Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust
The Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Established in 2000, it supports community enrichment through arts, music, literature, history, environmental conservation and stewardship, and social justice.
Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust gave $224K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $13K), mostly in Iowa. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $223,853
- -54.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- -15.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $13,168
- -46.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $9,273,674
- -2.2% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Iowa (100% 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 Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Review Cycle
- The Arts & Culture page lists February 1 and September 1 as annual application deadlines. Both 2026 dates have passed.
- Deadline
- The Arts & Culture page lists February 1 and September 1 as annual application deadlines.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 791, Fort Dodge, IA 50501
Phone: (515) 574-5644
Website: https://www.smeltzertrust.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Fort Museum and Frontier Village ($30K). Together the top 10 received $146K.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 67 grants of 72 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Iowa. The Trust’s Educational/Outreach application page specifies projects in Webster County, Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
How Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust gives
- 94% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+20%). 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 $187K (2021) to $488K (2023). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $224K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Other Recipients Fort Dodge, IA | Public Welfare | $50,103 |
| The Fort Museum and Frontier Village Fort Dodge, IA | Public Welfare | $30,000 |
| Fort Dodge Community Foundation Fort Dodge, IA | Public Welfare | $22,000 |
| Blanden Charitable Foundation Fort Dodge, IA | Public Welfare | $18,500 |
| Fort Dodge Band Boosters Fort Dodge, IA | Public Welfare | $15,000 |
| Fort Dodge Area Symphony Fort Dodge, IA | Public Welfare | $14,000 |
| Comedia Musica Players Fort Dodge, IA | Public Welfare | $10,000 |
| Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association Fort Dodge, IA | Public Welfare | $10,000 |
| Hawkeye Community Theatre Fort Dodge, IA | Public Welfare | $10,000 |
| Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, IA | Public Welfare | $8,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $9,273,674 | $840,877 | $1,050,413 | $223,853 | 17 | $223,853 |
| 2023 | $9,478,588 | $1,035,525 | $1,293,115 | $487,918 | 20 | $487,918 |
| 2022 | $9,737,267 | $1,204,792 | $979,259 | $295,733 | 22 | $295,733 |
| 2021 | $9,572,816 | $1,083,917 | $841,482 | $186,825 | 12 | $186,825 |
| 2020 | $9,260,281 | $813,583 | $791,816 | $188,088 | 1 | — |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Trust’s mission is to enrich the community through outreach and resources in the arts, music, literature, history, environmental conservation and stewardship, and social justice. Its website also describes work to preserve the historical integrity of the Ringland-Smeltzer home, use farmland with an emphasis on conservation, and provide resources for community activities.
The Trust’s 2024 grants included support for arts and cultural organizations. For example, the Blanden Charitable Foundation received $18,500; its stated mission is to inspire and nurture education in and appreciation of the visual arts. Iowa Central Community College received $8,000; its foundation says it receives and manages gifts and contributions for the college. Shellabration Inc. received $3,250; it says it supports fine arts by bringing musical entertainment to Fort Dodge and northwest Iowa.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Trust gave $223,853 through 17 grants. The median grant was $10,000, with awards ranging from $1,000 to $50,103. Notable grants included $50,103 to Other Recipients, $30,000 to the Fort Museum and Frontier Village, $22,000 to the Fort Dodge Community Foundation, $18,500 to the Blanden Charitable Foundation, and $15,000 to Fort Dodge Band Boosters. The filing lists the purposes of these grants as “public welfare.”
The Trust’s filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website describes an Educational/Outreach application for specific, non-recurring, broadly based projects in Webster County that benefit a cross-section of the community; the form requests project and organization details, a request amount, and a project budget. The website asks applicants to submit the information online and send a copy to the Grants Committee at least six months before the event. For Arts & Culture requests, the website requires a completed event budget and describes maximal support as typically 10–30% of the event budget.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Bill Griffel as president, Jo Seltz as vice president, Dr. Mike Bottorff as secretary, and Brandon Hansel as treasurer. Other listed members are Audra Fisher, Jim Kersten, T. H. Hoefing, Norm Lundquist, and Rita Schmidt.
Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust is led by Bill Griffel, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 9 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Bill Griffel
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brandon Hansel
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Kersten
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jo Seltz
Vice President
Member → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Bottorff
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Norm Lundquist
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rita Schmidt
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
T. H. Hoefing
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Audra Fisher
Member
Vice President → Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jim Patton (2020–2021) — Vice President
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.
Frequently asked questions about Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust
How much does Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust give each year?
Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust gave $224K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $488K across 20 grants.
What is Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $13,168, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust give grants?
Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust gives mostly in Iowa: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Dodge, IA (17 grants).
Does Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Public Welfare" (17 grants).
Who are Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust's largest 2024 grantees include The Fort Museum and Frontier Village ($30,000), Fort Dodge Community Foundation ($22,000) and Blanden Charitable Foundation ($18,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust?
Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust reported $9.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $841K.
What does Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust fund?
The Trust’s mission is to enrich the community through outreach and resources in the arts, music, literature, history, environmental conservation and stewardship, and social justice. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust?
Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines. Check smeltzertrust.org for any change to that policy.
What is Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust's EIN?
Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-6586947. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 25, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ann-smeltzer-charitable-trust-morg_820e5fda6c02420ca25e122b498dd4d8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_426586947_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ann-smeltzer-charitable-trust-morg_820e5fda6c02420ca25e122b498dd4d8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Ann Smeltzer Charitable 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.
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