8020 Foundation Trust
8020 Foundation Trust, which the Don Wood Foundation says was formerly known as the 80/20 Foundation Trust, is a private foundation based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Its charitable work focuses on growing and strengthening manufacturing in the Midwest by supporting training, education, and related workforce development.
8020 Foundation Trust at a glance
In short: 8020 Foundation Trust gave $8.9M across 88 grants in 2024 (avg $101K), mostly in Indiana. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,925,531
- -5.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 88
- +44.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $101,426
- -34.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $27,500
- Total assets
- $240,567,187
- +4.7% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Indiana (94% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to 8020 Foundation Trust
- Invitation Only
-
Submit a Grant Ideas Form through the online grant portal or request an application as described in the filing. Formal applications are by invitation only. The website advises beginning a proposal at least 180 days before funding is needed.
- Contact
Application contact: 8020 Foundation Trust
Mailing address: PO Box 25537, Fort Wayne, IN 46825
Phone: (260) 212-1235
Email: info@donwoodfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who 8020 Foundation Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Warsaw Community Schools ($788K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $5.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
248 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 123 grants of 248 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says its grantmaking is primarily focused on 12 counties in northeast Indiana, with impact in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. In the 2024 itemized grants, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana and 6% to recipients in Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 88 itemized grants.
Cities
How 8020 Foundation Trust gives
- 35% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 39% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% 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 (2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2020) to $9.5M (2023). In 2024 it made 88 grants totaling $8.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Warsaw Community Schools Warsaw, IN | Future Welding & Advanced Manufactur | $778,760 |
| J Kruse Education Center Inc Auburn, IN | Manufacturing Pathway - Career Explo | $712,000 |
| Indiana Wesleyan Marion, IN | IWU School of Engineering Equipment | $571,473 |
| Community Foundation of Grant Count Marion, IN | Wired 2.0 - Grant Regional Career Ce | $561,579 |
| Ohio Northern University Ada, OH | Don Wood Foundation Machine | $525,000 |
| Taylor University Upland, IN | BS in Mech. Engineering W/ Certifcat | $498,351 |
| University of Indianapolis - Cell Indianapolis, IN | Indiana Pathways to Careers & Postse | $402,366 |
| Orthopedics Capital Foundation Inc Warsaw, IN | Ixplore CTE Career Exploration W/VIR | $360,394 |
| Nearspace Education Inc Upland, IN | Dream Big | $335,000 |
| Dekalb County Central United School Waterloo, IN | Baron Advanced Manufacturing Program | $300,000 |
Ready to take the next step with 8020 Foundation Trust?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $240,567,187 | $8,380,824 | $11,688,817 | $8,925,531 | 88 | $10,707,008 | $10,739,653 | $11,577,468 |
| 2023 | $229,858,493 | $6,930,188 | $11,937,407 | $9,481,625 | 61 | $9,974,466 | $7,549,243 | $10,758,494 |
| 2022 | $211,926,459 | $24,473,326 | $9,332,918 | $5,581,535 | 36 | $5,933,741 | $4,528,724 | $10,555,768 |
| 2021 | $223,223,701 | $169,278,238 | $6,301,465 | $6,402,954 | 48 | $6,856,920 | $3,445,668 | $9,171,580 |
| 2020 | $51,954,227 | $36,941,285 | $4,095,359 | $1,190,695 | 15 | — | $536,055 | $1,861,835 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, 8020 Foundation Trust reported a distributable amount of $11.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
In its 2024 filing, the foundation says it partners with vocational schools, community colleges, career academies, technical colleges, four-year universities, trade schools, and related community organizations to strengthen the manufacturing sector. It reports support for scholarships, capital expenditures, and program development, and lists training and education in industrial technology, machine tool technology, engineering technology, sales, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
The foundation’s website describes Engaging Youth as expanding hands-on STEAM learning, career exploration, and career navigation; Developing Talent as strengthening education-to-career pathways, credentials, technical skills, and experiential learning; and Empowering Manufacturing as advancing technology adoption, lifelong learning, and regional systems supporting manufacturers.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of grantees. J Kruse Education Center describes its work as providing educational resources and career exploration for K–12 students, as well as working with veterans returning to the workforce. NearSpace Education says it inspires, equips, and impacts STEM students through educational programs. Blue Jacket describes its mission as providing education, training, and employment opportunities to disadvantaged people seeking a second chance at gainful employment. These are the organizations’ own descriptions, not the foundation’s mission statements.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 88 itemized grants totaling $8,925,531. Grants ranged from $1,500 to $778,760, with a median of $27,500. The filing’s direct charitable activity statement says $8,925,530 was disbursed to 90 charitable organizations during 2024, with $2,672,137 pledged for future periods at year-end.
Among the largest listed 2024 grants were $778,760 to Warsaw Community Schools for a future welding and advanced manufacturing program; $712,000 to J Kruse Education Center for a manufacturing pathway; $571,473 to Indiana Wesleyan for engineering school equipment; $561,579 to Community Foundation of Grant County for a regional career center initiative; and $525,000 to Ohio Northern University for a machine-related purpose. Other listed grants included $498,351 to Taylor University for a mechanical engineering degree with a certificate and $402,366 to the University of Indianapolis for Indiana pathways to careers and postsecondary education.
The foundation’s website says its Rolling Grant Program accepts grant inquiries at any time. Applicants submit a Grant Ideas Form through the online grant portal; a program officer discusses the proposal, and formal applications are by invitation only. The filing says to request an application through the foundation’s address or website and that proposals are accepted on a rolling basis. The filing lists support for individuals and institutions in specified training and education areas; the website’s eligibility page says grants are awarded to tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charities, not individuals or for-profit companies.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Whitney Bandemer as chair; Gary Gatman and Ashley Harman as trustees; Brian Emerick as secretary; John Haifley as finance chair; Laura Macknick as executive director; and Rodney Strack and Kristin Marcuccilli as trustees.
The foundation’s grant-opportunities page identifies Nadine Baker as the contact for youth-serving nonprofits and PK–12 schools, Lisa Smith for CTE programs, higher education institutions, and adult learning centers, Susan Mendenhall for economic and workforce development and other nonprofit organizations, and Carla Jordan for grants-process assistance.
8020 Foundation Trust is led by Whitney Bandemer, Chair since 2022 (on filings since 2021); all 8 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Whitney Bandemer
Chair
Trustee → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2021
$6K (2021) → $40K (2024)
Gary Gatman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
$25K (2021) → $28K (2024)
Ashley Harman
Trustee
On filings since 2022
$14K (2022) → $28K (2024)
Kristin Marcuccilli
Trustee
On filings since 2022
$5K (2022) → $28K (2024)
Rodney Strack
Trustee
On filings since 2022
$5K (2022) → $28K (2024)
Brian Emerick
Secretary
On filings since 2020
$34K (2021) → $28K (2024)
John Haifley
Finance Chai
Trustee → Finance Chai, 2021
On filings since 2020
$25K (2021) → $28K (2024)
Laura Macknick
Executive Di
On filings since 2020
$103K (2020) → $216K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: John Wood (2020–2022) — Former Chair
- Former: Patrick Buesching (2020–2021) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $216K, to Laura Macknick (Executive Di). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about 8020 Foundation Trust
How much does 8020 Foundation Trust give each year?
8020 Foundation Trust gave $8.9M across 88 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $9.5M across 61 grants.
What is 8020 Foundation Trust's typical grant size?
8020 Foundation Trust's median grant in 2024 was $27,500, and its average grant was $101,426, across 88 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does 8020 Foundation Trust give grants?
8020 Foundation Trust gives mostly in Indiana: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Ohio (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Wayne, IN (31 grants), Warsaw, IN (5 grants), Indianapolis, IN (5 grants) and Huntington, IN (5 grants).
Does 8020 Foundation Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 88 grants with a stated purpose on 8020 Foundation Trust's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Ignite Your Future Pilot Program" (8 grants).
Who are 8020 Foundation Trust's largest grantees?
8020 Foundation Trust's largest 2024 grantees include Warsaw Community Schools ($788,360 across 2 grants), Community Foundation of Grant Count ($771,015 across 3 grants) and J Kruse Education Center Inc ($712,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is 8020 Foundation Trust?
8020 Foundation Trust reported $240.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $10.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $11.6M (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 8020 Foundation Trust fund?
In its 2024 filing, the foundation says it partners with vocational schools, community colleges, career academies, technical colleges, four-year universities, trade schools, and related community organizations to strengthen the manufacturing sector. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from 8020 Foundation Trust?
Submit a Grant Ideas Form through the online grant portal or request an application as described in the filing. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is 8020 Foundation Trust's EIN?
8020 Foundation Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-3518678. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work 8020 Foundation Trust 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 8020 Foundation Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). 8020 Foundation Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/8020-foundation-trust-morg_ea299e21821d4daca1c6167a1a23fe26
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_823518678_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{8020 Foundation Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/8020-foundation-trust-morg_ea299e21821d4daca1c6167a1a23fe26},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 8020 Foundation Trust'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.
8020 Foundation Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?