Boren Foundation Inc
The Boren Foundation, Inc. is a private charitable foundation based in Upland, Indiana, established in 1982 by Leland and LaRita Boren. It awards grants to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and generally considers projects benefiting Grant County and Central Indiana, as well as organizations in surrounding areas, elsewhere in Indiana, and outside the state.
Boren Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Boren Foundation Inc gave $1.8M across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $62K), mostly in Indiana. 52% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,847,978
- +45.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- -57.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $61,599
- +239.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $16,255
- Total assets
- $43,098,972
- +125.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 52% first-time grantees (14 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Boren Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website provides grant guidelines and an application. Applicants must provide proof of 501(c)(3) status, describe the organization and its mission, explain how the proposal fits the foundation’s priorities and geographic preference, state the amount requested, and explain the project’s need and community benefit. The guidelines say not to include operating expenses, salaries, mileage, or other overhead costs in the request. Applicants must also submit the organization’s most recent balance sheet and income statement; if applying under a parent organization’s 501(c)(3) status, the parent’s financial statements are required as well. A typed request detailing the intended use of funds is specified on the foundation’s filing.
- Review Cycle
- The stated deadlines are March 31 and August 31, ahead of board meetings normally held in April and September. Both 2026 deadlines have passed.
- Deadline
- The stated deadlines are March 31 and August 31, ahead of board meetings normally held in April and September.
- Contact
Application contact: Sally Briner
Mailing address: 1909 S Main Street, Upland, IN 46989
Phone: (765) 998-8139
Website: https://borenfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Boren Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was DAF - Renaissance Charitable Foundation ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
249 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 224 grants of 249 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation generally considers projects benefiting Grant County and Central Indiana. Its website also says surrounding areas of Indiana and requests from outside Indiana may be considered. In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana, with 1% each going to Ohio and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Boren Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
52%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 27 grantees (52%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $98K; repeat grants $36K. How we count
Medians: $21K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 37% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 68% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 366% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $997K (2020) to $1.8M (2025). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $1.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DAF - Renaissance Charitable Foundation Indianapolis, IN | DAF for Town of Upland (Park) | $1,000,078 |
| Marion Land Trustsagamore Institute Marion, IN | To Address Blight in Downtown Marion | $100,000 |
| Eastbrook Community Schools Marion, IN | To provide a new scoreboard for the football field | $81,275 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank Muncie, IN | To Provide Food for the Food Insecure | $66,913 |
| First Light Child Advocacy Center Marion, IN | Provide Resources for Combating Child Abuse | $63,367 |
| East Central Indiana Robotics Matthews, IN | To Assist with the Organization's Programming | $52,000 |
| Matthews Volunteer Fire Department Matthews, IN | To Provide for Equipment | $41,275 |
| Mid-North Food Pantry Indianapolis, IN | To Provide Food for the Food Insecure | $40,637 |
| Union Chapel Ministries Muncie, IN | Towards a new van and jr sr high programming | $40,000 |
| Nearspace Education Inc Upland, IN | To provide educational programming and a new chair lift | $32,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,098,972 | $2,414,818 | $1,925,184 | $1,847,978 | 30 | $1,875,556 | $2,389,040 | $512,450 |
| 2024 | $19,089,737 | $4,537,566 | $1,428,933 | $1,270,770 | 70 | $1,361,570 | $4,281,794 | $1,670,125 |
| 2023 | $15,906,920 | $8,348,169 | $1,278,345 | $1,130,900 | 55 | $1,213,873 | $1,130,988 | $1,341,754 |
| 2022 | $11,537,266 | $1,314,144 | $1,273,140 | $1,100,851 | 49 | $1,112,322 | $1,258,715 | $1,145,517 |
| 2021 | $11,496,262 | $2,534,641 | $1,169,423 | $1,000,200 | 45 | — | $2,459,653 | $1,166,720 |
| 2020 | $10,131,044 | $3,212,011 | $1,159,400 | $996,600 | 43 | — | $3,119,169 | $1,023,717 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Boren Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $512K for 2025 — 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 make impactful gifts to organizations committed to improving quality of life through education, community outreach, and social enrichment. Its grant guidelines identify these areas as priorities.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work funded. East Central Indiana Robotics describes its mission as cultivating STEM interest, understanding, and skills through FIRST Robotics. NEARSpace Education says it works to inspire and equip students through STEM educational programs. CASA of Grant County describes its work as recruiting, training, and supporting volunteers who advocate for children involved in the court system because of abuse or neglect.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $1,847,978. Awards ranged from $3,700 to $1,000,078, with a median of $16,255. Among the largest grants were $1,000,078 to Renaissance Charitable Foundation for a donor-advised fund for a park in Upland; $100,000 to Marion Land Trust/Sagamore Institute to address downtown Marion blight; and $81,275 to Eastbrook Community Schools for a football-field scoreboard. Other examples include $66,913 to Second Harvest Food Bank to provide food for people experiencing food insecurity and $63,367 to First Light Child Advocacy Center for resources to combat child abuse.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sally J. Briner as executive director; Jay M. Ross as president/director; Lael E. Boren as vice president; Tracee McCammon as treasurer; and James Luttrull, Polly Boren, Beth Henricks, Karan Meyers, Lukas Boren, and Lori Howard as directors.
Boren Foundation Inc is led by Jay M. Ross, President & Director on every filing since 2020; 10 of 11 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jay M. Ross
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$3K (2020) → $750 (2025)
Sally J. Briner
Executive Director
Executive Di → Executive Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$9K (2020) → $15K (2025)
Beth Henricks
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$3K (2020) → $750 (2025)
James Luttrull
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$3K (2021) → $750 (2025)
Polly Boren
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$3K (2021) → $0 (2025)
Karan Meyers
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$3K (2023) → $750 (2025)
Lori Howard
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$3K (2023) → $750 (2025)
Lukas Boren
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$3K (2023) → $750 (2025)
Amy E. Sicks
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$3K (2020) → $750 (2025)
Lael E. Boren
Vice President
Vice President.di → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$3K (2020) → $750 (2025)
Tracee McCammon
Treasurer
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
$3K (2024) → $750 (2025)
Former officers (3)
- Former: Martha R. Songer (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Tracee Pennington (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Lori Wilson (2020–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $15K, to Sally J Briner (Executive Director). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Boren Foundation Inc
How much does Boren Foundation Inc give each year?
Boren Foundation Inc gave $1.8M across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.3M across 70 grants.
What is Boren Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Boren Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $16,255, and its average grant was $61,599, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Boren Foundation Inc that year got $98K on average.
Where does Boren Foundation Inc give grants?
Boren Foundation Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Marion, IN (8 grants), Upland, IN (6 grants), Indianapolis, IN (3 grants) and Muncie, IN (3 grants).
Does Boren Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on Boren Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Provide Food for the Food Insecure" (3 grants) and "To Support Their Various Ministry Programs" (3 grants).
Who are Boren Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Boren Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include DAF - Renaissance Charitable Foundation ($1,000,078), Marion Land Trustsagamore Institute ($100,000) and Eastbrook Community Schools ($81,275), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 64% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Boren Foundation Inc?
Boren Foundation Inc reported $43.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $512K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Boren Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to make impactful gifts to organizations committed to improving quality of life through education, community outreach, and social enrichment. Its grant guidelines identify these areas as priorities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Boren Foundation Inc?
The foundation’s website provides grant guidelines and an application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Boren Foundation Inc's EIN?
Boren Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-1557058. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 28, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Boren Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/boren-foundation-inc-morg_43c2941ee0fd4f87a63ebacb4f600279
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_351557058_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Boren Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/boren-foundation-inc-morg_43c2941ee0fd4f87a63ebacb4f600279},
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 Boren Foundation Inc'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.
Boren Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?