Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer
Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer is a private foundation based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Its 2025 filing reports 21 grants totaling $97,000, all to recipients in Indiana.
Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer at a glance
In short: Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer gave $97K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Indiana. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $97,000
- +8.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- +5.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,619
- +3.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,904,261
- -0.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (4 of 21, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (100% 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 Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer
- 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. Its 2024 filing describes submissions in letter format, with financial data and project objectives. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None listed on the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- None listed on the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Michele Herald
Mailing address: 855 Webster Street Ste 200, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Phone: (260) 469-6311
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fort Wayne Philharmonic ($10K). Together the top 10 received $64K.
Grant Size Distribution
95 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 95 grants of 95 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Indiana. Named recipients include organizations in Fort Wayne, Bluffton, Huntertown, and Muncie.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 21 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $73K (2020) to $97K (2025). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $97K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne Philharmonic Fort Wayne, IN | Capital Campaign | $10,000 |
| Wells County Boys and Girls Club Bluffton, IN | Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Community Harvest Food Bank Fort Wayne, IN | Operating Support | $8,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN | Annual Gift | $6,250 |
| Acres Land Trust Huntertown, IN | Annual Gift | $5,000 |
| Animal Rescue Fund Muncie, IN | Memorial Gift | $5,000 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters Fort Wayne, IN | Annual Gift | $5,000 |
| Fort Wayne Children's Zoo Fort Wayne, IN | Annual Gift | $5,000 |
| Matthew 25 Health Clinic Fort Wayne, IN | General Support | $5,000 |
| Wells County Foundation Bluffton, IN | Friends of Bluffton Shelter | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,904,261 | $107,811 | $110,371 | $97,000 | 21 | $103,629 | $101,069 | $111,140 |
| 2024 | $1,906,821 | $222,214 | $101,905 | $89,218 | 20 | $95,528 | $215,837 | $102,067 |
| 2023 | $1,786,512 | $25,400 | $106,631 | $94,750 | 18 | $100,525 | $31,537 | $95,042 |
| 2022 | $1,867,743 | $59,357 | $108,494 | $96,500 | 18 | $102,497 | $53,360 | $101,171 |
| 2021 | $1,916,880 | $444,490 | $93,283 | $80,400 | 18 | $86,819 | $438,026 | $102,513 |
| 2020 | $1,565,673 | $183,483 | $84,707 | $73,200 | 17 | — | $177,487 | $85,885 |
| 2019 | $1,466,897 | $463,643 | $85,793 | $75,200 | 17 | — | $458,303 | $78,442 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer reported a distributable amount of $111K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants include support for arts, youth services, food assistance, conservation, animal welfare, health, and community organizations.
Some grantees describe their work as follows: Wells County Foundation says it seeks to enhance the present and future quality of life in Wells County. Animal Rescue Fund describes its work as promoting care for animals through education, medical care, prevention, and placement. YWCA Northeast Indiana says it empowers individuals and communities through advocacy, education, and support services. Science Central describes itself as providing hands-on science education for people of all ages. Healthier Moms and Babies says it works to reduce infant mortality and improve pregnancy outcomes through education and case management for low-income, high-risk pregnant women and their families. Wellspring Interfaith Social describes its work as serving Allen County’s social, physical, and educational needs.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 21 grants totaling $97,000. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $10,000, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest awards were $10,000 to Fort Wayne Philharmonic for a capital campaign, $10,000 to Wells County Boys and Girls Club for operating support, and $8,000 to Community Harvest Food Bank for operating support. Other grants included $6,250 to Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne and $5,000 each to Acres Land Trust, Animal Rescue Fund, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, Matthew 25 Health Clinic, Wells County Foundation, and YWCA Northeast Indiana.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Patricia Schaefer, Diane S Humphrey, and First Merchants Bank as trustees.
Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
First Merchants Bank
Trustee
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$11K (2019) → $13K (2025)
Diane S. Humphrey
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Schaefer
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $13K, to First Merchants Bank (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer
How much does Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer give each year?
Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer gave $97K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $89K across 20 grants.
What is Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer's typical grant size?
Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $4,619, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer that year got $4K on average.
Where does Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer give grants?
Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer 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 Fort Wayne, IN (14 grants) and Bluffton, IN (3 grants).
Does Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer give general operating support?
Yes: 38% of Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Annual Gift" (7 grants).
Who are Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer's largest grantees?
Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer's largest 2025 grantees include Fort Wayne Philharmonic ($10,000), Wells County Boys and Girls Club ($10,000) and Community Harvest Food Bank ($8,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer?
Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer reported $1.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $104K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $111K (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 Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for arts, youth services, food assistance, conservation, animal welfare, health, and community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer's EIN?
Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-6043926. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 29, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/edward-and-hildegarde-schaefer-morg_e75162811a504351bbcab0d0e172038d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_356043926_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Edward \& Hildegarde Schaefer funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/edward-and-hildegarde-schaefer-morg_e75162811a504351bbcab0d0e172038d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Edward & Hildegarde Schaefer'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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