Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation
The Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its 2024 filing reports 15 grants totaling $620,940, with recipients including organizations in conservation, education, arts and culture, and animal care.
Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation gave $621K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $41K), mostly in Indiana. 13% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $620,940
- -0.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- -6.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $41,396
- +6.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $12,967,754
- +9.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (2 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (92% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 5510 N Kenwood Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46208
Phone: (602) 312-4496
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Indianapolis Zoological Society ($320K). Together the top 10 received $593K.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 46 grants of 58 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana, 6% to Texas, and 2% to Florida. Arizona accounted for 0% as reported in the filing.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 15 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $44K. How we count
Medians: $23K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 87% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 97% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $269K (2020) to $650K (2022). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $621K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Zoological Society Indianapolis, IN | To support general operations | $320,000 |
| International School of Indiana Indianapolis, IN | To support general operations | $100,000 |
| Central Indiana Land Trust Indianapolis, IN | To support general operations | $50,000 |
| IU Foundation Bloomington, IN | To support general operations | $25,000 |
| Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve Warren, TX | To support general operations | $20,000 |
| Heritage Village Museum Woodville, TX | To support general operations | $20,000 |
| Adoptions of Indiana Carmel, IN | To support general operations | $20,000 |
| Harrison Center for the Arts Inc Indianapolis, IN | To support general operations | $20,000 |
| Wounded Warrior Jacksonville, FL | To support general operations | $10,000 |
| East Side Crusaders Lacrosse Club Indianapolis, IN | To support general operation | $8,440 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,967,754 | $1,956,843 | $759,683 | $620,940 | 15 | $624,565 | $1,849,500 | $640,633 |
| 2023 | $11,806,507 | $256,350 | $765,675 | $621,000 | 16 | $623,250 | $197,135 | $625,856 |
| 2022 | $12,331,925 | $599,803 | $791,553 | $650,000 | 10 | $652,750 | $503,828 | $643,145 |
| 2021 | $12,579,343 | $658,828 | $727,041 | $610,000 | 7 | $610,000 | $305,840 | $730,058 |
| 2020 | $12,591,050 | $238,366 | $370,386 | $269,000 | 10 | — | $334,047 | $589,018 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $641K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, the Indianapolis Zoological Society describes its mission as protecting nature and inspiring people to care for the world; the International School of Indiana says it provides a world-class education to prepare students to be responsible citizens and effective leaders; and the Central Indiana Land Trust says it preserves natural areas in Central Indiana.
Other 2024 grantees include Harrison Center for the Arts, whose mission is to foster awareness, appreciation, and community for arts and culture in Indianapolis, and EdChoice, which says it advances educational choice.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $620,940 through 15 grants. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $320,000, with a median grant of $20,000. Listed grants included $320,000 to the Indianapolis Zoological Society, $100,000 to the International School of Indiana, $50,000 to the Central Indiana Land Trust, and $25,000 to the IU Foundation. The listed grants were for general operations, with one described as supporting general operation. EdChoice also received $5,000 in 2024.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Amy S Willis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel J Willis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation
How much does Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation give each year?
Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation gave $621K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $621K across 16 grants.
What is Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $41,396, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation that year got $23K on average.
Where does Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation give grants?
Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Indiana: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Indianapolis, IN (9 grants).
Does Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Indianapolis Zoological Society ($320,000), International School of Indiana ($100,000) and Central Indiana Land Trust ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 76% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation?
Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation reported $13.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $625K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $641K (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 Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation?
The foundation states 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 Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-6937849. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/daniel-j-and-amy-s-willis-charitable-foundation-morg_354fbea83ef94e9d994037feaac452c8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_816937849_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/daniel-j-and-amy-s-willis-charitable-foundation-morg_354fbea83ef94e9d994037feaac452c8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Daniel J and Amy S Willis Charitable Foundation'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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