Chaffee Family Foundation Inc
Chaffee Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Its website describes a mission of supporting educational initiatives that enrich lives through learning opportunities; its 2025 filing reports grants primarily to Indiana recipients, including organizations working in education, housing, health, food assistance, and other community services.
Chaffee Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Chaffee Family Foundation Inc gave $283K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Indiana. 36% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $283,000
- -21.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- +16.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,107
- -32.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,837,192
- -1.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (10 of 28, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (96% 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 Chaffee Family Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states on its 2025 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its website describes an application process for eligible organizations: applicants must be Ohio-based 501(c)(3) public charities or qualifying tax-exempt educational entities, provide proof of status, and propose an Ohio project that promotes learning. The website says eligible applications are reviewed against factors including intended outcomes, number of beneficiaries, long-term impact, feasibility, and probability of success; funding may be full or partial, and a new application is required for each request. The website also says athletic facilities or equipment and political initiatives are not supported.
- Review Cycle
- The website says eligible applicants are notified each June about whether their project will be funded; it does not specify an application deadline.
- Deadline
- The website says eligible applicants are notified each June about whether their project will be funded; it does not…
- Contact
Mailing address: 1029A West State Blvd Suite A, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
Phone: (260) 203-5098
Website: https://chaffeefamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Chaffee Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Erins House ($50K). Together the top 10 received $220K.
Grant Size Distribution
129 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 119 grants of 129 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says it supports only Ohio organizations and learning-opportunity projects within Ohio, and that organizations and projects outside Ohio are ineligible. However, the 2025 filing reports that 96% of grant dollars went to Indiana recipients, 2% to California recipients, and 2% to Tennessee recipients. The filing lists grants to Fort Wayne and other Indiana organizations, as well as a $5,000 grant to Prager University in Sherman Oaks, California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Chaffee Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 28 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 83% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $257K (2020) to $361K (2024). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $283K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Erins House Fort Wayne, IN | Support for children, teens, and their families who have suffered the death of a loved one. | $50,000 |
| Vincent Village Fort Wayne, IN | Provides a unique array of services that meet the needs of families who are experiencing the crisis of homelessness with the ultimate goal of gaining permanent housing. | $50,000 |
| Turnstone Fort Wayne, IN | To provide therapeutic, educational, wellness and recreational programs to empower people with disabilities. | $35,000 |
| Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana Fort Wayne, IN | Mentoring programs to guide youth to their own economic success. | $25,000 |
| St Michael Lutheran Church Fort Wayne, IN | Connecting People to Jesus and Others. | $20,000 |
| Ronald McDonald House Fort Wayne, IN | A doctors office on wheels, bringing wellness visits, vaccinations, and childhood health education into communities that need help accessing pediatric care. | $20,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN | Inspire young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. | $5,000 |
| Early Childhood Alliance Fort Wayne, IN | Foster a strong community by supporting equitable access to quality early childhood care and education. | $5,000 |
| Community Harvest Food Bank-Nei Fort Wayne, IN | Distributes millions of pounds of food to public. Individuals and families in need. | $5,000 |
| Fort Wayne Animal Control Fort Wayne, IN | To serve the community in a humane, public safety capacity whiel working to keep pets with loving families while providing education and resources. | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Chaffee Family Foundation Inc?
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 | $4,837,192 | $283,805 | $349,824 | $283,000 | 28 | $290,991 | $224,972 | $348,595 |
| 2024 | $4,903,211 | $266,970 | $437,672 | $361,000 | 24 | $368,959 | $209,871 | $320,702 |
| 2023 | $5,073,913 | $519,139 | $378,314 | $313,200 | 21 | $321,030 | $461,855 | $306,660 |
| 2022 | $4,925,795 | $985,537 | $365,934 | $307,500 | 29 | $314,986 | $934,589 | $305,830 |
| 2021 | $4,306,006 | $555,938 | $458,066 | $353,900 | 27 | $361,429 | $505,068 | $328,292 |
| 2020 | $4,196,020 | $1,831,415 | $303,274 | $256,500 | 20 | — | $1,454,666 | $250,255 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Chaffee Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $349K 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 website says it supports educational initiatives of charitable organizations to promote learning, knowledge, and growth for individuals and families. It describes “teaching people to fish” as a guiding principle and says it looks for organizations with experience delivering programs and projects with detailed plans and budgets.
The 2025 filing also shows support for a range of Indiana organizations. For example, Vincent Village describes its work as providing shelter, advocacy, affordable housing, and supportive services to homeless families. Early Childhood Alliance says it promotes and provides early childhood care and education; Matthew 25 describes providing free primary health care to uninsured, low-income residents; and Community Harvest Food Bank says it distributes food to people and families in need. These are the grantees’ own descriptions of their work.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $283,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
The largest reported grants included $50,000 to Erin’s House, for support for children, teens, and families who have experienced the death of a loved one, and $50,000 to Vincent Village, for services for families experiencing homelessness. Other substantial grants included $35,000 to Turnstone for programs serving people with disabilities; $25,000 to Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana for youth mentoring; and $20,000 each to St. Michael Lutheran Church and Ronald McDonald House. Other reported recipients included Boys and Girls Club of Fort Wayne, Early Childhood Alliance, Community Harvest Food Bank-NEI, and Fort Wayne Animal Control, each receiving $5,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Karen J. Chaffee as president; Troy A. Chaffee and Bradley C. Chaffee as vice presidents; Scott W. Chaffee as secretary; Todd V. Chaffee as treasurer; and Charles V. Chaffee as director.
Chaffee Family Foundation Inc is led by Karen J. Chaffee, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Karen J. Chaffee
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles V. Chaffee
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bradley C. Chaffee
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott W. Chaffee
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Todd V. Chaffee
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Troy A. Chaffee
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Clifford W. Chaffee (2020) — 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.
Frequently asked questions about Chaffee Family Foundation Inc
How much does Chaffee Family Foundation Inc give each year?
Chaffee Family Foundation Inc gave $283K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $361K across 24 grants.
What is Chaffee Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Chaffee Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $10,107, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Chaffee Family Foundation Inc that year got $5K on average.
Where does Chaffee Family Foundation Inc give grants?
Chaffee Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Wayne, IN (22 grants).
Does Chaffee Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on Chaffee Family Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Chaffee Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Chaffee Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Erins House ($50,000), Vincent Village ($50,000) and Turnstone ($35,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Chaffee Family Foundation Inc?
Chaffee Family Foundation Inc reported $4.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $291K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $349K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Chaffee Family Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s website says it supports educational initiatives of charitable organizations to promote learning, knowledge, and growth for individuals and families. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Chaffee Family Foundation Inc?
The foundation states on its 2025 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Chaffee Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
Chaffee Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-4835368. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Chaffee Family Foundation Inc 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.
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 August 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 18, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 9, 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 November 3, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 20, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Chaffee Family Foundation Inc funds
Public, Societal Benefit Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Chaffee Family Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/chaffee-family-foundation-inc-morg_cadc5cfc2e5e490d971789bd59648abf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_454835368_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Chaffee Family Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/chaffee-family-foundation-inc-morg_cadc5cfc2e5e490d971789bd59648abf},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Chaffee Family 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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