The Ritzenthaler Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on local Greater Chicago-area community needs, with a strong emphasis on educational access (scholarships and Catholic/independent K–12 support), health services, and direct family/community assistance. They routinely fund a small set of repeat grantees — colleges, neighborhood schools, hospitals and social‑service agencies — suggesting long‑term institutional relationships rather than one‑off gifts.
The Ritzenthaler Family Foundation shows a clear pattern of repeat support for a small set of local institutions, especially North Central College, Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and Northwest Community Hospital. Across the recent grants list, the foundation backs scholarship payments, services for people who are visually impaired, hospital support, and community-based assistance in the Chicago area. That mix points to a funder that combines education, health, and basic-needs giving rather than spreading grants across many unrelated causes. Its grantmaking also includes sustained support for Catholic and independent schools, neighborhood churches, and family-service organizations. Providence St Mel School received multiple operating grants, while St Irene Church and Outreach Community Ministries also appear more than once. The foundation’s giving pattern suggests long-term institutional relationships, with several recipients appearing in consecutive years and receiving similar support purposes over time. While some grants are larger capital-like commitments, many are framed as general operating support or scholarship payments, indicating a practical emphasis on core organizational needs and direct aid to students and families.
Education is a major thread in the foundation’s giving. North Central College received $389,000 in 2024 for scholarships and another $389,000 in 2023 for scholarships, followed by $100,000 in 2025 for the same purpose. In K–12 education, District 214 Education Foundation received $100,000 in 2025 for general operating support, and Providence St Mel School received operating grants of $50,000 in 2025 and $45,000 in 2024 and 2023. The foundation also funds services for people who are visually impaired. Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired received $125,000 in both 2024 and 2023 for assistance for the visually impaired. Family support is another recurring area: Families Helping Families received $75,000 in 2024, $75,000 in 2023, and $50,000 in 2025 for assistance for families in need. Community support appears as well through Outreach Community Ministries, which received $40,000 in both 2024 and 2023.
Typical grants cluster in a mid-sized range, with p25 at $45,000, median at $60,000, and p75 at $125,000. The recent record shows repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, including North Central College, Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Families Helping Families, Providence St Mel School, St Irene Church, and Outreach Community Ministries. That repetition, paired with many grants labeled general operating support, points to ongoing institutional relationships rather than one-time project grants. The foundation is a family foundation, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments.
$2.5M
$2.6M
$1.8M
$2.6M
Most grants fall between $45K and $125K, with a median of $60K.
25th Percentile
$45K
Median
$60K
75th Percentile
$125K
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Concentrated giving with a few large gifts driving totals; frequent repeat grants to core local institutions across education, health, and community services rather than highly diversified or national giving.
Notable grantees: North Central College, Northwest Community Hospital, Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Families Helping Families, Providence St. Mel School
The foundation gives overwhelmingly in Illinois, which accounts for 85% of grants and is also the top state by grant count. Recent Illinois recipients include Arlington Heights, Naperville, Winnetka, Chicago, Palatine, Warrenville, and Wheaton. Outside Illinois, the recent list includes Families Helping Families in Lafayette, Louisiana, appearing three times. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 18 grants to U.S. recipients.
Its recent grants center on scholarship support, services for people who are visually impaired, family assistance, and community or operating support for local institutions. Examples include North Central College for scholarships, Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired for assistance for the visually impaired, and Families Helping Families for assistance for families in need.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, often with the same purpose. North Central College received scholarships in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired received grants in 2023 and 2024; and Families Helping Families received support in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The reported distribution is p25 at $45,000, median at $60,000, and p75 at $125,000. Recent examples sit within that range, including $45,000, $50,000, $60,000, $75,000, $100,000, $125,000, and larger awards such as $389,000 and $400,000.
Illinois is the main giving state, accounting for 85% of grants and the top state by grant count. Recent Illinois recipients are spread across Arlington Heights, Naperville, Winnetka, Chicago, Palatine, Warrenville, and Wheaton.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE | NAPERVILLE, IL | $1,972,242 | 2026 | PAYMENTS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS |
| NORTHWEST COMMUNITY HOSPITAL | ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL | $400,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MISERICORDIA | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY |
| OUTREACH COMMUNITY MINISTRIES | WHEATON, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY |
| POINT FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HISTORIC IRONWOOD THEATER | IRONWOOD, MI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| 6 THOUSAND MOMS NFP | GLEN ELLYN, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| GROW WELL FOUNDATION | NAPERVILLE, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NORTHWEST COMMUNITY HOSPITAL | ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL | $400,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| DISTRICT 214 EDUCATION FOUNDATION | ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE | NAPERVILLE, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | PAYMENTS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS |
| FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES | LAFAYETTE, LA | $50,000 | 2025 | ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES IN NEED |
| PROVIDENCE ST MEL SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE | NAPERVILLE, IL | $389,000 | 2024 | PAYMENTS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS |
| HADLEY INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED | WINNETKA, IL | $125,000 | 2024 | ASSISTANCE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED |
| FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES | LAFAYETTE, LA | $75,000 | 2024 | ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES IN NEED |
| PALATINE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | PALATINE, IL | $60,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE |
| PROVIDENCE ST MEL SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $45,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ST IRENE CHURCH | WARRENVILLE, IL | $45,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| OUTREACH COMMUNITY MINISTRIES | WHEATON, IL | $40,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY |
| NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE | NAPERVILLE, IL | $389,000 | 2023 | PAYMENTS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS |
| HADLEY INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED | WINNETKA, IL | $125,000 | 2023 | ASSISTANCE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED |
| FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES | LAFAYETTE, LA | $75,000 | 2023 | ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES IN NEED |
| PROVIDENCE ST MEL SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $45,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ST IRENE CHURCH | WARRENVILLE, IL | $45,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| OUTREACH COMMUNITY MINISTRIES | WHEATON, IL | $40,000 | 2023 | COMMUNITY |
MISERICORDIA
$50,000COMMUNITY
HISTORIC IRONWOOD THEATER
GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
6 THOUSAND MOMS NFP
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
GROW WELL FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DISTRICT 214 EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES
$50,000ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES IN NEED
ASSISTANCE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED
FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES
$75,000ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES IN NEED
PALATINE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$60,000COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE
ST IRENE CHURCH
$45,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
ASSISTANCE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED
FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES
$75,000ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES IN NEED
ST IRENE CHURCH
$45,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT