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Edwardson Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$3.6M
Grant Range
$25K - $0.1M
00

Edwardson Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,600,000
  • Number of Grants: 46 awards (2024)
  • Average Grant Size: $75,000-$80,000
  • Total Assets: $75 million
  • Geographic Focus: National, with emphasis on Illinois (Chicago area) and Florida
  • Application Process: No public application - preselected organizations only

Contact Details

Address: PO Box 1423, Boca Grande, FL 33921-1423
Phone: (847) 366-2080
EIN: 36-3757845

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Overview

The Edwardson Family Foundation was established in 2007 by John A. Edwardson (BS Industrial Engineering '71 from Purdue, MBA '72 from University of Chicago Booth) and his family. With total assets of $75 million and annual giving of approximately $3.6 million, the foundation focuses on improving education, healthcare, and community development. John Edwardson retired as chairman and CEO of CDW Corp. after serving in senior executive positions at Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, and Ameritech. In 2024, Purdue University's School of Industrial Engineering was named the Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering in recognition of $25 million in total philanthropic commitments from John, his wife Fran Edwardson, and the foundation. The foundation operates as a private family foundation that makes strategic investments in organizations aligned with the family's values around education access, healthcare improvement, and community strengthening.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs but makes strategic investments in preselected organizations. Grants typically range from $25,000 to $50,000, with larger multi-year commitments for major institutional partnerships.

Priority Areas

Education:

  • Higher education institutions (major support to Purdue University and University of Chicago Booth School of Business)
  • Women in engineering programs
  • Scholarship and fellowship endowments
  • Education policy and advocacy organizations (Advance Illinois)

Healthcare:

  • Healthcare access and services
  • American Red Cross initiatives

Human Services:

  • Children and family services (Children's Home & Aid)
  • Food security (Greater Chicago Food Depository)
  • Organizations serving vulnerable populations

Community Development:

  • Arts and cultural organizations (Ravinia Festival Association, Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
  • Faith-based community services

Social Enterprise:

  • Programs supporting social innovation and civic engagement
  • Initiatives combining business principles with social impact

What They Don't Fund

As the foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations, they do not fund:

  • Unsolicited applications from organizations not already known to the trustees
  • Organizations outside their established focus areas
  • Individual requests or scholarships (except through institutional partnerships)

Governance and Leadership

Founders/Trustees: John A. Edwardson and Catharine O. Edwardson established the foundation; John A. Edwardson serves as Trustee.

John A. Edwardson is a prominent business leader and philanthropist who retired as chairman and CEO of CDW Corp. During his tenure (2001-2012), CDW's revenues grew from $3.8 billion to more than $10 billion. He previously served in senior executive positions at Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, and Ameritech. He served on Purdue University's Board of Trustees (1995-2005) and currently serves as a trustee of the University of Chicago, Life Trustee of Ravinia Festival and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and co-chairman of Advance Illinois.

Fran Edwardson (John's wife, married 2010) is CEO of American Red Cross of Greater Chicago and actively participates in the foundation's philanthropic work.

Leadership Philosophy

John Edwardson has stated: "My family and I have a strong belief in the importance of philanthropy, and giving back to Purdue is a natural part of that." He also noted: "Philanthropy is an integral part of my identity. I don't see it as making time for this activity."

Edwardson believes in a "return on investment" approach to philanthropy, looking for measurable impact and sustainable outcomes from supported organizations.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Edwardson Family Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations with which they have established relationships or strategic alignment with the foundation's mission areas.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has specific documented approaches to identifying beneficiaries:

Board and Network Connections: John and Fran Edwardson are deeply embedded in Chicago's philanthropic and business communities through their board service on multiple organizations including University of Chicago Board of Trustees, Ravinia Festival (Life Trustee), Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Life Trustee), and Advance Illinois (co-chairman).

Sector-Specific Engagement: The Edwardsons are known to be particularly engaged with:

  • Higher education institutions (especially engineering and business schools)
  • Organizations focused on children and families in Chicago
  • Arts and cultural institutions where they serve in leadership roles
  • Social enterprise initiatives through University of Chicago Booth's Rustandy Center

Pre-existing Institutional Relationships: Organizations already receiving support from the foundation or connected to institutions where the Edwardsons serve in leadership positions have the strongest likelihood of consideration.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made on a discretionary basis rather than through a formal review cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations are selected by trustees rather than through application.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept applications, success in securing funding depends entirely on:

Alignment with Edwardson Family Values: Organizations must align with the foundation's core priorities of education (especially higher education and engineering), healthcare access, children and family services, and community development.

Demonstrated Impact and ROI: John Edwardson has articulated his belief in "return on investment" for philanthropic giving. Organizations should be able to demonstrate measurable outcomes and sustainable impact.

Leadership and Purpose: Edwardson has stated: "There is no question that you have to work hard, but people want to follow somebody for whom it is not all about them." Organizations with strong, purpose-driven leadership that focuses on mission over personal gain align with his values.

Multi-Year Strategic Partnerships: The foundation's largest commitments (such as the $25 million to Purdue) involve multi-year strategic partnerships rather than one-time grants. They favor deep engagement with fewer organizations over broad distribution of smaller grants.

Geographic Connection: While the foundation is based in Florida, there is a strong emphasis on Illinois-based organizations, particularly in the Chicago area, reflecting the Edwardsons' professional and personal ties to the region.

Examples of Funded Work: Recent and historical grant recipients include:

  • Purdue University (engineering education, women in engineering, scholarships and fellowships)
  • University of Chicago Booth School of Business (social enterprise initiative, civic scholars program)
  • Children's Home & Aid (services for children and families)
  • Greater Chicago Food Depository (food security)
  • Ravinia Festival Association (arts and culture)
  • American Red Cross (healthcare and emergency services)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: Do not submit unsolicited proposals to this foundation - they only fund preselected organizations
  • Relationship-Based Funding: Access to funding depends on existing relationships with the Edwardson family or connections through organizations where they serve in leadership roles
  • Strategic, Multi-Year Commitments: The foundation favors deep partnerships with significant multi-year commitments over numerous small grants
  • Focus on Measurable Impact: Align with John Edwardson's stated philosophy of seeking "return on investment" in philanthropy with demonstrable outcomes
  • Chicago and Higher Education Emphasis: Despite Florida headquarters, strong preference for Chicago-area organizations and higher education institutions, particularly in engineering and business
  • Values-Driven Selection: Organizations should embody strong leadership, purpose beyond profit, and commitment to sustainable community impact
  • Limited Grant Pool: With 46 grants annually from a $75 million asset base, the foundation is highly selective in its partnerships

References

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