The Earl Bane Foundation is a private foundation established in 1994 in Salina, Kansas. Founded by Earl Bane, a prominent Dairy Queen entrepreneur who operated 148 stores across seven states, the foundation was created as his way of giving back to the Salina community after his retirement from the business sector. Since its founding, the foundation has awarded more than $18 million in grants and scholarships.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.4M
+21.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
+70.4% YoY
Grant Count
1
-98.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.8M
+11831.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Earl Bane Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on improving Saline County and making it a better place for residents to live, work, and thrive. The foundation focuses on two primary areas:
Community Improvement Grants support nonprofit organizations and local governments providing educational, economic, scientific, or religious benefits to Salina and Saline County.
Education is advanced through a scholarship program for high school seniors from Saline County attending Kansas colleges, with criteria reflecting Earl Bane's values of strong work ethic, initiative, and resourcefulness.
Funding interests include:
- Higher education
- Children and youth services
- Social services
- Healthcare
- Community development
- Arts and culture
Grantmaking
The foundation does not use a formal grant application form. Organizations submit requests as letters including:
Grant Range
s and Types:**
Review Cycle
**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Saline County, Kansas. A limited number of grants are made to organizations outside the area that reflect Earl Bane's personal philanthropic interests.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending April 2025:
- Total Assets: $12,360,341
- Total Revenues: $4,215,612
- Total Expenses: $2,024,665
- Total Giving: $1,846,600
- Number of Grants: 71 (in prior year)
Revenue Composition (FY 2025):
- Investment income and dividends: $341,710
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $3,873,902
Historical Assets:
- FY 2024: $10,200,000
- FY 2023: $9,200,000
The foundation operates with no employees and maintains a giving rate of approximately 14.9% of assets.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,360,341 | $10,169,394 | $9,203,490 |
| Revenue | $4,215,612 | $2,191,586 | $323,564 |
| Expenses | $2,024,665 | $1,224,586 | $1,496,246 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,906,016 | $1,144,579 | $1,352,385 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,117,801 | $2,111,621 | $247,903 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,490,541 | $1,289,314 | $1,212,598 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 1 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
201 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include See Attached Listing ($1,846,600).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| See Attached Listing Saline County, KS | Fulfillment of Articles of Incorporation | $1,846,600 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Trustees:
- Robert Buster
- Melanie Bailey
- Mindy Tillberg
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Buster | President | 1 | $8,500 |
| Melanie Bailey | Treasurer | 2 | $16,750 |
| Mindy Tillberg | Secretary | 3 | $16,750 |
| Corlene Lange | Trustee | 1 | $8,500 |
| David Mills | Trustee | 2 | $8,500 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grant recipients have included Bethany College, Smoky Hills PBS, and the Salina Area Utility Women (SAUW), which received $200,000 for a childcare initiative. The foundation continues to award scholarships annually, with 2026 scholarship recipients announced and applications accepted through March 2, 2026.
Earl Bane Foundation Awards Grant to Smoky Hills PBS | KRSL.comIn 2019, Earl Bane was posthumously inducted into the Salina Business Hall of Fame in recognition of his entrepreneurial spirit and enduring contributions to the community.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Earl Bane Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on improving Saline County and making it a better place for residents to live, work, and thrive. The foundation focuses on two primary areas: **Community Improvement Grants** support nonprofit organizations and local governments providing educational, economic, scientific, or religious benefits to Salina and Saline County. **Education** is advanced through a scholarship program for high school seniors from Saline County attending Kansas colleges, with criteria r…
How do I apply for a grant from Earl Bane Foundation?
**Grant Sizes and Types:** • Typical awards range from $500 to $200,000 • Types of support include building funds, computers, and other capital needs **Application Process:** The foundation does not use a formal grant application form. Organizations submit requests as letters including: • The amount requested • How the grant will benefit the community and/or those served • The purpose of the funding request • A brief description of the organization Nonprofit organizations must provide proof of …
Where does Earl Bane Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Saline County, Kansas. A limited number of grants are made to organizations outside the area that reflect Earl Bane's personal philanthropic interests.
What size grants does Earl Bane Foundation award?
In 2025, Earl Bane Foundation awarded 1 grants totaling $1.8M — an average of about $1.8M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Earl Bane Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Earl Bane Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Earl Bane Foundation's EIN?
Earl Bane Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 48-1152429. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Earl Bane Foundation'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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