Fernwall Foundation
Fernwall Foundation is a private foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2024, it reported 16 grants totaling $58,500 to charitable organizations, with listed grant purposes including general support, missionary support, and support for a scholarship fund and a college fund.
Fernwall Foundation at a glance
In short: Fernwall Foundation gave $59K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), top state Nebraska. 13% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $58,500
- +14.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +6.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,656
- +7.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,500
- Total assets
- $680,660
- -1.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (2 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (28% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Fernwall Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 6023 South 102Nd Avenue, Omaha, NE 68127-4502
Phone: (402) 290-5480
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Fernwall Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Global Friends ($8K). Together the top 10 received $48K.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 59 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states. Nebraska received 28% of grant dollars, Illinois 17%, New York 10%, Minnesota 10%, and California 7%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Fernwall Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 16 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 88% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 244% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 160% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $17K (2021) to $64K (2022). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $59K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Global Friends Omaha, NE | General Fund | $7,500 |
| Navigators Albert Lea, MN | Missionary Support | $6,000 |
| Youth for Christ Omaha, NE | General Fund | $6,000 |
| CBMC Inc Wheaton, IL | Missionary Support | $5,000 |
| Wheaton College Wheaton, IL | Wheaton Fund | $5,000 |
| Novo Mission Inc Anaheim, CA | Missionary Support | $4,000 |
| Pioneers USA Orlando, FL | Missionary Support | $4,000 |
| Powerquest Worldwide Boone, NC | General Fund | $4,000 |
| Camp Pattersonville Pattersonville, NY | General Fund | $3,000 |
| Loudonville Christian School Loudonville, NY | Siemens Scholarship Fund | $3,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $680,660 | $54,276 | $67,220 | $58,500 | 16 | $58,500 | $16,179 | $36,624 |
| 2023 | $693,604 | $-1,981 | $59,135 | $51,000 | 15 | $51,000 | $18,598 | $32,225 |
| 2022 | $754,720 | $42,664 | $72,022 | $64,000 | 6 | $64,000 | $19,117 | $34,799 |
| 2021 | $784,078 | $15,931 | $19,010 | $17,026 | 6 | $17,026 | $12,931 | $36,509 |
| 2020 | $787,157 | $256,578 | $55,296 | $51,806 | 16 | — | $215,587 | $35,492 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fernwall Foundation reported a distributable amount of $37K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants show support for organizations including a college, a rescue mission, and organizations receiving missionary support. Wheaton College describes its own mission as serving Jesus Christ and advancing His kingdom through liberal arts and graduate programs that educate the whole person to build the church and benefit society worldwide. Open Door Mission describes itself as a gospel rescue mission that meets the needs of individuals and families while inspiring hope for lasting change related to homelessness and poverty.
Grantmaking
In 2024, Fernwall Foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $58,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $7,500, with a median grant of $3,500.
Among the largest reported grants were $7,500 to Global Friends for its general fund; $6,000 each to Navigators for missionary support and Youth for Christ for its general fund; and $5,000 each to CBMC Inc. for missionary support and Wheaton College for the Wheaton Fund. Other listed grants included $4,000 each to Novo Mission Inc. and Pioneers USA for missionary support, and $3,000 to Open Door Mission for its general fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists David R. Siemens as president/treasurer; Kimberly E. Ralph, Rebecca L. Perry, and Scott D. Siemens as co-vice-presidents; and Elizabeth B. Siemens as secretary.
Fernwall Foundation is led by David R. Siemens, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David R. Siemens
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth B. Siemens
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kimberly E. Ralph
Co Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Rebecca L. Perry
Co Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Scott D. Siemens
Co Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Fernwall Foundation
How much does Fernwall Foundation give each year?
Fernwall Foundation gave $59K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $51K across 15 grants.
What is Fernwall Foundation's typical grant size?
Fernwall Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $3,500, and its average grant was $3,656, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Fernwall Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Fernwall Foundation give grants?
Fernwall Foundation's top state is Nebraska, with 28% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Illinois (17%) and New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Omaha, NE (3 grants) and Wheaton, IL (2 grants).
Does Fernwall Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 44% of Fernwall Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (7 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Missionary Support" (5 grants).
Who are Fernwall Foundation's largest grantees?
Fernwall Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Global Friends ($7,500), Navigators ($6,000) and Youth for Christ ($6,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Fernwall Foundation?
Fernwall Foundation reported $681K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $59K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $37K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Fernwall Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations including a college, a rescue mission, and organizations receiving missionary support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Fernwall Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Fernwall Foundation's EIN?
Fernwall Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4726788. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Fernwall Foundation 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Fernwall Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fernwall Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Fernwall Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/fernwall-foundation-morg_71cdfdf77f584f6f9383d9e8740f0faf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_814726788_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Fernwall Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/fernwall-foundation-morg_71cdfdf77f584f6f9383d9e8740f0faf},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Fernwall Foundation'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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