8020 Foundation Trust
The 8020 Foundation Trust, also known as the Don Wood Foundation, is a private independent foundation based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Established in 2018 by the late Don Wood, founder of 80/20 Inc., a supplier of modular T-slot aluminum components, the foundation has grown into a significant regional funder. The foundation operates on Don Wood's philosophy of "packing your own chute"—helping individuals obtain certifications, jobs, and skillsets needed to support themselves and their families.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$240.6M
+4.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.9M
-5.9% YoY
Grant Count
88
+44.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$101K
-34.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Don Wood Foundation is committed to growing and strengthening the manufacturing sector in the Midwest region. The foundation partners with vocational schools, community colleges, career academies, technical colleges, four-year universities, trade schools, and related community organizations to strengthen the manufacturing sector.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education, particularly post-secondary attainment and career and technical education (CTE) programs
- Higher education and adult learning centers
- Youth engagement and youth-serving nonprofits (preschool through high school)
- Economic development and workforce development
- STEM education, technology, engineering, and entrepreneurship
- Human services
The foundation operates a mini-grant program called the Camps, Clubs, & Competitions Program that supports programs engaging youth in technology, engineering, and entrepreneurship, including STEM camps, robotics clubs, entrepreneurial pitch competitions, and STEM-related classroom programming.
Grantmaking
During 2023, $9,481,624 was disbursed to sixty-two charitable organizations for scholarships, capital expenditures, and program development. As of December 31, 2023, $3,536,804 was pledged for future periods.
Grant Range
** $5,000 to $1,000,000+
How to Apply
** Rolling basis. The foundation is currently updating its strategic plan and is scheduled to reopen for applications in March 2026.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily serves 12 counties in northeast Indiana: Allen, Adams, DeKalb, Elkhart, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, and Noble counties, with secondary impact in Ohio and Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $240.6 million (2024)
Total Assets: $229.9 million (2023)
Total Assets: $211.9 million (2022)
Annual Giving: $9.5 million (2023)
Total Revenues: $6.93 million (2023)
Total Expenses: $11.9 million (2023)
Total Liabilities: $4.61 million (2023)
Annual Income: $35.1 million (2024)
The foundation's total assets have grown significantly from $12.2 million in 2019 to $240.6 million in 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $240,567,187 | $229,858,493 | $211,926,459 |
| Revenue | $8,380,824 | $6,930,188 | $24,473,326 |
| Expenses | $11,688,817 | $11,937,407 | $9,332,918 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $10,707,008 | $9,974,466 | $5,933,741 |
| Net Investment Income | $10,739,653 | $7,549,243 | $4,528,724 |
| Distributable Amount | $11,577,468 | $10,758,494 | $10,555,768 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
199 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Program Officer Contacts:
- Susan Mendenhall – Vice President of Programs (Community foundations, economic development, workforce development, other nonprofits)
- Lisa Smith – Program Officer for Post-Secondary Attainment (CTE programs, higher education, adult learning centers)
- Nadine Baker – Program Officer for Youth Engagement (Youth-serving nonprofits and PK-12 schools)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARY GATMAN | TRUSTEE | — | $27,500 |
| BRIAN EMERICK | SECRETARY | — | $27,500 |
| JOHN HAIFLEY | FINANCE CHAI | — | $27,500 |
| LAURA MACKNICK | EXECUTIVE DI | — | $216,431 |
| ASHLEY HARMAN | TRUSTEE | — | $27,500 |
| RODNEY STRACK | TRUSTEE | — | $27,500 |
| KRISTIN MARCUCCILLI | TRUSTEE | — | $27,500 |
| WHITNEY BANDEMER | CHAIR | — | $40,000 |
Contact Information
Address: P.O. Box 25537, 10315 Dupont Circle Drive West, Fort Wayne, IN 46825
Phone: (260) 212-1235
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.donwoodfoundation.org
Note: Meetings by appointment only
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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