Community Foundation of Greater
The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne (CFGFW) is a tax-exempt, public grantmaking charity and 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving quality of life in Allen County, Indiana. Established in 1922 by local community leaders, the foundation serves as a community leader by bringing together the resources of individuals, families, and businesses to create a permanent source of community capital. The organization manages over 400 charitable funds and operates from its headquarters at 555 E Wayne Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$245.4M
+12.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.8M
+3.3% YoY
Grant Count
259
-1.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$38K
+4.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne inspires enduring philanthropy by encouraging charitable giving, conducting meaningful grantmaking, and leading community initiatives. The organization's core mission is to improve the quality of life by building permanent endowments, promoting effective grantmaking, fostering philanthropy, stimulating community dialogue, and helping donors achieve their charitable goals.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Nonprofit leadership development
- Economic development
- Civic engagement
- Arts and culture
- Health professional development
- Human services
- Community development and engagement
- Support for children and families
Grantmaking
The Community Foundation administers multiple grantmaking programs with varying eligibility requirements. Typical grant awards range from $5,050 to $1,071,647.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne primarily serves Allen County, Indiana, with a secondary focus on the greater Fort Wayne area. The organization also funds efforts in Indiana, Illinois, and Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $245,430,623
- Total Revenues: $33,839,099
- Total Expenses: $14,995,424
- Number of Employees: 19
As of Fiscal Year 2023:
- Total Assets: $219,144,373
- Total Giving: $10,640,300
- Annual Revenue: $22,701,309
The organization maintains assets exceeding $100 million and annual revenues exceeding $20 million. The foundation has received a four-star rating based on accountability and financial metrics.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $245,430,623 | $219,144,373 | $190,965,562 |
| Revenue | $33,839,099 | $22,701,309 | $13,465,182 |
| Expenses | $14,995,424 | $13,600,228 | $12,123,516 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $12,713,031 | $8,443,915 | $7,288,792 |
| 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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
10 open opportunities from Community Foundation of Greater
AWS Foundation Scholarship Fund Grant
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Barbara Burt Innovative Leader Fund Grant
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
CFGFW Agile Grants
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER
Amount
Up to US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Boys and Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne ($250,180), Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne ($114,898), As Our Own ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 3 RIVERS YOGA FOUNDATION FORT WAYNE, IN | CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $5,500 |
| ACACIA FRATERNITY (PURDUE) WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| ACRES LAND TRUST HUNTERTOWN, IN | CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $19,000 |
| ADAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FORT WAYNE, IN | CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $9,000 |
| ADAMS TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE OFFICE NEW HAVEN, IN | CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| AFRICANAFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL FORT WAYNE, IN | CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $8,496 |
| AGING AND IN-HOME SERVICES FORT WAYNE, IN | CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $9,000 |
| A HOPE CENTER FORT WAYNE, IN | CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $9,412 |
| ALIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH FORT WAYNE, IN | CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $28,500 |
| ALLEN COUNTY CASA COALITION INC FORT WAYNE, IN | CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $14,705 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Amanda Pant serves as Administrative & Grants Specialist and can be reached at 260-426-4083 or apant@cfgfw.org.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| R BRADLEY LITTLE | PRESIDENT & | 40 | $223,224 |
| HEIDI LUDWIG | COO | 40 | $170,934 |
| ALISON GERARDOT | CHIEF IMPACT | 40 | $121,843 |
| RONALD MENZE | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| SHERRY EARLY | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| CHRISTINE BOLES | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ROBERT SLUSSER | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| PAUL O SAUERTEIG | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GARY SHEARER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DENITA WASHINGTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SUSAN WESNER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| EDMOND O'NEAL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAMIAN GOSHEFF | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SHELLEY WALKER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STEPHANIE CRANDALL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STEPHANIE CARPER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JASON KNOTHE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NIKKI QUINTANA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ZACH BENEDICT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| HALLIE CUSTER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAN SWARTZ | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CINDY GOODMAN | DIRECTOR PAR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Phone: 260-426-4083
- Website: www.cfgfw.org
- Email: dbennett@cfgfw.org
- Address: 555 E Wayne Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802-2013
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Community Foundation of Greater fund?
The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne inspires enduring philanthropy by encouraging charitable giving, conducting meaningful grantmaking, and leading community initiatives. The organization's core mission is to improve the quality of life by building permanent endowments, promoting effective grantmaking, fostering philanthropy, stimulating community dialogue, and helping donors achieve their charitable goals. Primary funding areas include: • Education • Nonprofit leadership development…
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of Greater?
The Community Foundation administers multiple grantmaking programs with varying eligibility requirements. Typical grant awards range from $5,050 to $1,071,647. **Active Grant Programs Include:** • AWS Foundation Scholarship Fund • Barbara Burt Innovative Leader Fund • CFGFW Agile Grants • CFGFW Emergency Grant Program • CFGFW Engage Grants • CFGFW Rising Together Grants: Connected Community • CFGFW Rising Together Grants: Everyone's Economy Program • Grants to Individuals Program (scholarships …
Where does Community Foundation of Greater make grants?
The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne primarily serves Allen County, Indiana, with a secondary focus on the greater Fort Wayne area. The organization also funds efforts in Indiana, Illinois, and Tennessee.
What size grants does Community Foundation of Greater award?
In 2024, Community Foundation of Greater awarded 259 grants totaling $9.8M — an average of about $38K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Community Foundation of Greater's EIN?
Community Foundation of Greater's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-1119450. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Foundation of Greater'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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