The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009
The Edward E. Ford Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its mission is to improve secondary education by supporting U.S. independent schools and encouraging promising practices.
The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 at a glance
In short: The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 gave $3.3M across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $136K), top state Pennsylvania. 83% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,275,154
- +9.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- -22.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $136,465
- +41.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $63,228,466
- +2.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 83% first-time grantees (20 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (47% 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 The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009
- How to Apply
The website says schools must request placement on an agenda; eligible applicants then have an agenda-placement call with the Executive Director, followed by a Head of School meeting, a school visit, and final…
The website says schools must request placement on an agenda; eligible applicants then have an agenda-placement call with the Executive Director, followed by a Head of School meeting, a school visit, and final submission. Eligibility requirements include serving grades 9–12, having graduated students from 12th grade, and full NAIS membership. Schools and associations generally must not have applied within the prior four years. The website lists a June 2027 Traditional Grant agenda with a final proposal due April 1, 2027, and a November 2027 Educational Leadership Grant agenda with a preliminary proposal due May 3, 2027 and a final proposal due October 15, 2027.
- Contact
Application contact: Jp Morgan Chase Bank N A
Mailing address: 10 S Dearborn Il1-0111, Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: (800) 496-2583
Website: https://eeford.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009
Who The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was National Philanthropic Trust ($1.3M). Together the top 10 received $2.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
123 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 66 grants of 123 (54%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says it has made grants to independent schools throughout the United States. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Pennsylvania (47%), Hawaii (8%), Washington (7%), Maryland (5%), and New Mexico (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 open to new grantees?
83%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 20 of 24 grantees (83%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $86K; repeat grants $390K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $128K repeat.
- 13% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). 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 (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 $1.9M (2023) to $3.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $3.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Philanthropic Trust Jenkintown, PA | General Support | $1,300,000 |
| Mid-Pacific Institute Honolulu, HI | General Support | $250,000 |
| Winchester Thurston School Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $156,000 |
| Cape Cod Academy Osterville, MA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Packer Collegiate Institute Brooklyn, NY | General Support | $100,000 |
| Pennington School Pennington, NJ | General Support | $100,000 |
| The Gunston School Centreville, MD | General Support | $100,000 |
| Independent Schools Experiential Seattle, WA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Church Schools in the Diocese of Alexandria, VA | General Support | $100,000 |
| The Bolles School Jacksonville, FL | General Support | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009?
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 | $63,228,466 | $6,042,786 | $4,601,418 | $3,275,154 | 24 | $4,125,299 | $5,680,142 | $4,433,481 |
| 2024 | $61,728,804 | $3,346,344 | $4,251,720 | $2,989,511 | 31 | $3,845,346 | $2,961,415 | $4,131,311 |
| 2023 | $62,543,304 | $4,908,512 | $3,195,540 | $1,852,398 | 26 | $2,734,520 | $4,547,266 | $3,580,821 |
| 2022 | $60,828,105 | $4,631,792 | $4,337,520 | $3,235,839 | 15 | $3,940,699 | $4,223,971 | $3,869,357 |
| 2021 | $60,469,115 | $4,992,311 | $3,669,887 | $2,578,638 | 27 | — | $4,617,524 | $3,871,210 |
| 2020 | $59,138,479 | $3,205,517 | $3,082,178 | $2,060,388 | 22 | — | $2,768,184 | $3,301,019 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 reported a distributable amount of $4.4M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to improve secondary education by supporting U.S. independent schools and encouraging promising practices. Its website describes Traditional Grants as helping eligible schools and associations develop in pursuit of their own missions, and Educational Leadership Grants as larger awards for fewer recipients. It also occasionally makes multi-year Collaborative Innovation Grants.
The Foundation says it has supported a range of school needs, including capital projects, curriculum, professional development, financial aid, and special programs related to the environment, technology, and pluralism. It does not favor a particular type of school or a specific area of independent-school work. Its website says it intends to concentrate future efforts on programs directly supporting faculty, students, or educational-program development.
Recent grantees include schools with varied stated missions. Mid-Pacific Institute describes its mission as cultivating compassionate, world-ready learners rooted in its Christian heritage. Winchester Thurston School says it engages students in challenging learning that develops the mind, motivates achievement, and cultivates character. Cape Cod Academy describes its work as cultivating academic excellence and lifelong learning in a K–12 community.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 24 grants totaling $3,275,154. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $1,300,000, with a median of $100,000. The largest reported grants included $1,300,000 to National Philanthropic Trust for general support, $250,000 to Mid-Pacific Institute for general support, and $156,000 to Winchester Thurston School for general support. Other listed grants of $100,000 for general support went to Cape Cod Academy, Packer Collegiate Institute, Pennington School, The Gunston School, Independent Schools Experiential, Church Schools in the Diocese of, The Bolles School, The Piney Woods School, and Sandia Preparatory School.
Traditional Grants are generally requests of $25,000 to $100,000 and require at least a 1:1 match. Educational Leadership Grants are requests of up to $250,000 and also require at least a 1:1 match. The website describes the Educational Leadership program as seeking proposals that are innovative, replicable, and capable of benefiting the broader independent-school community.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John Gulla as Executive Director. It lists the following people as members of the Advisory Committee: Gillian Attfield, Gillian R. Christensen, Robert W. Hallett, Elizabeth Duffy, Edward Ford Menard, Reveta Bowers, William L. Menard, Suzanne W. Menard, and Mark Reed.
The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 is led by John Gulla, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John Gulla
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$309K (2020) → $404K (2025)
Christopher Brooks
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edward Ford Menard
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Duffy
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gillian Attfield
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gillian R. Christensen
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Reveta Bowers
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert W. Hallett
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne W. Menard
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tyler Tingley
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William L. Menard Esq.
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Hubbard
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Reed
Advisory Committee
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Walter Burgin (2020–2022) — Advisory Committee
- Former: Decker Hubbard LLC (2020) — Advisory Committee
- Former: Nancy R. Cavanaugh (2020) — Advisory Committee
- Former: Philip Smith (2020) — Advisory Committee
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 $404K, to John Gulla (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009
How much does The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 give each year?
The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 gave $3.3M across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.0M across 31 grants.
What is The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009's typical grant size?
The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009's median grant in 2025 was $100,000, and its average grant was $136,465, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 that year got $86K on average.
Where does The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 give grants?
The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009's top state is Pennsylvania, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Hawaii (8%) and Washington (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (3 grants) and Albuquerque, NM (2 grants).
Does The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009's largest grantees?
The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009's largest 2025 grantees include National Philanthropic Trust ($1,300,000), Mid-Pacific Institute ($250,000) and Winchester Thurston School ($156,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009?
The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 reported $63.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.4M (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 The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to improve secondary education by supporting U.S. independent schools and encouraging promising practices. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009?
The website says schools must request placement on an agenda; eligible applicants then have an agenda-placement call with the Executive Director, followed by a Head of School meeting, a school visit, and final… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009's EIN?
The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6047243. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-edward-e-ford-foundation-xxxxx2009-morg_7173a25accff4ac2b32e15dc24b7b2fc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136047243_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009 funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-edward-e-ford-foundation-xxxxx2009-morg_7173a25accff4ac2b32e15dc24b7b2fc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 The Edward E Ford Foundation XXXXX2009'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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