Don Cowden Foundation Inc
Don Cowden Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Bloomington, Indiana. Its 2025 filing reports 19 grants totaling $111,341, with awards to organizations in Indiana.
Key facts about Don Cowden Foundation Inc
In short: Don Cowden Foundation Inc gave $111K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Indiana. 35% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 35-1968871
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $111,341
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- Average grant
- $5,860
- Median grant
- $2,650
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (6 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $27,551,225
- Primary geography
- Indiana (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$27.6M
-1.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$111K
+19.6% YoY
Grant Count
19
+35.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
-11.9% YoY
Is Don Cowden Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 17 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $5K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for food assistance, rent reduction, schools, and other organizations. Hoosier Hills Food Bank describes its mission as collecting, storing, and distributing nutritious food to nonprofit feeding programs serving ill and needy people in six central Indiana counties. Pantry 279 describes its mission as distributing food and essential living items to people who cannot afford them in Ellettsville and surrounding areas, while providing opportunities for youth to serve the community.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 19 grants totaling $111,341. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $24,000, with a median of $2,650. The largest awards included $24,000 to Hoosier Hills Food Bank for general operations, $24,000 to Pantry 279 for rent reduction, and $16,000 to RBB Family Store for rent reduction. Other grants included $10,000 to Boys Girls Club of Ellettsville and $5,000 each to BIA, Edgewood Intermediate School, Fairview Elementary School, and Grandview Elementary.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with Don Cowden Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars listed for 2025 went to recipients in Indiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $14K (2022) to $542K (2020). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $111K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Hoosier Hills Food Bank ($24K). Together the top 10 received $101K.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 59 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hoosier Hills Food Bank Bloomington, IN | general operations | $24,000 |
| Pantry 279 Bloomington, IN | rent reduction | $24,000 |
| RBB Family Store Bloomington, IN | rent reduction | $16,000 |
| Boys Girls Club of Ellettsville Ellettsville, IN | donation | $10,000 |
| BIA Bloomington, IN | general operations | $5,000 |
| Edgewood Intermediate School Bloomington, IN | donation | $5,000 |
| Fairview Elementary School Bloomington, IN | donation | $5,000 |
| Grandview Elementary Bloomington, IN | donation | $5,000 |
| The Vet Tech Institute Indianapolis, IN | donation | $4,000 |
| Rose Hulman Terre Haute, IN | donation | $2,650 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $27,551,225 | $3,082,658 | $3,280,344 | $111,341 |
| 2024 | $28,058,076 | $3,553,303 | $3,680,157 | $93,090 |
| 2023 | $28,597,931 | $24,518,586 | $2,116,001 | $57,612 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $27,551,225 | $28,058,076 | $28,597,931 |
| Revenue | $3,082,658 | $3,553,303 | $24,518,586 |
| Expenses | $3,280,344 | $3,680,157 | $2,116,001 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $111,341 | $93,090 | $57,612 |
| Net Investment Income | $77,572 | $127,071 | $8,774 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 3, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Craig Cowden as president; Ryan Craig Cowden and Cody Cowden as directors; and Tom Orman as foundation manager.
Don Cowden Foundation Inc is led by Craig Cowden, President on every filing since 2020; all 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Craig Cowden
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$45K (2023) → $101K (2025)
Ryan Craig Cowden
Director
Vice President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$600 (2023) → $26K (2025)
Cody Cowden
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
$775 (2023) → $1K (2025)
Tom Orman
Foundation Manager
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$66K (2023) → $101K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Michael L Carmin (2020–2022) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $101K, to Craig Cowden (President). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 2177, Bloomington, IN 47402
Phone: (812) 336-8530
Frequently asked questions about Don Cowden Foundation Inc
How much does Don Cowden Foundation Inc give each year?
Don Cowden Foundation Inc gave $111K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $93K across 14 grants.
What is Don Cowden Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Don Cowden Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,650, and its average grant was $5,860, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Don Cowden Foundation Inc that year got $2K on average.
Where does Don Cowden Foundation Inc give grants?
Don Cowden Foundation Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Bloomington, IN (14 grants) and Ellettsville, IN (2 grants).
Does Don Cowden Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 11% of Don Cowden Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (11 grants).
Who are Don Cowden Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Don Cowden Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Hoosier Hills Food Bank ($24,000), Pantry 279 ($24,000) and RBB Family Store ($16,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Don Cowden Foundation Inc?
Don Cowden Foundation Inc reported $27.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $3.1M.
What does Don Cowden Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for food assistance, rent reduction, schools, and other organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Don Cowden Foundation Inc?
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 Don Cowden Foundation Inc's EIN?
Don Cowden Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-1968871. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Don Cowden Foundation Inc 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.
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