Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) is a public charitable foundation serving central and southern Missouri. Founded in 1973 by 11 estate-planning attorneys, the organization was created to accept and manage charitable gifts for community betterment in the Springfield region. Today, the CFO operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, serving 58 counties across central and southern Missouri through a network of approximately 3,700 charitable funds and 55 regional affiliate foundations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$479.9M
+12.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$18.4M
+7.2% YoY
Grant Count
464
+11.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$40K
-3.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To enhance the quality of life in the region through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.
The CFO pursues this mission by connecting passion to purpose across multiple program areas:
- Education: Including place-based education initiatives and the Rural Schools Partnership, recognized as a national leader in philanthropy for rural education
- Health: Supporting health-related initiatives across the region
- Economic Development: Funding projects that strengthen economic opportunities
- Environmental Sustainability: Supporting environmental conservation and sustainability efforts
- Youth Empowerment: Operating student chapters across the region through the Youth Empowerment Project
- Scholarships: Administering more than 400 scholarships for high school students and returning adult learners
Grantmaking
The CFO provides both discretionary and competitive grants to nonprofit organizations. Recent grant activity includes:
How to Apply
, with awards disbursed directly to educational institutions. The scholarship program is committed to serving all people without discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, ability, or sexual orientation.
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The CFO serves central and southern Missouri, including the Springfield metropolitan statistical area and 58 counties across the region. The organization operates through a network of affiliate foundations representing cities, counties, and multi-county regions stretching from the Missouri River south to the borders of neighboring states. The first affiliate foundation was established in Nixa in 1993, and the network has since expanded to include 55 regional affiliates.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of June 30, 2025:
- Total Assets Under Management: $549 million
- Number of Charitable Funds: Approximately 3,700
Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Revenue: $57.7 million
- Total Expenses: $31.8 million
- Total Assets: $480 million
- Total Liabilities: $117 million
Staffing:
- 44 employees (as of 2024)
The CFO maintains multiple investment pools including a Diversified/Growth Pool, ESG Aware Pool, and Balanced Pool, with quarterly performance reports available to stakeholders.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $479,855,535 | $426,714,383 | $374,535,392 |
| Revenue | $57,707,211 | $58,312,030 | $50,246,457 |
| Expenses | $31,791,926 | $29,798,439 | $25,420,792 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $9,699,330 | $8,856,328 | $10,825,488 |
| 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
165 open opportunities from Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc
Alton Affiliate Grantmaking Program
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE OZARKS INC
Amount
More than US $1,500
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ann and Doug Sickles Memorial Scholarship Grant
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE OZARKS INC
Amount
Up to US $2,800
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Arthur G. Tesar Scholarship Grant
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE OZARKS INC
Amount
Up to US $2,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANNE MCGREGOR | DIRECTOR/VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| DEAN THOMPSON | DIRECTOR/CHAIR | 1 | — |
| GAIL SMART | DIRECTOR/SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ROY HARDY JR | DIRECTOR/TREASURER | 1 | — |
| BRYAN VOWELS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DEBRA SHANTZ-HART | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DOUG NICKELL | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| EMILY KEMBELL | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| GARY GARWITZ | DIRECTOR/AUDIT/OPERATIONS CHAIR | 2 | — |
| GREG HOFFMAN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JIMMY LILES | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| KARI CREIGHTON | DIRECTOR/IAB REPRESENTATIVE | 1 | — |
| KRISTI MONTAGUE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LAURIE EDMONDSON | DIRECTOR/CHAIR EMERITUS | 1 | — |
| LYNNE MEYERKORD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MEGAN MORRIS STACK | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MICHAEL GARRETT | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RICHARD CAVENDER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RON KRAETLLI | DIRECTOR/AT-LARGE | 1 | — |
| SARAH HONEYCUTT | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| STAN IRWIN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| BRIAN FOGLE | PRESIDENT & CEO END 02/24 | 47 | $234,049 |
| LUIS LEON | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER & EVP | 48 | $138,974 |
| WINTER KINNE | PRESIDENT & CEO BEG 11/23 | 47 | $106,694 |
| ALICE WINGO | VICE PRESIDENT OF AFFILIATES | 50 | $104,956 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The CFO has demonstrated active grantmaking in recent periods, including:
Grant awards of $120,000 to improve access to nature and outdoor recreation
Community Foundation of the Ozarks grants $120,000 to improve access to nature,Distribution of $2.5 million in grants to boost food access across the region
Community Foundation of the Ozarks grants $120,000 to improve access to nature,Allocation of $165,000 for high-priority community needs in Springfield
Springfield Community Gardens among recipients of $2.5M grant to ...The organization continues to expand its leadership role in place-based philanthropy and maintains strong community partnerships with nonprofit organizations and professional advisors throughout its service region.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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