,854 | $2,152,773 | $2,124,600 | 9 | — | $772,857 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s 2021 filing listed no direct charitable activity and specified that awards were restricted to fine-arts-related projects.
Among the 2022 grantees, the Chicago Humanities Festival said its mission is to promote public appreciation, understanding, and support of the humanities through festivals and educational programs. Project Education Plus described its work as providing academic, arts, technology, mentoring, and athletic programs for youth, as well as educational, recreational, and community-based programming for families, children, and seniors. The Milwaukee Art Museum described its mission as collecting, preserving, and presenting art; educating people about art and art history; and supporting emerging arts and artists.
Grantmaking
In 2022, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $1,594,486. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $505,486, with a median of $25,000. Its largest reported grants included $505,486 to the Art Institute of Chicago, $500,000 to Family Focus, $125,000 to the Chicago Humanities Festival, and $100,000 each to Lincoln Park Conservancy and Friedman Place.
The 2022 filing also listed grants of $69,000 to Jewish United Fund; $25,000 each to the Block Museum of Art, Illinois Holocaust Memorial Museum, Project Education Plus, and Youth for a Better Future; and $20,000 each to Council for Jewish Elderly Endowment Foundation and Northwestern University.
The 2021 filing stated that the foundation did not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its application instructions were to include a project description and proposed project budget, with no deadline listed. Because the filing also identified the foundation as terminated, these instructions should not be treated as current.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2022 filing listed David W. Ruttenberg as president, Roger F. Ruttenberg as secretary, and Pamela I. Kaji as treasurer.
Ruttenberg Arts Foundation is led by David W. Ruttenberg, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2022 report compensation.
Officers on the 2022 filing
David W. Ruttenberg
President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Pamela I. Kaji
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Roger F. Ruttenberg
Secretary
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2022. "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 Ruttenberg Arts Foundation
How much does Ruttenberg Arts Foundation give each year?
Ruttenberg Arts Foundation gave $1.6M across 16 grants in 2022, according to its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2021 it gave $2.1M across 9 grants.
What is Ruttenberg Arts Foundation's typical grant size?
Ruttenberg Arts Foundation's median grant in 2022 was $25,000, and its average grant was $99,655, across 16 grants on its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ruttenberg Arts Foundation give grants?
Ruttenberg Arts Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (11 grants) and Evanston, IL (2 grants).
Who are Ruttenberg Arts Foundation's largest grantees?
Ruttenberg Arts Foundation's largest 2022 grantees include Art Institue of Chicago ($505,486), Family Focus ($500,000) and Chicago Humanities Festival ($125,000), according to its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2022 grant dollars.
What does Ruttenberg Arts Foundation fund?
The foundation’s 2021 filing listed no direct charitable activity and specified that awards were restricted to fine-arts-related projects. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ruttenberg Arts Foundation?
Ruttenberg Arts Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Ruttenberg Arts Foundation's EIN?
Ruttenberg Arts Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3137264. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2022.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2022
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