David Novak Leadership Inc
David Novak Leadership Inc is based in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. Its mission is to make the world a better place by developing better leaders at every stage of life. The organization develops leadership curriculum and online programs and makes grants; its 2025 filing identifies it as a private foundation.
David Novak Leadership Inc at a glance
In short: David Novak Leadership Inc gave $246K across 46 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), top state Kentucky. 74% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $246,158
- +54.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 46
- +12.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,351
- +37.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,490
- Total assets
- $345,858
- -13.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 74% first-time grantees (34 of 46, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (18% 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 David Novak Leadership Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing directs applicants to submit materials online and names Sarah Culver as the contact.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists deadlines of February 9, 2024, and April 12, 2024. These are past deadlines.
- Deadline
- The filing lists deadlines of February 9, 2024, and April 12, 2024.
- Contact
Application contact: Sarah Culver Via Website At Wwwlead
Mailing address: 4910 Brownsboro Rd Ste 220, Louisville, KY 40222
Phone: (502) 645-9643
Email: sculver@ead4change.org
Website: HTTPS://DAVIDNOVAKLEADERSHIP.COM/
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who David Novak Leadership Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Tonganoxie Middle School ($20K). Together the top 10 received $112K.
Grant Size Distribution
129 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 129 grants of 129 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states. The largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Kentucky (18%), New York (15%), Kansas (8%), California (8%), and Pennsylvania (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 46 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is David Novak Leadership Inc open to new grantees?
74%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 34 of 46 grantees (74%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 22% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2023–2025). 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 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $143K (2023) to $246K (2025). In 2025 it made 46 grants totaling $246K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tonganoxie Middle School Tonganoxie, KS | Leadership | $20,000 |
| Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School Lower Cwynedd, PA | Leadership | $14,418 |
| G6PD Deficiency Foundation Inc Babylon, NY | Leadership | $10,000 |
| Indiana Connections Academy Indianapolis, IN | Leadership | $10,000 |
| Teen Day Ithaca Ithaca, NY | Leadership | $10,000 |
| Unlimited Soundscape Inc Saratoga, CA | Leadership | $10,000 |
| Bushland High School Amarillo, TX | Leadership | $10,000 |
| Al-Furqan Academy Jacksonville, FL | Leadership | $10,000 |
| American Lung Association Los Angeles, CA | Leadership | $9,300 |
| Lesley & Rhyan Prather Foundation Louisville, KY | Leadership | $8,640 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $345,858 | $2,872,531 | $2,927,055 | $246,158 | 46 | $246,158 | $30 |
| 2024 | $400,382 | $2,819,760 | $3,039,082 | $159,376 | 41 | $159,376 | — |
| 2023 | $621,600 | $1,583,321 | $2,177,181 | $143,000 | 42 | $143,000 | $1,447,245 |
| 2022 | $1,213,559 | $3,047,200 | $2,863,298 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | $2,441,151 | $7,192,611 | $1,895,620 | — | — | — | $3,049,237 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to make the world a better place by developing better leaders at every stage of life. Its direct charitable activities include the “How Leaders Lead with David Novak” podcast, online leadership curriculum and training programs, and the book How Leaders Learn.
The 2025 grants included schools and other organizations. Grantees’ own mission statements show varied activities: Positive Education Program says it supports young people to overcome and thrive; Douglas County Education Foundation says it provides financial support for enrichment programs and encourages, recognizes, and rewards teachers and students; and Blankets of Hope says it supports people experiencing homelessness through blankets and handwritten notes. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their work.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the organization reported 46 grants totaling $246,158. Grants ranged from $488 to $20,000, with a median of $4,490.
Among the largest reported grants were $20,000 to Tonganoxie Middle School for leadership; $14,418 to Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School for leadership; and $10,000 each to G6PD Deficiency Foundation, Indiana Connections Academy, Teen Day Ithaca, Unlimited Soundscape, Bushland High School, and Al-Furqan Academy, each with the stated purpose of leadership. Other reported grants included $9,300 to the American Lung Association and $8,640 to Lesley & Rhyan Prather Foundation.
The filing says the organization does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It describes an online submission process for projects eligible for Lead4Change funding. Required materials include evidence of lessons taught, a project one-pager, a project video, a written proposal, three student reflections and one advisor reflection, and identification of the intended grant recipient. The recipient must be a qualified organization described in the filing, or a school with its name and tax identification number provided. The stated Lead4Change Challenge eligibility is for qualifying U.S. students in grades 6–12 or students ages 11–18 who belong to a local club or service organization.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
David Novak is listed as a director on the 2025 filing; the organization’s website identifies him as co-founder and CEO. Ashley N. Butler is also listed as a director on the 2025 filing.
David Novak Leadership Inc's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ashley N. Butler
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
David Novak
Director
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Gregg Dedrick (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Tim Galbraith (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Wendy L. Novak (2021–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 David Novak Leadership Inc
How much does David Novak Leadership Inc give each year?
David Novak Leadership Inc gave $246K across 46 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $159K across 41 grants.
What is David Novak Leadership Inc's typical grant size?
David Novak Leadership Inc's median grant in 2025 was $4,490, and its average grant was $5,351, across 46 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from David Novak Leadership Inc that year got $6K on average.
Where does David Novak Leadership Inc give grants?
David Novak Leadership Inc's top state is Kentucky, with 18% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (15%) and Kansas (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Louisville, KY (5 grants), Smithtown, NY (2 grants) and Columbus, NE (2 grants).
Does David Novak Leadership Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 46 grants with a stated purpose on David Novak Leadership Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Leadership" (46 grants).
Who are David Novak Leadership Inc's largest grantees?
David Novak Leadership Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Tonganoxie Middle School ($20,000), Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School ($14,418) and G6PD Deficiency Foundation Inc ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is David Novak Leadership Inc?
David Novak Leadership Inc reported $346K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $2.9M.
What does David Novak Leadership Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to make the world a better place by developing better leaders at every stage of life. Its direct charitable activities include the “How Leaders Lead with David Novak” podcast, online leadership curriculum and training programs, and the book *How Leaders Learn*. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from David Novak Leadership Inc?
The filing directs applicants to submit materials online and names Sarah Culver as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is David Novak Leadership Inc's EIN?
David Novak Leadership Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-2221144. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work David Novak Leadership Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). David Novak Leadership Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/david-novak-leadership-inc-morg_ef69b86716ea48c9a939ee7d8248652f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_852221144_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{David Novak Leadership Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/david-novak-leadership-inc-morg_ef69b86716ea48c9a939ee7d8248652f},
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 David Novak Leadership 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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