Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker St Joseph, MO EIN: 43-6371635

The Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation is a private foundation based in St. Joseph, Missouri. Its 2025 filing reports grants for scholarships, including awards to universities and colleges; the foundation’s filing states that its awards are restricted to Benton High School students and graduates who show need.

Key facts about Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation

In short: Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation gave $80K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Missouri. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
43-6371635
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$80,000
Grants made (2025)
16
Average grant
$5,000
Median grant
$2,500
New grantees (estimate)
38% first-time grantees (6 of 16, 2025)
Total assets
$1,180,821
Primary geography
Missouri (81% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The filing states that the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Deadline
April 1.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 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.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.2M

+5.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$80K

-14.0% YoY

Grant Count

16

-11.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$5K

-3.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation reported a distributable amount of $67K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation open to new grantees?

38%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 6 of 16 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $7K. How we count

Medians: $1K first-time, $4K repeat.

  • 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 50% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 131% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The available filing does not state a separate mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants were designated for scholarships. Among the organizations it supported, Missouri Western State University’s foundation says it supports the university’s mission by receiving and administering contributed resources; the University of Missouri–Columbia Medical Alliance says it works to improve access to health care services throughout Missouri; and Missouri Valley College says it guides students through personal instruction and intellectual inquiry.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation gave $80,000 through 16 grants. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median of $2,500. Its largest grants included $20,000 to Missouri Western State University, $15,000 to Northwest Missouri State University, $12,000 to Missouri State University, and $8,000 to North Central Missouri College. Each was designated for scholarships.

Review Cycle

April 1. This deadline is listed on the 2024 filing and is a past cycle.

How to Apply

through Benton High School using the Bruce Drowns Educational Foundation Application Form. Awards are restricted to Benton High School students and graduates who show need.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Missouri (81%). The remaining shares went to Arizona (6%), Nebraska (5%), Kansas (4%), and Illinois (2%).

Grant Distribution by State

8states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.

Cities

SpringfieldColumbiaKansas CityMaryvilleSt JosephTrentonFremontOmahaPrescottLamoniParkvilleRollaCape GirardeauChicagoHighlandJoplinLibertyLinnMarshallRexburg

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$25K$50K$75K$100K16 grants2021 21 grants2022 18 grants2023 18 grants2024 16 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $42K (2021) to $93K (2024). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $80K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Missouri Western State University: $20KMissouri Western StateUniversity$20KNorthwest Missouri State University: $15KNorthwest Missouri StateUniversity$15KMissouri State University: $12KMissouri State University$12KNorth Central Missouri College: $8KNorth Central Missouri College$8KUniversity of Missouri - KC: $4KUniversity of Missouri - KC$4KPrestcott College: $4KPrestcott College$4KUniversity of Missouri - Columbia: $3KUniversity of Missouri -Columbia$3KMetropolitan Community College: $3KMetropolitan Community College$3KLoyola Univeristy - Chicago: $2KLoyola Univeristy - Chicago$2KMissouri Valley College: $2KMissouri Valley College$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Missouri Western State University ($20K). Together the top 10 received $73K.

Grant Size Distribution

89 grants across all recorded years

89<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 89 grants of 89 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Missouri Western State University St Joseph, MOScholarships$20,000
Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MOScholarships$15,000
Missouri State University Springfield, MOScholarships$12,000
North Central Missouri College Trenton, MOScholarships$8,000
University of Missouri - KC Kansas City, MOScholarships$4,000
Prestcott College Prescott, AZScholarships$4,000
University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MOScholarships$3,000
Metropolitan Community College Omaha, NEScholarships$3,000
Loyola Univeristy - Chicago Chicago, ILScholarships$2,000
Missouri Valley College Marshall, MOScholarships$2,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grant total Number of grants
2025 $80,000 16
2024 $93,000 18
2023 $62,666 18
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$50K$100K$150K$200K2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$1,180,821$1,116,147$1,142,158
Revenue$155,356$82,019$13,385
Expenses$95,903$110,294$78,589
Qualifying Distributions$87,782$101,861$70,681
Net Investment Income$33,462$26,310$21,311
Distributable Amount$67,065$64,181$60,430

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 28, 2025)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 11, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Sara Nicholson, Shawna Gilliland, and Jason Lenz as co-trustees.

Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Commerce Trust

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2024

    $2K (2024) → $14K (2025)

  • Sara Nicholson

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2023

    No compensation reported

  • Jason Lenz

    Co-Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    No compensation reported

  • Shawna Gilliland

    Co-Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    No compensation reported

Former officers (6)
  • Former: UMB Bank (2021–2024) — Co-Trustee
  • Former: Abbee Cruz Mirabal (2024) — Co-Trustee
  • Former: Kati Reid (2024) — Co-Trustee
  • Former: Beery Johnson (2021–2023) — Co-Trustee
  • Former: Joseph Hendrix (2021–2023) — Co-Trustee
  • Former: Lynn Laipple (2021–2022) — Co-Trustee

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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

Commerce Trust — Co-Trustee: $14KCommerce TrustCo-Trustee$14K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $14K, to Commerce Trust (Co-Trustee).

Contact

Application contact: Benton High School
Mailing address: 5655 S 4Th Street, St Joseph, MO 64505
Phone: (816) 671-4030

Frequently asked questions about Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation

How much does Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation give each year?

Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation gave $80K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $93K across 18 grants.

What is Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation's typical grant size?

Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $5,000, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation that year got $2K on average.

Where does Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation give grants?

Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation gives mostly in Missouri: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Arizona (6%) and Nebraska (5%).

Does Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarships" (16 grants).

Who are Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation's largest grantees?

Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Missouri Western State University ($20,000), Northwest Missouri State University ($15,000) and Missouri State University ($12,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation?

Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $88K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $67K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation fund?

The available filing does not state a separate mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants were designated for scholarships. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation?

The filing states that the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation's EIN?

Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-6371635. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Does Bruce V Drowns Educational Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

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

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