Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc
The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc is a public charity based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, formed in 1922. It makes grants for charitable purposes in Greater Fort Wayne and across the United States, supports scholarships, and leads community initiatives intended to address needs and improve quality of life in Allen County.
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc at a glance
In short: Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc gave $12.9M across 299 grants in 2025 (avg $43K), mostly in Indiana. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $12,948,809
- +32.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 299
- +15.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $43,307
- +14.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $17,450
- Total assets
- $287,737,343
- +17.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (83 of 299, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (78% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc
- How to Apply
-
The foundation describes open, competitive grant application processes for some programs, with program-specific guidelines and application materials. Its 2024 application-process update described an eligibility quiz followed by a revised application, and the use of an evaluation rubric. The foundation’s website directs applicants to review the relevant program guidelines and application status information.
- Contact
Mailing address: 555 E Wayne Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Phone: (260) 426-4083
Website: https://cfgfw.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
10 open opportunities from Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc
AWS Foundation Scholarship Fund Grant
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Barbara Burt Innovative Leader Fund Grant
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
CFGFW Agile Grants
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc
Amount
Up to US $20,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Stillwater Hospice ($1.2M). Together the top 10 received $4.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,346 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,099 grants of 1,346 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its grant programs support projects and organizations serving Allen County and Northeast Indiana. Its 2025 filing reports that grant dollars went primarily to Indiana recipients (78%), followed by Ohio (7%), Tennessee (5%), Georgia (2%), and Illinois (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 299 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 83 of 299 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $39K; repeat grants $45K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $22K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5.2M (2019) to $12.9M (2025). In 2025 it made 299 grants totaling $12.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Stillwater Hospice Fort Wayne, IN | Charitable Support | $1,241,318 |
| American Endowment Foundation Hudson, OH | Charitable Support | $796,203 |
| St Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church Fort Wayne, IN | Charitable Support | $385,000 |
| Love One International Brentwood, TN | Charitable Support | $350,000 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ne IN Fort Wayne, IN | Charitable Support | $342,749 |
| For Others Collective Franklin, TN | Charitable Support | $250,000 |
| Fort Wayne Public Television Inc Fort Wayne, IN | Charitable Support | $235,537 |
| City of Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN | Charitable Support | $220,900 |
| A City on a Hill Church Inc Uniondale, IN | Charitable Support | $200,000 |
| Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Fort Wayne, IN | Charitable Support | $194,386 |
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $287,737,343 | $49,647,700 | $18,941,771 | $12,948,809 | 299 | $23,599,636 |
| 2024 | $245,430,623 | $33,839,099 | $14,995,424 | $9,791,293 | 259 | $12,713,031 |
| 2023 | $219,144,373 | $22,701,309 | $13,600,228 | $9,476,248 | 262 | $8,443,915 |
| 2022 | $190,965,562 | $13,465,182 | $12,123,516 | $8,140,558 | 282 | $7,288,792 |
| 2021 | $220,674,708 | $24,617,939 | $10,253,619 | $7,020,875 | 244 | $9,604,410 |
| 2020 | $181,936,459 | $11,602,152 | $9,661,445 | $7,247,095 | 245 | $2,745,090 |
| 2019 | $167,410,639 | $16,125,433 | $7,654,778 | $5,206,235 | 175 | $5,251,995 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to inspire enduring philanthropy by encouraging charitable giving, conducting meaningful grantmaking, and leading community initiatives. Its filing describes grants for nonprofit operations and social issues, scholarships for students, community leadership, and the management of charitable funds for donors.
The foundation’s Rising Together grants align with its Let’s Rise! Vision Plan and cover five pillars: Connected Community, Everyone’s Economy, Lifelong Learning, Inspiring Places, and Healthy Mind & Body. The foundation also offers Agile and Engage grants. Examples of organizations supported in 2025 include Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana, whose mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships for youth; Turnstone Center, which says it empowers people with disabilities through comprehensive services and programs; and Fort Wayne Public Television, which says it engages the community through educational, informative, inspiring, and entertaining content and collaborations.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 299 grants totaling $12,948,809. Grant amounts ranged from $5,066 to $1,241,318, with a median of $17,450. The largest reported grants included $1,241,318 to Stillwater Hospice, $796,203 to American Endowment Foundation, $385,000 to St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, $350,000 to Love One International, and $342,749 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana. The filing lists each grant’s purpose as charitable support.
Rising Together grants are unrestricted general operating grants of up to $50,000 for nonprofit organizations. The five application cycles align with the Let’s Rise! pillars; the 2025 cycle dates published by the foundation have passed. The foundation’s 2025 grantmaking update described Agile grants of up to $20,000 for innovative program-related expenses, not operating costs, and Engage grants of up to $3,000 for first-time applicants, for operational support or specific programs. That update said applications for both programs were accepted March through October; it does not establish a 2026 deadline.
Youth Empowered Philanthropy involves students in grades 10–12 making grant decisions. The listed program range is $1,000–$5,000, with a November 30, 2026 deadline. The foundation’s filing says it monitors grants and may require signed agreements, reports, or field investigations; some grants to individuals require reports on work completed during each academic period.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists R. Bradley Little as “President &,” Heidi Ludwig as COO, Alison Gerardot as Chief Impact Officer, and Sarah Knoch as Controller. It also lists Sherry Early as Chair, Susan Wesner as Vice Chair, Christine Boles as Secretary, Robert Slusser as Treasurer, and Paul O. Sauerteig and Gary Shearer as directors.
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc is led by R. Bradley Little, President on every filing since 2019; 4 of 24 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
R. Bradley Little
President
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$189K (2019) → $236K (2025)
Ronald Menze
Chair Part Y
Vice Chair → Chair, 2023
Chair → Chair Part Y, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sherry Early
Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Damian Gosheff
Director Par
Director → Director Par, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edmond O'Neal
Director Par
Director → Director Par, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shelley Walker
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Denita Washington
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gary Shearer
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul O. Sauerteig
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Crandall
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Knothe
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nikki Quintana
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Carper
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Swartz
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hallie Custer
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Zach Benedict
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kody Tinnel
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Schenkel
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heidi Ludwig
COO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$115K (2019) → $179K (2025)
Alison Gerardot
Chief Impact
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$98K (2022) → $133K (2025)
Sarah Knoch
Controller
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$102K (2025)
Christine Boles
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Slusser
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Wesner
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (20)
- Former: Cindy Goodman (2019–2024) — Director Par
- Former: Doug Wood (2019–2023) — Director Par
- Former: Heather Schoegler (2019–2023) — Chair Part Y
- Former: Todd Jacobs (2019–2023) — Director Par
- Former: Jim Cook (2022–2023) — Director Par
- Former: Robert Francis (2019–2022) — Secretary Pa
- Former: Robert Patrick (2019–2022) — Treasurer Pa
- Former: Carrie Minnich (2019–2021) — Director Par
- Former: Irene Walters (2019–2021) — Director Par
- Former: Michael Cahill (2019–2021) — Chair Part Y
- Former: Shannon Hardiek (2019–2021) — Director Par
- Former: Son Huynh (2019–2021) — Director Par
- Former: Benjamin Miles (2021) — Director Par
- Former: Ben Miles (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Chris Rupp (2019–2020) — Director Par
- Former: Jonathan Hancock (2019–2020) — Vice Chair P
- Former: Bruce Menshy (2019) — Treasurer Pa
- Former: Gregory Johnson (2019) — Director
- Former: Michael Barranda (2019) — Director
- Former: Trois Hart (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $236K, to R Bradley Little (President &). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc
How much does Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc give each year?
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc gave $12.9M across 299 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $9.8M across 259 grants.
What is Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc's typical grant size?
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc's median grant in 2025 was $17,450, and its average grant was $43,307, across 299 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc that year got $39K on average.
Where does Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc give grants?
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Ohio (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Wayne, IN (193 grants), Indianapolis, IN (16 grants), Huntertown, IN (4 grants) and New Haven, IN (4 grants).
Does Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 299 grants with a stated purpose on Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Support" (299 grants).
Who are Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc's largest grantees?
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Stillwater Hospice ($1,241,318), American Endowment Foundation ($796,203) and St Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church ($385,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc?
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc reported $287.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $49.6M.
What does Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to inspire enduring philanthropy by encouraging charitable giving, conducting meaningful grantmaking, and leading community initiatives. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc?
The foundation describes open, competitive grant application processes for some programs, with program-specific guidelines and application materials. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc's EIN?
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-1119450. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 20, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 25, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 10, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/community-foundation-of-greater-fort-wayne-inc-morg_bf7ec2d6814b418ea2ecca89f1730024
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_351119450_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/community-foundation-of-greater-fort-wayne-inc-morg_bf7ec2d6814b418ea2ecca89f1730024},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne 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.
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?