Franklin I & Irene List Saemann
The Franklin I. & Irene List Saemann Foundation is a private foundation established in 1987 following the death of Franklin I. Saemann. Based in Morrison, Illinois, the foundation was created by Franklin and Irene List Saemann to benefit culture, education, and health care. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with no employees.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.3M
Annual Giving
$210K
Grant Count
14
Avg Grant Size
$15K
Mission & Focus Areas
The primary mission of the foundation is to support Wartburg College, a four-year liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Waverly, Iowa. In addition to Wartburg, the foundation regularly makes grants supporting libraries, volunteer programs, hospitals, colleges, and other organizations.
Grantmaking
The foundation provides cash distributions to charitable organizations. Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $80,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin, with particular emphasis on the Warsaw, Indiana community and support for Wartburg College in Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of June 2024:
- Total Assets: $5,155,155
- Total Revenues: $1,111,381
- Total Expenses: $383,420
As of 2025 (most recent filing):
- Total Assets: $5,318,916
- Total Giving: $210,000
| Metric | 2025 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,318,916 | $4,427,194 | $4,399,200 |
| Revenue | $582,148 | $356,604 | $440,501 |
| Expenses | $418,387 | $328,610 | $354,445 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $210,000 | $181,900 | $202,900 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,833 | — | $233,320 |
| Distributable Amount | $225,540 | $261,260 | $328,012 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Amy Kilgus Chamley serves as chair of the Campaign for the Renovation of Centennial and Vollmer Halls, is a member of Wartburg College's Board of Regents, and serves as a trustee for the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMY C KILGUS CHAMLEY | TRUSTEE | — | $8,000 |
| ADAM KILGUS | TRUSTEE | — | $8,000 |
| JOANN A KILGUS | TRUSTEE | — | $8,000 |
| JUNE I WALLER | TRUSTEE | — | $8,000 |
| KATHERINE A KAUFFMAN | TRUSTEE | — | $8,000 |
| ROBERT LIST | TRUSTEE | — | $8,000 |
| JONATHAN WALLER | TRUSTEE | — | $8,000 |
| WALTER KILGUS | OFFICER | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In October 2021, the foundation announced a $1.5 million challenge gift to Wartburg College for the renovation of Centennial and Vollmer halls. This challenge gift was designed to help the college reach its $9 million fundraising goal for the project, which included a previous $1.5 million gift from the foundation in 2019.
Saemann Foundation Awards Cardinal $8,000In 2023, Cardinal Services received an $8,000 grant for the purchase of surveillance equipment to improve safety for drivers and passengers of the Kosciusko Area Bus Service.
Saemann Foundation Awards Cardinal $8,000The foundation continues to make regular grants to educational institutions and community organizations, with recent activity demonstrating ongoing support for Wartburg College and organizations serving the Warsaw, Indiana region.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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