Edwin T Meredith Foundation

DES MOINES, IA EIN: 42-6059818

The Edwin T Meredith Foundation is a private foundation based in Des Moines, Iowa, incorporated in 1946. The foundation has been tax-exempt since August 1949 and operates as a family foundation with a focus on supporting charitable organizations through strategic grantmaking.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$1.4M

+4.3% YoY

Grant Count

+35.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$73K

-23.2% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Primary funding interests include:

Arts and culture
Child welfare
Community improvement
Education
Science
Youth agencies
Historic preservation

Grantmaking

Grant Range

s:** Typical awards range from $4,000 to $400,000.

How to Apply

** The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Iowa, Wyoming, and Colorado. Specific counties of focus include Johnson, Polk, and Warren counties in Iowa.

Grant Distribution by State

Iowa $4.9M (71%)

Wyoming $1.0M (14%)

Florida $525K (8%)

District of Columbia $360K (5%)

Colorado $50K (1%)

Montana $20K (0%)

Virginia $8K (0%)

New York $5K (0%)

+1 more states

States

Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Iowa Montana New York Virginia Wyoming

Cities

BIG HORNBIGFORKBROOKLYNCASPERCHEYENNECLEARMONTDES MOINESINDIANOLAIOWA CITYJOHNSTONLARAMIEMACHIPONGOPARKERSARASOTASHERIDANSTONINGTONURBANDALEWASHINGTONWEST DES MOINES

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $22,653,412 (as of most recent filing)
Total Annual Giving: $1,386,000
Latest Financial Data: December 2023

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	—	—	—
Revenue	—	—	—
Expenses	—	—	—
Qualifying Distributions	—	—	—
Net Investment Income	—	—	—
Distributable Amount	—	—	—

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

81 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Drake University ($400,000), Science Center of Iowa ($275,000), The Brinton Museum ($212,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF CENTRAL IOWA DES MOINES, IA	CIVIC AND CULTURAL	$175,000
CHARLIE RUSSELL RIDERS FOUNDATION BIGFORK, MT	CIVIC AND CULTURAL	$5,000
CONNECTION CAFE URBANDALE, IA	HEALTH AND RELIGION	$5,000
DCHS ANNUAL APPEAL WEST DES MOINES, IA	EDUCATIONAL	$10,000
DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS DES MOINES, IA	CIVIC AND CULTURAL	$4,000
DRAKE UNIVERSITY DES MOINES, IA	EDUCATIONAL	$400,000
MOTE MARINE LABORATORY & AQUAR SARASOTA, FL	CIVIC AND CULTURAL	$100,000
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE OF THE BIG HORN SHERIDAN, WY	HEALTH AND RELIGION	$10,000
SCIENCE CENTER OF IOWA DES MOINES, IA	CIVIC AND CULTURAL	$275,000
SIMPSON COLLEGE INDIANOLA, IA	EDUCATIONAL	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

D Mell Meredith Frazier – President
ET Meredith IV – Vice President
Cheri Cipperly – Secretary

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
D MELL MEREDITH FRAZIER	PRESIDENT	1	—
ET MEREDITH IV ET MEREDITH IV	VICE PRESIDENT	1	—
CHERI A CIPPERLEY	TREASURER	1	—

Contact Information

Address: 3106 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312

Phone: 515-284-2096

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Edwin T Meredith Foundation fund?

The foundation's purpose centers on grants for youth agencies, higher education, cultural programs, and historic preservation. The foundation also provides support for hospitals and health agencies, as well as conservation efforts. Primary funding interests include: • Arts and culture • Child welfare • Community improvement • Education • Science • Youth agencies • Historic preservation

How do I apply for a grant from Edwin T Meredith Foundation?

**Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $4,000 to $400,000. **Annual Giving:** The foundation distributed $1,329,000 in total grants as of its most recent financial data (December 2023). **Application Process:** The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited proposals. **Sample Recent Grants:** • Drake University: $400,000 • Science Center of Iowa: $275,000 • Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa: $275,000 • Public Library of Des …

Where does Edwin T Meredith Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Iowa, Wyoming, and Colorado. Specific counties of focus include Johnson, Polk, and Warren counties in Iowa.