The Wristen Family Foundation
The Wristen Family Foundation is a private foundation filing Form 990-PF and based in Cary, Illinois. In its 2025 filing, it reported 14 grants totaling $55,200 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in child advocacy, food assistance, humanitarian aid, and religious and community activities.
The Wristen Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Wristen Family Foundation gave $55K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Illinois. 58% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $55,200
- +1.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +40.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,943
- -27.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,850
- Total assets
- $1,033,714
- +10.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (7 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (52% 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 Wristen Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states on its 2024 IRS filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 5 Oakdale Court, Cary, IL 60013
Phone: (847) 277-1536
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Wristen Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Orchard Evangelical Free Church ($9K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $50K.
Grant Size Distribution
55 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 55 grants of 55 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 52% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 13% to Wisconsin, 9% each to Colorado and California, and 6% to Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Wristen Family Foundation open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 12 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 33% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−14%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 116% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $50K (2020) to $70K (2023). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $55K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CASA of McHenry County Crystal Lake, IL | General Support | $7,500 |
| The Orchard Evangelical Free Church Arlington Heights, IL | General Support | $5,000 |
| The Navigators Colorado Springs, CO | General Support | $5,000 |
| Direct Relief Santa Barbara, CA | General Support | $5,000 |
| Young Life (Madison WI) Madison, WI | General Support | $5,000 |
| Cary Grove Food Pantry Cary, IL | General Support | $5,000 |
| Safe Families for Children Chicago, IL | General Support | $4,200 |
| The Salt Company Ames, IA | General Support | $3,500 |
| Willow Creek Community Church South Barrington, IL | General Support | $3,000 |
| Cru Minneapolis, MN | General Support | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Wristen 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 | $1,033,714 | $122,698 | $59,220 | $55,200 | 14 | $55,200 | $120,383 | $47,710 |
| 2024 | $939,577 | $19,310 | $55,962 | $54,182 | 10 | $54,182 | $112,199 | $43,918 |
| 2023 | $904,786 | $18,906 | $71,260 | $69,500 | 11 | $69,500 | $36,196 | $43,307 |
| 2022 | $861,383 | $34,312 | $66,255 | $64,500 | 11 | $64,500 | $41,162 | $45,099 |
| 2021 | $1,065,040 | $34,119 | $64,775 | $63,000 | 9 | $63,000 | $92,106 | $50,662 |
| 2020 | $1,002,216 | $45,674 | $52,254 | $50,000 | 8 | — | $43,408 | $46,031 |
| 2019 | $978,380 | $46,330 | $68,520 | $65,777 | 9 | — | $49,356 | $46,893 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Wristen Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $48K 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 CASA of McHenry County, whose stated mission is “Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children”; Cary Grove Food Pantry, which says it provides food for needy families in the community; and Direct Relief, which describes itself as a humanitarian aid organization working to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 14 grants totaling $55,200. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $7,500, with a median grant of $3,850. The largest listed awards included $7,500 to CASA of McHenry County; $5,000 each to The Orchard Evangelical Free Church, The Navigators, Direct Relief, Young Life, and Cary Grove Food Pantry; and $4,200 to Safe Families for Children. The listed grants were for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Edward L Wristen as President/Director; Rebecca S Wristen as Vice President/Director; Molly S Erwin as Secretary/Director; Sarah E Brown as Treasurer/Director; and Timothy D Erwin and Jeffery T Brown as Directors.
The Wristen Family Foundation is led by Edward L Wristen, President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Edward L Wristen
President & Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffery T Brown
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Molly S Erwin
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca S Wristen
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah E Brown
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Timothy D Erwin
Director
On filings since 2019
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 Wristen Family Foundation
How much does The Wristen Family Foundation give each year?
The Wristen Family Foundation gave $55K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $54K across 10 grants.
What is The Wristen Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Wristen Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,850, and its average grant was $3,943, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Wristen Family Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Wristen Family Foundation give grants?
The Wristen Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wisconsin (13%) and Colorado (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Arlington Heights, IL (3 grants) and Madison, WI (2 grants).
Does The Wristen Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Wristen Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Wristen Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Wristen Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Orchard Evangelical Free Church ($9,000 across 3 grants), CASA of McHenry County ($7,500) and The Navigators ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Wristen Family Foundation?
The Wristen Family Foundation reported $1.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $55K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $48K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Wristen Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Wristen Family Foundation?
The foundation states on its 2024 IRS filing 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 Wristen Family Foundation's EIN?
The Wristen Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2271528. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Wristen 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 February 24, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 28, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work The Wristen Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Hancock Whitney Opportunity Grant (Hancock Whitney Community Reinvestment Act Program) Up to US $25,000 · Due October 30, 2026
- Boettcher Foundation Colorado Grantmaking: Rural Catalyst Grants US $1,000 - US $10,000 · Due October 30, 2026
- Boston Foundation: Safety Net Grants US $50,000 · Due October 30, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Wristen Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Wristen Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 29, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-wristen-family-foundation-morg_c9da535b812747f1a31249358507be15
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_202271528_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Wristen Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-wristen-family-foundation-morg_c9da535b812747f1a31249358507be15},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-29. 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 Wristen 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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