Ash Grove Charitable Foundation
The Ash Grove Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Overland Park, Kansas. It supports 501(c)(3) public charities and community initiatives in the geographical markets served by Ash Grove, with the goal of strengthening communities where the company operates.
Ash Grove Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Ash Grove Charitable Foundation gave $719K across 106 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), top state Kansas. 73% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $719,000
- -2.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 106
- -8.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,783
- +7.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $13,851,476
- +4.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 73% first-time grantees (77 of 106, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Kansas (17% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ash Grove Charitable Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website invites organizations to register to review guidelines and apply. Requests are considered quarterly. Filing information names M Meads, President, as the contact; it lists application form and materials as N/A and notes that some geographical restrictions apply.
- Review Cycle
- Requests are considered quarterly.
- Deadline
- Requests are considered quarterly.
- Contact
Application contact: M Meads President
Mailing address: PO Box 25900, Overland Park, KS 66225
Phone: (913) 451-8900
Website: https://ashgrove.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Ash Grove Charitable Foundation
Who Ash Grove Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Branford High School ($25K). Together the top 10 received $244K.
Grant Size Distribution
522 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 522 grants of 522 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation makes grants in geographical markets served by Ash Grove and states that some geographical restrictions apply. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to organizations in Kansas (17%), Utah (12%), Oregon (11%), Missouri (10%), and Texas (10%). Its listed 2024 awards also included recipients in Connecticut, Nebraska, Arkansas, and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 106 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ash Grove Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
73%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 77 of 106 grantees (73%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 15% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 93% 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 (2020–2024). 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 $692K (2020) to $801K (2022). In 2024 it made 106 grants totaling $719K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Branford High School Branford, CT | Education | $25,000 |
| City of Louisville Louisville, NE | Civic and Community Development | $25,000 |
| Little River County Ashdown, AR | Civic and Community Development | $25,000 |
| Neosho County Community College Foundation Chanute, KS | Education | $25,000 |
| Southern Utah University Cedar City, UT | Education | $25,000 |
| Starlight Theatre Association Kansas City, MO | Arts and Culture | $25,000 |
| Thayer Acres Agriculture Center Inc Thayer, KS | Environmental Protection | $25,000 |
| USD 413 Foundation Chanute, KS | Education | $25,000 |
| Foreman School District Foreman, AR | Education | $24,000 |
| Burnt River RFPA Durkee, OR | Disaster and public safety support (wildfires in durkee, or area) | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ash Grove Charitable Foundation?
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 | $13,851,476 | $1,518,634 | $906,654 | $719,000 | 106 | $736,600 | $1,361,580 | $790,237 |
| 2023 | $13,239,496 | $781,433 | $895,101 | $735,320 | 116 | $748,305 | $635,637 | $737,007 |
| 2022 | $13,353,164 | $653,446 | $1,004,763 | $800,861 | 104 | $818,482 | $500,665 | $766,591 |
| 2021 | $13,704,481 | $2,040,816 | $956,856 | $757,278 | 100 | $758,095 | $1,861,055 | $824,492 |
| 2020 | $12,620,521 | $1,097,668 | $847,187 | $692,381 | 96 | — | $958,273 | $728,225 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ash Grove Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $790K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to support communities today without compromising future needs. Its grants support public charities working to strengthen and improve communities in the places where Ash Grove operates. The filing identifies infrastructure and education initiatives, especially STEM education, as areas of focus.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate a range of community activities. Helena Food Share says it provides food to neighbors in need and works to eliminate hunger in the greater Helena area; the Texas Conservation Alliance says it works to protect wildlife habitat, land, air, and water; and Habitat for Humanity of Collin County says it brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. These organizations each received a grant in 2024.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 106 grants totaling $719,000 in 2024. Individual grants ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest awards were $25,000 grants to Branford High School and Neosho County Community College Foundation for education; the City of Louisville and Little River County for civic and community development; and Starlight Theatre Association for arts and culture. Burnt River RFPA received $20,000 for disaster and public safety support related to wildfires in the Durkee, Oregon area.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists M Meads as President and Secretary, D Meyer as Treasurer, and B Blankenship, J Mellor, P Piucco, and M Wood as trustees.
Ash Grove Charitable Foundation is led by M. Meads, President & Secretary on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
M. Meads
President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
16 hrs/week
No compensation reported
B. Blankenship
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
M. Wood
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
P. Piucco
Trustee
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
J. Mellor
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
D. Meyer
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: B. Rhees (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: R. Bromley (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 Ash Grove Charitable Foundation
How much does Ash Grove Charitable Foundation give each year?
Ash Grove Charitable Foundation gave $719K across 106 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $735K across 116 grants.
What is Ash Grove Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Ash Grove Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,783, across 106 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ash Grove Charitable Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does Ash Grove Charitable Foundation give grants?
Ash Grove Charitable Foundation's top state is Kansas, with 17% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Utah (12%) and Oregon (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (11 grants), Overland Park, KS (3 grants), Dallas, TX (3 grants) and Tulsa, OK (3 grants).
Does Ash Grove Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 106 grants with a stated purpose on Ash Grove Charitable Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Human Services" (34 grants), "Education" (26 grants) and "Arts and Culture" (10 grants).
Who are Ash Grove Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Ash Grove Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Branford High School ($25,000), City of Louisville ($25,000) and Little River County ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 10% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ash Grove Charitable Foundation?
Ash Grove Charitable Foundation reported $13.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $737K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $790K (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 Ash Grove Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to support communities today without compromising future needs. Its grants support public charities working to strengthen and improve communities in the places where Ash Grove operates. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ash Grove Charitable Foundation?
The foundation’s website invites organizations to register to review guidelines and apply. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ash Grove Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Ash Grove Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1765963. 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 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 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ash Grove Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ash Grove Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ash-grove-charitable-foundation-morg_c847753007324c4187d912890bb3c9b8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_431765963_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ash Grove Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ash-grove-charitable-foundation-morg_c847753007324c4187d912890bb3c9b8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Ash Grove Charitable Foundation'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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