Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation

WILMINGTON, DE EIN: 42-1280907

The Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Delaware that provides charitable funding to qualified organizations in Iowa. The foundation maintains its administrative office in Mason City, Iowa, and focuses on supporting community-based initiatives through grants to eligible nonprofits and governmental organizations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

Annual Giving

$141K

+15.6% YoY

Grant Count

38

+18.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$4K

-2.7% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's mission is to provide giving for the benefit of people in Mason City and Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, through qualified 501(c)(3) organizations and governmental entities.

Primary areas of interest include:

  • Arts & culture
  • Child welfare
  • Education
  • Food security
  • Historic preservation
  • Human services
  • Medical services
  • Safety
  • Scholarships
  • Senior welfare

Grantmaking

Grant Range

s & Distribution**

Review Cycle

May 31

How to Apply

**

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation restricts its grantmaking to Mason City and Cerro Gordo County, Iowa.

Grant Distribution by State

2states

States

Cities

CLEAR LAKEClear LakeDES MOINESDES MONIESDOUGHERTYFORT DODGEGARNERHAMPTONJOHNSTONKANAWHAMANLYMASON CITYMIAMINORA SPRINGSROCKWELLRockwellSWALEDALEURBANDALEWINDSOR HEIGHTS

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

  • Total Assets: $3.3 million (2024)

  • Annual Giving Rate: 4.0% of assets

  • Total Assets Trend:

    • 2024: $3.3 million
    • 2023: $3.4 million
    • 2022: $3.6 million
  • EIN: 42-1280907

  • Classification: Private Foundation

  • Return Type: 990PF

  • Most Recent Filing: 2024

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$0.275$0.55$0.8250000000000001$1.1201920202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
Distributable Amount

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$40K$80K$119K$159K42 grants201928 grants202033 grants202134 grants202232 grants202338 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASS…$10KCLEAR LAKE CLASSICAL INC…$7KCOMMUNITY KITCHEN OF NOR…$6KNORTH IOWA COMMUNITY ACT…$6KGIRL SCOUTS OF GREATER I…$5KHUMANE SOCIETY OF NORTH …$5KMERCY MEDICAL CENTER FOU…$5KNORTH IOWA AREA COMMUNIT…$5KNORTH IOWA BAND FESTIVAL…$5KNORTH IOWA VOCATIONAL CE…$5K

Grant Size Distribution

165 grants across all recorded years

165<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Young Mens Christian Association ($10,000), Clear Lake Classical Incorporated ($6,500), Community Kitchen of North Iowa ($6,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
BEST BUDDIES INTERNATIONAL INC WINDSOR HEIGHTS, IAIntegrated Employment and Pre-Employment Transition Services - Iowa$4,000
CARING PREGNANCY CENTER MASON CITY, IASpecialized Training to Advance Client Care$4,500
CENTRAL GARDENS OF NORTH IOWA INC CLEAR LAKE, IANinth Annual Picnics and Performances$3,000
CENTRAL SPRINGS COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT MANLY, IACollege Scholarships Fund$3,000
CHILDRENS CANCER CONNECTION JOHNSTON, IACamp Heart Connection - Cerro Gordo County Camperships$3,000
CITY OF MASON CITY MASON CITY, IA2024 / 2025 Puppet Shows$3,500
CLEAR LAKE ARTS COUNCIL CLEAR LAKE, IAARTS AND CULTURAL STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE YOUTH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT$2,000
CLEAR LAKE CLASSICAL INCORPORATED CLEAR LAKE, IABand/Music room renovation$6,500
Clear Lake High School Clear Lake, IAChoir Robe Replacement$3,000
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OF FORT DODGE INC FORT DODGE, IADigital Advertising Promoting the Community Health CENTER OF MASON CITY$2,500

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

  • Gregory C. Nicholas – President/Director

    • Contact: 641-422-1600
    • Address: 2601 4th St. NW, Mason City, IA 50401
  • Todd A. Blodgett – Director

  • Scott Brown – Secretary

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
Todd BlodgettDir, Sec1
Scott BrownDir, Pres1
Gregory C NicholasDir, Treas, VP1

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2024

The foundation announced $160,000 in grants for 2024, demonstrating continued commitment to supporting community initiatives in North Iowa. The foundation has also partnered with other supporters to fund significant community projects, including a NICU upgrade at a local healthcare facility.

Bertha Stebens Foundation announces $160,000 in grants for 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation fund?

The foundation's mission is to provide giving for the benefit of people in Mason City and Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, through qualified 501(c)(3) organizations and governmental entities. Primary areas of interest include: • Arts & culture • Child welfare • Education • Food security • Historic preservation • Human services • Medical services • Safety • Scholarships • Senior welfare

How do I apply for a grant from Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation?

**Grant Sizes & Distribution** • Grant range: $500 to $20,000 • Median grant: $3,000 • Recent annual giving: $133,000 (2024) • Number of grants awarded annually: 29–36 grants **Recent Grant Activity** • 2024: $133,000 distributed across 36 grants • 2023: $111,000 distributed across 29 grants • 2022: $128,000 distributed across 30 grants **Sample Recent Grants** • North Iowa Fair Association (North Iowa Events Center Landscaping Project): $2,500 • Caring Pregnancy Center (Specialized Training To…

Where does Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation make grants?

The foundation restricts its grantmaking to Mason City and Cerro Gordo County, Iowa.

What size grants does Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation award?

In 2024, Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation awarded 38 grants totaling $141K — an average of about $4K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation's EIN?

Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1280907. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.

Explore Open Grants

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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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