Special People in Need
Special People in Need is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 filing lists 79 grants totaling $324,800. The grants shown support organizations working in areas including disability services, assistance dogs, education, food access, and support for survivors of violence.
Special People in Need at a glance
In short: Special People in Need gave $325K across 79 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state Illinois. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $324,800
- -13.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 79
- +5.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,111
- -17.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,485,393
- +4.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (18 of 79, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (19% 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 Special People in Need
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It directs applicants to the grant guidelines attached as General Explanation Statements 12 and 13 for the application form and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions.
- Contact
Application contact: Patrick J Bitterman
Mailing address: 155 N Wacker Drive Suite 3200, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 715-5000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Special People in Need funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Free Wheelchair Mission ($7K). Together the top 10 received $62K.
Grant Size Distribution
371 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 371 grants of 371 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Illinois (19%), Colorado (13%), Montana (12%), California (7%), and Maryland (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 79 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Special People in Need open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 18 of 79 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+7%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% 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 $179K (2020) to $375K (2024). In 2025 it made 79 grants totaling $325K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Free Wheelchair Mission Irvine, CA | General | $7,000 |
| Can Do Canines Assistance Dogs New Hope, MN | General | $6,500 |
| Canine Support Teams Murrieta, CA | General | $6,500 |
| Paragon Service Dogs Longmont, CO | General | $6,500 |
| Catching the Dream Albuquerque, NM | General | $6,000 |
| Center for Music for People with Disabilities Missoula, MT | General | $6,000 |
| Disabled Patriots Fund Palos Heights, IL | General | $6,000 |
| Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra Carbondale, CO | General | $6,000 |
| Variety (Ythe Children's Charity) St. Louis, MO | General | $6,000 |
| A Special Purpose Broken Arrow, OK | General | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Special People in Need?
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 | $3,485,393 | $556,969 | $416,269 | $324,800 | 79 | $381,913 | $526,870 | $409,367 |
| 2024 | $3,344,644 | $331,855 | $437,062 | $375,310 | 75 | $408,404 | $306,258 | $378,695 |
| 2023 | $3,449,897 | $327,160 | $384,279 | $310,260 | 70 | $356,127 | $306,555 | $340,991 |
| 2022 | $3,503,016 | $417,228 | $389,582 | $302,571 | 82 | $358,763 | $391,767 | $341,895 |
| 2021 | $3,475,366 | $373,330 | $292,675 | $217,350 | 65 | $269,191 | $349,846 | $356,537 |
| 2020 | $3,394,711 | $-7,930 | $258,874 | $178,550 | 60 | — | $36,742 | $274,784 |
| 2019 | $3,661,514 | $210,133 | $309,183 | $195,300 | 68 | — | $198,351 | $262,558 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Special People in Need reported a distributable amount of $409K 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 statements do not provide a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own missions address disability and independence, education, nutrition security, women’s self-sufficiency, and safety for survivors of violence. For example, Free Wheelchair Mission says it provides mobility to people with disabilities in developing nations, while Canine Support Teams says it provides trained dogs to support the independence of people with disabilities. Catching the Dream says it awards scholarships to Native American students, and UpRoot Colorado says it harvests and redistributes surplus crops to increase nutrition security.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 79 grants totaling $324,800. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $7,000, with a median of $5,000.
Among the largest grants were $7,000 to Free Wheelchair Mission; $6,500 each to Can Do Canines Assistance Dogs, Canine Support Teams, and Paragon Service Dogs; and $6,000 each to Catching the Dream, Center for Music for People with Disabilities, Disabled Patriots Fund, Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra, and Variety (the Children’s Charity). Other 2025 grants included $5,000 to UpRoot Colorado, Women’s Bean Project, Haven, and the University of the Cumberlands.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Molly M Gerbaz as director and chair; Leslie H Morningstar and Larry D Gerbaz as directors and vice presidents; and Terry A Skworch, Lydia T Whitehead, Leslie Ann Gerbaz-Blue, Anne K Morningstar, Sarah M Linsley, Heidi Kimmel, and Jermey Gerbaz as directors.
Special People in Need is led by Molly M. Gerbaz, Director & Chair on every filing since 2019; none of the 11 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Molly M. Gerbaz
Director & Chair
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anne K. Morningstar
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heidi Kimmel
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jermey Gerbaz
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Larry D. Gerbaz
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Ann Gerbaz-Blue
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leslie H. Morningstar
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lydia T. Whitehead
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick J. Bitterman
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
Treasurer → Secretary, Treasurer & Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah M. Linsley
Director
Director & Secretary → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terry A. Skworch
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Gary H. Kline (2019–2023) — Director
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 Special People in Need
How much does Special People in Need give each year?
Special People in Need gave $325K across 79 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $375K across 75 grants.
What is Special People in Need's typical grant size?
Special People in Need's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $4,111, across 79 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Special People in Need that year got $3K on average.
Where does Special People in Need give grants?
Special People in Need's top state is Illinois, with 19% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Colorado (13%) and Montana (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (9 grants), Bozeman, MT (5 grants), Carbondale, CO (2 grants) and Glenwoods Springs, CO (2 grants).
Does Special People in Need give general operating support?
Yes: 99% of Special People in Need's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (78 of 79) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Special People in Need's largest grantees?
Special People in Need's largest 2025 grantees include Free Wheelchair Mission ($7,000), Can Do Canines Assistance Dogs ($6,500) and Canine Support Teams ($6,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 6% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Special People in Need?
Special People in Need reported $3.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $382K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $409K (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 Special People in Need fund?
The available statements do not provide a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own missions address disability and independence, education, nutrition security, women’s self-sufficiency, and safety for survivors of violence. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Special People in Need?
The foundation’s filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Special People in Need's EIN?
Special People in Need's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1483651. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 27, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Special People in Need funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Special People in Need's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Special People in Need funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/special-people-in-need-morg_29561e8455f149138602b9e47a042187
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_581483651_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Special People in Need funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/special-people-in-need-morg_29561e8455f149138602b9e47a042187},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Special People in Need'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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