Franklin County Community Foundation
Franklin County Community Foundation is listed in IRS filing data as a public charity based in Franklin, Nebraska. Its 2024 filing describes work managing investments and administering scholarships, while its website describes grants, scholarships, and donor funds serving Franklin County, Indiana. The materials therefore identify different geographic scopes, which are reported separately below.
Franklin County Community Foundation at a glance
- Total assets
- $1,642,265
- +11.0% vs 2023
- Revenue (2024)
- $73,730
- +129.6% vs 2023
- Net investment income (2024)
- $50,657
- +96.3% vs 2023
- Expenses (2024)
- $45,920
- +19.8% vs 2023
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Franklin County Community Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The website says applications for grants from unrestricted endowments are available beginning in December. Special assistance and discretionary grants may be applied for at any time, subject to available funds and the relevant endowment criteria. The website lists an application deadline of December 31, 2026 for the FCCF Grant Application program.
- Next open deadline
- December 31, 2026 (FCCF Grant Application)
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 173, Franklin, NE 68939
Phone: (308) 425-6215
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Franklin County Community Foundation
Advised Grant Requests
Franklin County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Discretionary Grants
Franklin County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
FCCF Grant Application
Franklin County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Expected ~December
Based on past cycles
Who Franklin County Community Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
80 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 80 grants of 80 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The IRS filing identifies Franklin, Nebraska, and describes charitable giving in Franklin County, Nebraska. The foundation’s website and program materials identify Franklin County, Indiana, as the geographic scope for grants and scholarships.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
How Franklin County Community Foundation gives
- In 2022 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $32K (2021) to $39K (2022). In 2022 it made 29 grants totaling $39K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin County Ag Society Franklin, NE | GRANTS | $5,000 |
| Franklin Senior Center Franklin, NE | GRANTS | $3,500 |
| Franklin Co Historical Society Franklin, NE | GRANTS | $2,500 |
| Golden Years Center (Hildreth Senior Center) Hildreth, NE | GRANTS | $2,500 |
| 22 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $21,182 |
| CWF Franklin, NE | Donations | $2,000 |
| Franklin County Hospital Franklin, NE | Raffle Prizes | $1,000 |
| Steinkruger Funds -Union Franklin, NE | To Provide Swimming Lessons | $900 |
Ready to take the next step with Franklin County Community Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
IRS filing figures for the public charity:
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,642,265 | $73,730 | $45,920 | — | — | — | $50,657 | — |
| 2023 | $1,478,934 | $32,117 | $38,340 | — | — | — | $25,802 | — |
| 2022 | $1,031,684 | $47,026 | $57,202 | $38,582 | 29 | $44,035 | $33,225 | $51,392 |
| 2021 | $1,197,579 | $62,941 | $53,554 | $32,484 | 26 | $32,484 | $27,236 | $58,231 |
| 2020 | $1,178,620 | $41,936 | $51,334 | $33,320 | 25 | — | $11,893 | $54,380 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission stated in the 2024 filing is “to provide a fiscal intermediary that might direct scholarships for the Franklin Public Schools.” The filing says the foundation holds and manages investments for other institutions, groups, or associations; administers annual educational scholarships for graduating high school students and nontraditional students; and promotes general giving to charitable organizations within Franklin County, Nebraska. It says scholarship funds are paid directly to the college, university, or trade school after requirements are confirmed.
The website’s grant materials describe support for projects in Franklin County, Indiana. Examples in its 2026 grant-recipient listing include school athletics, fire department equipment, playground improvements, solar and electric lighting, wheelchair ramps, and historical-site flooring. These are examples of funded projects, not a complete statement of funding priorities.
Grantmaking
IRS filing data reports 29 grants totaling $38,582 in 2022. It reports no grants for 2023 or 2024. Separately, the website’s program information says more than $320,779 was available for the 2025 grant cycle, with $140,303 awarded to applicants. For the 2026 cycle, the website reports more than $381,340 available and $178,010 awarded to organizations that completed the application process. The available sources do not provide a typical grant size or amounts for the individual 2026 awards.
The website’s 2026 recipient list includes Franklin County High School Athletics for a wrestling mat and Franklin County High School Football for helmets, among other organizations and projects. It does not give award amounts for those entries in the material provided.
The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is described as an award for graduating Franklin County, Indiana, high school students, but its listed August 31, 2026 deadline has passed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 IRS filing lists Jerrell Gerdes as president; Stuart Wilsman as vice president through January; Kim Grams as vice president from January; Shelley Kahrs as secretary; Tom Moore as treasurer; and Bernie Stratman as director.
Franklin County Community Foundation is led by Jerrell Gerdes, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jerrell Gerdes
President
On filings since 2020
4.6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bernie Stratman
Director
On filings since 2023
1.6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kim Grams
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1.6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shelley Kahrs
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stuart Wilsman
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom Moore
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Wayne Hinrich (2020–2023) — Secretary
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 Franklin County Community Foundation
How large is Franklin County Community Foundation?
Franklin County Community Foundation reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $74K.
What does Franklin County Community Foundation fund?
The mission stated in the 2024 filing is “to provide a fiscal intermediary that might direct scholarships for the Franklin Public Schools.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Franklin County Community Foundation?
The website says applications for grants from unrestricted endowments are available beginning in December. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Franklin County Community Foundation make grants?
The IRS filing identifies Franklin, Nebraska, and describes charitable giving in Franklin County, Nebraska. The foundation’s website and program materials identify Franklin County, Indiana, as the geographic scope for grants and scholarships.
What is Franklin County Community Foundation's EIN?
Franklin County Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-0785730. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 3, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Franklin County Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Figures come from Franklin County Community 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.
Franklin County Community Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?