Future Farmers of America
Future Farmers of America, officially the National FFA Organization, is a public charity based in Indianapolis, Indiana. It supports agricultural education and student development through programs for FFA members, chapters, advisors, and state FFA associations and foundations.
Key facts about Future Farmers of America
In short: Future Farmers of America gave $1.2M across 99 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), top state Indiana. 42% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 54-0524844
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,229,104
- Grants made (2025)
- 99
- Average grant
- $12,415
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (42 of 99, 2025)
- Total assets
- $40,642,126
- Primary geography
- Indiana (28% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Deadline
- The Grants for Growing timeline lists an application period from March 1 to May 17, 2027.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$40.6M
+15.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
+60.0% YoY
Grant Count
99
+23.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
+29.3% YoY
Is Future Farmers of America open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 42 of 99 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $11K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s mission is to make a positive difference in students’ lives by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Its stated work includes developing agricultural leadership, encouraging supervised agricultural experiences, promoting agricultural career choices, and building skills in teamwork, communication, citizenship, and resource management.
Its financial assistance programs include competitive Living to Serve grants for FFA chapters and state FFA associations or foundations, supporting service projects in community safety, hunger, health and nutrition, environmental responsibility, and community engagement. Grants for Growing offers middle and high school chapters up to $5,000 for project-based or experiential learning. Other listed opportunities include Supervised Agricultural Experience grants for members and grants and scholarships for alumni and supporters.
Among organizations receiving grants in 2025, the Indiana FFA Foundation described its mission as supporting, funding, and promoting the programs and objectives of the Indiana FFA Association and Indiana FFA Leadership Center. The South Dakota FFA Foundation described its mission as preparing and supporting people for careers, building awareness, and developing leadership in food, fiber, and natural resources. The Utah Future Farmers of America Association described its mission as educating and training FFA students in Utah.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the organization reported 99 grants totaling $1,229,104. Grant amounts ranged from $5,146 to $80,349, with a median of $10,000. The listed grant purposes were “2025 PROF GRANT.” The largest reported awards included $80,349 to INCOMM DIGITAL SOLUTIONS LLC, $54,106 to FCAE, and $36,000 to the Indiana FFA Foundation. Other notable recipients included Galesburg FFA and North Decatur FFA, each receiving $30,000, and the Missouri FFA Association, which received $29,300.
The organization’s website describes competitive application processes for several programs. Living to Serve grants support projects by eligible chapters and state associations or foundations, with award limits varying by project type: up to $500 for a one-time mini-grant, $1,500 per semester for a semester-long project, $3,000 for a yearlong project, and $8,000 for a state day of service. Grants for Growing offers eligible middle and high school chapters up to $5,000 for projects in classroom learning, chapter development, or agricultural awareness. The website says scholarship applicants use one application for multiple scholarship opportunities.
Review Cycle
The Grants for Growing timeline lists an application period from March 1 to May 17, 2027. Living to Serve application dates vary by grant type; the website lists monthly, semester-based, annual, and state-event schedules.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Future Farmers of America
Ready to take the next step with Future Farmers of America?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization is based in Indiana. Its 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states; the largest reported state shares were Indiana (28%), Illinois (12%), and Georgia (8%), followed by Wisconsin and North Dakota (3% each). The FFA Alumni Legacy Grant program is described as having a United States geographic scope.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 99 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $400K (2021) to $1.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 99 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Incomm Digital Solutions LLC ($80K). Together the top 10 received $346K.
Grant Size Distribution
326 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 324 grants of 326 (99%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Incomm Digital Solutions LLC Atlanta, GA | 2025 Prof Grant | $80,349 |
| Fcae Winfield, IL | 2025 Prof Grant | $54,106 |
| Indiana FFA Foundation Trafalgar, IN | 2025 Prof Grant | $36,000 |
| Galesburg FFA Galesburg, IL | 2025 Prof Grant | $30,000 |
| North Decatur FFA Greensburg, IN | 2025 Prof Grant | $30,000 |
| Missouri FFA Association Jefferson City, MO | 2025 Prof Grant | $29,300 |
| Eastern Hancock FFA Charlottesville, IN | 2025 Prof Grant | $24,400 |
| California Association of FFA Galt, CA | 2025 Prof Grant | $21,100 |
| Minnesota FFA Association Litchfield, MN | 2025 Prof Grant | $20,900 |
| North Carolina FFA Association Raleigh, NC | 2025 Prof Grant | $20,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $40,642,126 | $38,135,104 | $34,195,419 | $1,229,104 (99 grants) |
| 2024 | $35,260,268 | $36,041,680 | $33,518,820 | $768,291 (80 grants) |
| 2023 | $38,031,211 | $36,130,783 | $30,288,291 | $713,152 (65 grants) |
The organization’s filing says its board created a $4 million quasi-endowment fund in 2023, with an annual distribution of up to 5% to support operating and program expenses.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $40,642,126 | $35,260,268 | $38,031,211 |
| Revenue | $38,135,104 | $36,041,680 | $36,130,783 |
| Expenses | $34,195,419 | $33,518,820 | $30,288,291 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,186,624 | $1,106,816 | $1,045,807 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 18, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 5, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Cheryl Zimmerman as national executive secretary, Matt Winkle as national treasurer, and Travis Park as national advisor and board chairman. It also lists Aaron McKim, Casandra Carter, Daphnne Bonaparte, Gordon Eichelberger, Jennifer Jackson, Keith Dietzschold, and Kristin Stair as board members.
Future Farmers of America is led by Scott Stump, Chief Executive Officer since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 8 of 21 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Scott Stump
Chief Executive Officer
Board Member → Chief Exe. Officer, 2021
Chief Exe. Officer → Chief Executive Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$66K (2021) → $141K (2025)
Travis Park
Nat'l Advisor & Board Chairman
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Martin Peterson
Director & Information Tech.
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$149K (2020) → $178K (2025)
Larry Downes
Director & Marketing Committee
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$113K (2021) → $131K (2025)
Lisa Richards
Director & Merchandise Svcs
Director & Merchandise Services → Director & Merchandise Svcs, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$134K (2021) → $144K (2025)
Anila Din
Director & Human Resources
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$128K (2023) → $153K (2025)
Tonya Califar
Controller - Director of Financial Service
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$139K (2025)
Christine White
Chief Program Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$150K (2020) → $177K (2025)
Dan Riley
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2023
30 hrs/week
$64K (2023) → $149K (2025)
Cheryl Zimmerman
National Executive Secretary
National Executive Secretary → Interim Nat'l Advisor & Chair, 2022
Interim Nat'l Advisor & Chair → National Executive Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Winkle
National Treasurer
Board Member → National Treasurer-Elect, 2022
National Treasurer-Elect → National Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daphnne Bonaparte
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aaron McKim
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Keith Dietzschold
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marc Beitia
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gordon Eichelberger
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristin Stair
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Brammer
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Casandra Carter
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Jackson
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Aarsvold
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (25)
- Former: Barbara Jenkins (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Charles Parker (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Deanna Schnuck (2023–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Melissa Rekeweg (2023–2024) — Managing Director, Ncae, Associate Director & Strategic Initiatives
- Former: David Schapker (2020–2023) — Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Jessica Blythe (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Ben Lastly (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Brandon Davis (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Dave Gossman (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Eric Rubenstein (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: James R. Woodard (2020–2022) — Nat'l Advisor & Board Chairman · Filing note: Ended 531
- Former: William Deimler (2020–2022) — National Treasurer
- Former: Sharon Miller (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Deanna Theis (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Greg Hirneisen (2022) — Application Development
- Former: Gwen Weathersbe (2022) — Director & Human Resources · Filing note: Ended 105
- Former: Matt Eddy (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Dennis Wallace (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Gwendolyn Weathersbe (2020–2021) — Director & Human Resources
- Former: Lee Anne Shiller (2020–2021) — Director & Mdse Services
- Former: Leon Busdieker (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Mark Poeschl (2020–2021) — Chief Exe. Officer · Filing note: Ended 714
- Former: Susanne Wasson (2020–2021) — Board Member · Filing note: Began 2/2005
- Former: Travis Bradshaw (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Chris Bacchus (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $178K, to Martin Peterson (Director, Information Tech.). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 6060 Ffa Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46278
Phone: (317) 802-4306
Website: https://ffa.org
Frequently asked questions about Future Farmers of America
How much does Future Farmers of America give each year?
Future Farmers of America gave $1.2M across 99 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $768K across 80 grants.
What is Future Farmers of America's typical grant size?
Future Farmers of America's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,415, across 99 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Future Farmers of America that year got $12K on average.
Where does Future Farmers of America give grants?
Future Farmers of America's top state is Indiana, with 28% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Illinois (12%) and Georgia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Springfield, IL (3 grants), Greensburg, IN (2 grants), Manhattan, KS (2 grants) and Bismarck, ND (2 grants).
Does Future Farmers of America give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 99 grants with a stated purpose on Future Farmers of America's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "2025 Prof Grant" (99 grants).
Who are Future Farmers of America's largest grantees?
Future Farmers of America's largest 2025 grantees include Incomm Digital Solutions LLC ($80,349), Fcae ($54,106) and Indiana FFA Foundation ($36,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Future Farmers of America?
Future Farmers of America reported $40.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $38.1M.
What does Future Farmers of America fund?
The organization’s mission is to make a positive difference in students’ lives by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Future Farmers of America?
Future Farmers of America has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check ffa.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Future Farmers of America's EIN?
Future Farmers of America's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-0524844. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Here's the math on researching Future Farmers of America by hand.
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Future Farmers of America down — hundreds of funders to go?