The Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) is an independent 501(c)(3) organization based in Louisville, Kentucky, dedicated to supporting Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Louisville. Founded in 1995, the Foundation operates as a grantmaking organization focused on expanding access to Catholic education through financial assistance and institutional support.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$54.6M
+10.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.2M
+12.0% YoY
Grant Count
56
+1.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$92K
+10.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Vision: Every family has access to a Catholic education.
Mission: To promote the growth and vitality of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Louisville.
The Foundation supports Catholic education through grants in four primary areas:
- Tuition assistance for families — The primary focus, providing financial aid to students with demonstrated need
- Technology enhancements — Grants for parishes and schools to improve technological infrastructure
- Professional development — Support for educator and catechist training and development
- Religious education programs — Grants for parish and school religious education initiatives
Grantmaking
The Foundation awarded a record $8.6 million in tuition assistance in fall 2024, supporting 3,700 Catholic elementary students and their families. This represents double the number of students assisted five years prior.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation primarily serves the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky, though grantmaking data indicates activity in Kentucky, Indiana, and Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2025):
- Total Assets: $54.6 million
- Total Revenue: $8.67 million
- Total Expenses: $7.48 million
- Total Liabilities: $396,000
Prior Year Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $49.6 million
- Total Revenue: $11.0 million
- Total Expenses: $6.9 million
The Foundation manages an endowment of $20 million and has awarded grants totaling more than $1 million annually for the past four years.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $54,597,734 | $49,582,194 | $40,294,480 |
| Revenue | $8,669,337 | $11,014,826 | $8,348,400 |
| Expenses | $7,475,204 | $6,906,854 | $6,641,243 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,030,581 | $557,214 | $425,632 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Catholic Education Foundation Inc
Catholic Education Foundation Innovation Award
CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
Amount
$2,500
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Tuition Assistance Program
CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Variable (Record $6.5 million awarded to 3,250 students in 2019-2020 school year)
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include St Rita School ($330,864), St Andrew Academy ($307,155), St James School ($236,008).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACADEMY OF OUR LADY OF MERCY LOUISVILLE, KY | EDUCATIONAL GRANT | $105,000 |
| ST FRANCIS DESALES HIGH SCHOOL LOUISVILLE, KY | EDUCATIONAL GRANT | $105,000 |
| ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI SCHOOL LOUISVILLE, KY | EDUCATIONAL GRANT | $55,300 |
| ST GABRIEL SCHOOL LOUISVILLE, KY | EDUCATIONAL GRANT | $183,270 |
| ST GREGORY SCHOOL COXS CREEK, KY | EDUCATIONAL GRANT | $42,970 |
| ST JAMES SCHOOL ELIZABETHTOWN, KY | EDUCATIONAL GRANT | $88,062 |
| ST JAMES SCHOOL LOUISVILLE, KY | EDUCATIONAL GRANT | $236,008 |
| ST JOSEPH SCHOOL BARDSTOWN, KY | EDUCATIONAL GRANT | $69,330 |
| ST MARGARET MARY SCHOOL LOUISVILLE, KY | EDUCATIONAL GRANT | $70,120 |
| ST MARTHA SCHOOL LOUISVILLE, KY | EDUCATIONAL GRANT | $205,041 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
President: Mr. Richard Alan Lechleiter
The Foundation is governed by an independent Board of Directors that oversees organizational management. An Investment Committee of the Board manages all funds received by the Foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD A LECHLEITER | PRESIDENT | 60 | $322,945 |
| JULIE E BAUM | VICE PRESIDENT | 50 | $238,838 |
| GIL A WENTZEL | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 45 | $144,450 |
| ELAINE A EIFLER | DEVELOPMENT OFFICER | 40 | $116,385 |
| MICHELLE M DOHRMAN | DIRECTOR OF TUITION ASSISTANCE | 45 | $104,579 |
| VALERIE T FOWLER | DEVELOPMENT MANAGER | 45 | $104,692 |
| JOSEPH L LANDENWICH | CHAIRMAN | 3 | — |
| JOSEPH W DOUGHERTY | CHAIR-ELECT | 1 | — |
| MOST REV SHELTON J FABRE | VICE-CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| JANE C MORREAU | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| DIANE M GAHAFER | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ROBERT D CECIL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STEPHEN C JAMES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DOUGLAS J ABELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DR MARY BETH BOWLING | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MATTHEW W OTT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| THOMAS A PERRONE | DIRECTOR | 3 | — |
| STEPHEN D SAUTEL III | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| CHARLOTTE K STENGEL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHAD E DOBSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER J REID | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARK W RAQUE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER M STINNETT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| VERY REV ANTHONY L CHANDLER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| REV SHAYNE R DUVALL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARY B EWING | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JAMES J KIRCHDORFER JR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRADLEY A SAVKO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| VERY REV T MICHAEL TOBIN VF | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JAMES A HILLEBRAND | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JEREMY L GETTELFINGER | DIRECTOR (BEG 07/24) | 1 | — |
| JUAN M MONTANO | DIRECTOR (BEG 07/24) | 1 | — |
| NEIL P RAMSEY | DIRECTOR (BEG 07/24) | 1 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In fall 2024, the Foundation awarded a record $8.6 million in tuition assistance to 3,700 Catholic elementary students and families in the Archdiocese of Louisville, marking the highest number of families assisted in the organization's history.
Catholic Education Foundation Helps Over 2,000 Students in 2024 with Scholarship\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Catholic Education Foundation Inc fund?
**Vision:** Every family has access to a Catholic education. **Mission:** To promote the growth and vitality of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Louisville. The Foundation supports Catholic education through grants in four primary areas: • **Tuition assistance for families** — The primary focus, providing financial aid to students with demonstrated need • **Technology enhancements** — Grants for parishes and schools to improve technological infrastructure • **Professional development** …
How do I apply for a grant from Catholic Education Foundation Inc?
The Foundation awarded a record $8.6 million in tuition assistance in fall 2024, supporting 3,700 Catholic elementary students and their families. This represents double the number of students assisted five years prior. **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $9,000–$330,864 • Recent grants include awards to St James Church ($198,240), Notre Dame Academy ($172,416), and St Athanasius Church ($123,230) • All grant awards are approved by the Catholic Education Foundation Board of Direct…
Where does Catholic Education Foundation Inc make grants?
The Foundation primarily serves the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky, though grantmaking data indicates activity in Kentucky, Indiana, and Georgia.
What size grants does Catholic Education Foundation Inc award?
In 2025, Catholic Education Foundation Inc awarded 56 grants totaling $5.2M — an average of about $92K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Catholic Education Foundation Inc's EIN?
Catholic Education Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-1294640. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Catholic Education Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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