The Kirch Foundation
The Kirch Foundation is a private foundation based in Naples, Florida. Its 2025 filing describes direct charitable activity as support of public organizations under IRC Section 509(a)(1) or (2), and lists organizations served in that filing.
The Kirch Foundation at a glance
In short: The Kirch Foundation gave $52K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state Illinois. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $51,875
- -9.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +14.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,242
- -20.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,858
- Total assets
- $558,368
- +6.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (3 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (42% 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 Kirch 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: 4951 Gulf Shore Blvd North 1502, Naples, FL 34103
Phone: (630) 215-7401
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Kirch Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Special Spaces ($10K). Together the top 10 received $50K.
Grant Size Distribution
63 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 63 grants of 63 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went to organizations in Illinois (42%), Florida (27%), Tennessee (19%), and Wisconsin (12%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Kirch Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 16 grantees (19%) 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 $433; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $200 first-time, $3K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 121% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 77% 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 $23K (2022) to $57K (2024). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $52K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Special Spaces Knoxville, TN | Childrens Social Service | $10,000 |
| NIU Foundation DeKalb, IL | Education | $10,000 |
| Edwards Hospital Foundation Naperville, IL | Research | $6,310 |
| Yerkes Future Foundation Williams Bay, WI | Science & Education | $6,000 |
| Artis Naples Naples, FL | Performing Arts | $5,000 |
| Gulfshore Playhouse Naples, FL | Performing Arts | $5,000 |
| Enchanted Backpack Chicago, IL | Education | $3,000 |
| FGCU Foundation Fort Myers, FL | Education | $2,000 |
| Moorings Pres Church Naples, FL | Religion | $1,715 |
| Our Saviours Church Naperville, IL | Religious | $1,300 |
Ready to take the next step with The Kirch 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 | $558,368 | $94,840 | $59,566 | $51,875 | 16 | $51,875 | $11,901 | $67,073 |
| 2024 | $523,094 | $93,744 | $69,799 | $57,300 | 14 | $57,300 | $7,136 | $57,326 |
| 2023 | $499,149 | $95,886 | $62,274 | $53,188 | 12 | $53,188 | $18,989 | $45,442 |
| 2022 | $465,716 | $75,063 | $32,847 | $23,450 | 11 | $23,450 | $3,081 | $41,317 |
| 2021 | $423,554 | $71,378 | $37,624 | $28,750 | 10 | $28,750 | $5,370 | $39,968 |
| 2020 | $390,100 | $42,680 | $34,196 | $26,960 | 6 | — | $35,729 | $29,846 |
| 2019 | $383,303 | $53,940 | $35,577 | $29,000 | 13 | — | $48,182 | $27,907 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kirch Foundation reported a distributable amount of $67K 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 foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants included support for education, children’s social services, research, science and education, performing arts, religion, and medicine. Among the grantees, Special Spaces says its mission is to provide dream bedrooms for children with cancer; Yerkes Future Foundation says Yerkes Observatory advances understanding of the universe and our place within it; and Gulfshore Playhouse says it is committed to professional theatre in Southwest Florida and to fostering its education department.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 16 grants totaling $51,875. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $10,000, with a median of $1,858. Its largest grants included $10,000 to Special Spaces in Knoxville, Tennessee, for children’s social services; $10,000 to NIU Foundation in DeKalb, Illinois, for education; $6,310 to Edwards Hospital Foundation in Naperville, Illinois, for research; and $6,000 to Yerkes Future Foundation in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, for science and education. It also gave $5,000 each to Artis Naples and Gulfshore Playhouse, both in Naples, Florida, for performing arts.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Terry Kirch, Matthew T Kirch, Andrea L Kirch, and John P Rigas as trustees.
The Kirch Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Andrea L Kirch
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew T Kirch
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terry Kirch
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John P Rigas
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
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 The Kirch Foundation
How much does The Kirch Foundation give each year?
The Kirch Foundation gave $52K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $57K across 14 grants.
What is The Kirch Foundation's typical grant size?
The Kirch Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,858, and its average grant was $3,242, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Kirch Foundation that year got $433 on average.
Where does The Kirch Foundation give grants?
The Kirch Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (27%) and Tennessee (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Naples, FL (4 grants), Chicago, IL (3 grants), Naperville, IL (2 grants) and Williams Bay, WI (2 grants).
Does The Kirch Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on The Kirch Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (3 grants).
Who are The Kirch Foundation's largest grantees?
The Kirch Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Special Spaces ($10,000), NIU Foundation ($10,000) and Edwards Hospital Foundation ($6,310), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Kirch Foundation?
The Kirch Foundation reported $558K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $52K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $67K (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 Kirch Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants included support for education, children’s social services, research, science and education, performing arts, religion, and medicine. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Kirch 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 The Kirch Foundation's EIN?
The Kirch Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-6239876. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Kirch 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 27, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 22, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 26, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 21, 2024)
Live grants for the work The Kirch Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Kirch Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Kirch Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-kirch-foundation-morg_066d9ca35f1b4eb1b31f94c9dfe66f44
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_206239876_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Kirch Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-kirch-foundation-morg_066d9ca35f1b4eb1b31f94c9dfe66f44},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Kirch 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.
The Kirch Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?