Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation Grant

Overview

_NOTE:  As we refine and strengthen our approach, we are temporarily pausing the acceptance of applications from new organizations, including those that we have not funded within the last three years, for the next 18-months, through September 2026. Priority will be given to existing grantee partners. We anticipate reopening applications to new organizations beginning October 2026."_

History

The Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation was founded in 1984 with the proceeds of the sale of Chicago's Ridgeway Hospital, a nonprofit psychiatric facility focusing on low-income adolescents. One of its primary funding areas is the support of nonprofit agencies which provide medical and psychological services to economically disadvantaged children and adolescents. Since then, the Foundation has expanded its mission to support nonprofit agencies that provide vital comprehensive health care and housing (homeless) services to the economically disadvantaged of all ages. As of September 30, 2023, it has provided $42.5 million in grants and program-related investments to a variety of health care and housing (homeless) services agencies.

Funding Focus

The Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation’s funding focus is to:

* Improve the health of the uninsured, underinsured and low-income metropolitan Chicago residents and the community through increased access to community-based preventive and primary health services, such as medical, dental, vision, mental health, and case management; and
* Support housing programs and services that provide access to prevention, intervention, follow-up, supportive services, and employment training for individuals and families who are homeless or at-risk of being homeless.

Grant Amount Range

The Foundation’s typical grants are between $10,000-$15,000. Grant awards will generally not exceed $30,000.

What We Fund

* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation will consider funding program and general operating support, and limited capital requests.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation s funding focus/priority is on programs that increase access to care and provide direct services that improve conditions for low-income, underserved communities in the six-county metropolitan Chicago area.
* Federal guidelines define lower income people as making 50% of the median income or less and moderate income people as making between 50% and 80% of the median income.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation will fund Food Pantries that use food distribution as a gateway to accessing supportive services that assist and empower individuals and families, or where food assistance is part of the overall service plan.
* For example, the Foundation supports Food Pantries that also provide case management, counseling, access to health care, job training, housing, rent and utility assistance, and information and referrals to other services, etc., which empower individuals and families to be self-sufficient.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation supports programs that have measurable goals and outcomes.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* Grants will be made to organizations in the City of Chicago and the six collar counties
* Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will
* The Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation awards grants only to charitable organizations that are exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are classified as public charities under Sections 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2). verify your tax status.

Ineligibility

* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund 509(a) (3) Type III Non-Functionally Integrated Supporting Organizations.

* If your Organization is a 509(a)(3) supporting organization, you must have your lawyer or accountant verify your tax status.

* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund organizations that do not have a 501(c)(3) tax status. We do not accept fiscal agent letters.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund organizations that do not file the IRS 990 Federal Tax Form. We do not accept the Form 990-N or 990-T.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund organizations outside the six-collar counties of Chicago.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund Food Pantries that solely provide food distribution no longer fit under the Foundation’s grant guidelines.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not consider more than one proposal from any one organization during the one year grant period.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund multi-year requests.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund research grants.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund requests for the production or writing of audio-visual materials.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund projects that promote or proselytize any religion. While we do fund the projects of faith-based organizations, those projects must be secular in nature.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund organizations that discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, race, color, creed, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any veteran’s status.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund individuals, scholarships, fundraising events, advertising, political activities/lobbying, and endowments.
* Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation does not fund government agencies.