Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation
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.
Key facts about Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation
- EIN
- 42-1280907
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $142,800
- Grants made (2025)
- 39
- Average grant
- $3,662
- Median grant
- $3,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (5 of 37, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Iowa (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Submission deadline: May 31. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation's 39 itemized 2025 grants were Iowa (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Mason City, IA (24 grants) and Clear Lake, IA (6 grants). 3% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 37 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+2%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation
- How to evaluate Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation with AI
AI grant writing that drafts from your organization’s own materials, in your voice.
- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
A free Google Sheets or Excel template for deadlines, award terms, and reports due.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$143K
+1.3% YoY
Grant Count
39
+2.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
-1.3% YoY
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
**
Ready to take the next step with Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation restricts its grantmaking to Mason City and Cerro Gordo County, Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 39 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
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
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
176 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Stebens Childrens Theatre ($10,000 across 2 grants), North Iowa Community Action Organization ($7,500), Freedom Inn His Grace Ministry ($7,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NORTH IOWA COMMUNITY ACTION ORGANIZATION Mason City, IA | Mason City Early Childhood Center | $7,500 |
| FREEDOM INN HIS GRACE MINISTRY Mason City, IA | Fire Alarm System Completion Costs | $7,000 |
| COMMUNITY KITCHEN OF NORTH IOWA Mason City, IA | Purchase of Food and Meal Supplies | $6,000 |
| MERCY MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION NORTH IOWA Mason City, IA | Enhancing Women's Health Imaging at MercyOne North Iowa | $5,600 |
| CARING PREGNANCY CENTER Mason City, IA | Building Expertise for Better Client Outcomes | $5,000 |
| CLEAR LAKE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION Clear Lake, IA | Building a Bright Future Capital Campaign | $5,000 |
| ELDERBRIDGE AGENCY ON AGING Mason City, IA | Client Assistance | $5,000 |
| MEALS ON WHEELS OF MASON CITY INC Mason City, IA | Sliding Fee Scale Program | $5,000 |
| NORTH IOWA AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION Mason City, IA | Bertha Stebens Fine Arts Scholarship Fund | $5,000 |
| NORTH IOWA BAND FESTIVAL FOUNDATION Mason City, IA | North Iowa Band Festival | $5,000 |
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
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Blodgett | Dir, Sec | 1 | — |
| Scott Brown | Dir, Pres | 1 | — |
| Gregory C Nicholas | Dir, Treas, VP | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
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 2024Frequently 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?
Submission deadline: May 31. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2025, Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation awarded 39 grants totaling $143K — 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 2019–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bertha Stebens Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Farrer Endowment Foundation
Mason City, IA
Assets
—
Grants
37
Total Given
$306K
First Citizens Charitable
Mason City, IA
Assets
—
Grants
80
Total Given
$453K
Alliant Energy Foundation Inc
Madison, WI
Assets
—
Grants
1,213
Total Given
$3.0M
Tomson Family Foundation Trust
Mason City, IA
Assets
$12.6M
Grants
77
Total Given
$1.2M
The David & Phyllis Murphy
Mason City, IA
Assets
—
Grants
47
Total Given
$519K
Community Fdn of Greater Des Moines
Des Moines, IA
Assets
$918.7M
Grants
1,259
Total Given
$55.7M
Land O'Lakes Foundation
St Paul, MN
Assets
—
Grants
868
Total Given
$5.8M
Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino
Altoona, IA
Assets
$327.6M
Grants
409
Total Given
$33.0M
Dorothy Ann Weitzel and Thomas F W
Clear Lake, IA
Assets
$9.3M
Grants
24
Total Given
$399K
Kinney-Lindstrom Foundation Inc
Mason City, IA
Assets
—
Grants
45
Total Given
$825K
American Electric Power Foundation
Wilmington, DE
Assets
$65.2M
Grants
752
Total Given
$22.6M
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
—
Grants
9,499
Total Given
$73.1M
More Funders in Delaware
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.