Brandt Foundation Inc
Brandt Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Springfield, Illinois. Established in 2012 as a philanthropic extension of BRANDT, Inc., it supports established 501(c)(3) organizations in areas where BRANDT and its sister companies operate.
Brandt Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Brandt Foundation Inc gave $142K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), top state Illinois. 56% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $141,670
- +67.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +45.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,854
- +15.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $6,250
- Total assets
- $234,035
- -2.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (9 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (44% 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 Brandt Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Review the foundation’s grant guidelines and process, then submit an LOI with the requested information. If the LOI is approved, complete the online formal application.
- Review Cycle
- Applications close approximately one month before each semi-annual board meeting.
- Deadline
- Applications close approximately one month before each semi-annual board meeting.
- Contact
Application contact: Alex Lovdahl
Mailing address: 2935 S Koke Mill Rd, Spingfield, IL 62711
Phone: (217) 547-5800
Email: foundation@brandt.com
Website: https://thebrandtfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Brandt Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Metropolitan Ministries ($22K). Together the top 10 received $118K.
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 50 grants of 51 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it supports organizations in areas where BRANDT and its sister companies operate. In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois (44%), Florida (39%), California (9%), Alabama (7%), and Tennessee (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Brandt Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 16 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 19% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2024). 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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $85K (2023) to $205K (2022). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $142K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Ministries Tampa, FL | Donation to aid those affected by hurricanes milton and helene | $21,585 |
| Humane Society of Tampa Bay Tampa, FL | Donation to aid those affected by hurricanes milton and helene | $21,585 |
| LLCC Foundation Springfield, IL | Donation to Fund Scholarships | $20,000 |
| Progressive Agriculture Foundation Birmingham, AL | Donation to Safety Day Program | $10,000 |
| University of Illinois Foundation Champaign, IL | Donation to Support Education | $10,000 |
| Springfield Sparc Springfield, IL | Donation to Support Community Gardens | $10,000 |
| Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA Tampa, FL | Donation to Support the Veggie Van Program | $7,500 |
| Abudant Life Ranch Reedley, CA | Donation to Support Education Project | $7,500 |
| Central California Food Bank Fresno, CA | Donation to Support a Groceries Program | $5,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Livingston County Pontiac, IL | Donation to Support Healthy Lifestyle | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Brandt Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation’s reported grantmaking by filing year:
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $234,035 | $144,295 | $149,251 | $141,670 | 16 | $149,251 | $10,693 |
| 2023 | $238,991 | $244,329 | $88,899 | $84,688 | 11 | $88,899 | $9,389 |
| 2022 | $83,561 | $163,336 | $209,724 | $204,701 | 13 | $209,724 | $4,116 |
| 2021 | $129,949 | $182,666 | $151,102 | $136,449 | 11 | $151,102 | $4,669 |
| 2020 | $98,385 | $151,623 | $89,385 | — | — | — | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Brandt Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $11K 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 mission is to advance the well-being of communities, organizations, and families in areas where BRANDT and its sister companies operate by empowering established 501(c)(3) organizations.
Its stated funding priorities are food security—including food production, food education, and food distribution—food waste reduction, and agricultural education. Examples among its 2024 grantees illustrate a range of activities: Central California Food Bank describes its mission as ending hunger through food distribution; Progressive Agriculture Foundation says it provides education, training, and resources to make farm, ranch, and rural life safer and healthier for children and communities; and the University of Illinois Foundation says it administers private gifts that benefit the university system. Other 2024 grantees include the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, whose stated mission is to care for companion animals and address animal homelessness, and Metropolitan Ministries, which describes its work as serving people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $141,670. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $21,585, with a median of $6,250. Notable awards included $21,585 each to Metropolitan Ministries and the Humane Society of Tampa Bay for hurricane relief; $20,000 to LLCC Foundation for scholarships; and $10,000 each to Progressive Agriculture Foundation for its Safety Day program, University of Illinois Foundation to support education, and Springfield SPARC for community gardens.
The foundation’s website says it awards grants semi-annually. Its application information describes a two-step process: submit a letter of inquiry (LOI) with brief organizational background, requested amount and purpose, and tax status; if approved, the applicant is invited to submit more details through an online portal. Formal applications are reviewed at the next board meeting. Eligible applicants are U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations incorporated for at least three years; 509(a)(3) supporting organizations should be prepared to provide additional information. Grants are not made directly to individuals. The website gives an average grant size of $1,000–$10,000.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Brandt Foundation Inc is led by Rick Brandt, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 14 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Rick Brandt
President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bill Engel
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Linhares
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Evelyn Thomas
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lee Allen
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Barry
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brent Wallner
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Danielle Knox
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Moritz Hoerner
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Samantha Auby
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sierra-Shae Brandt
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alex Lovdahl
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joe Brummel
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karl Barnhardt
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Tim McArdle (2020–2021) — Director
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 Brandt Foundation Inc
How much does Brandt Foundation Inc give each year?
Brandt Foundation Inc gave $142K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $85K across 11 grants.
What is Brandt Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Brandt Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $6,250, and its average grant was $8,854, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Brandt Foundation Inc that year got $10K on average.
Where does Brandt Foundation Inc give grants?
Brandt Foundation Inc's top state is Illinois, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (39%) and California (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Springfield, IL (5 grants) and Tampa, FL (3 grants).
Does Brandt Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 13% of Brandt Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Brandt Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Brandt Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Metropolitan Ministries ($21,585), Humane Society of Tampa Bay ($21,585) and LLCC Foundation ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Brandt Foundation Inc?
Brandt Foundation Inc reported $234K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $149K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $11K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Brandt Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to advance the well-being of communities, organizations, and families in areas where BRANDT and its sister companies operate by empowering established 501(c)(3) organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Brandt Foundation Inc?
Review the foundation’s grant guidelines and process, then submit an LOI with the requested information. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Brandt Foundation Inc's EIN?
Brandt Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-1812700. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-EZ for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 25, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Brandt Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Brandt Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/brandt-foundation-inc-morg_7ee5046c2d5a49f8a8c862fa54fe38a0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_461812700_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Brandt Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/brandt-foundation-inc-morg_7ee5046c2d5a49f8a8c862fa54fe38a0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Brandt 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.
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