Gardner Foundation Incorporated

LOUISVILLE, KY EIN: 31-0966287

Gardner Foundation Incorporated is a private foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky, established in 1979. It operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with no employees, relying on voluntary leadership to manage its grantmaking activities.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.7M

+1.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$93K

-6.5% YoY

Grant Count

+1.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$1K

-7.7% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gardner Foundation Incorporated reported a distributable amount of $108K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports a diverse range of charitable causes including:

Education
Conservation and environmental protection
Philanthropy and voluntarism
Human services
Religion and charitable work
Historic preservation
Medical research
Civic education

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$250–$7,500

Average Grant

approximately $1,109

Review Cycle

May 1

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in:

Kentucky (primary focus, especially Louisville)
Indiana
Virginia
Hawaii
Colorado

The foundation also supports various cities across the United States including Cincinnati and Memphis.

Grant Distribution by State

Kentucky $280K (82%)

Hawaii $19K (5%)

Indiana $18K (5%)

Colorado $13K (4%)

District of Columbia $7K (2%)

Virginia $4K (1%)

Tennessee $3K (1%)

+3 more states

States

Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Hawaii Illinois Indiana Kentucky Massachusetts Ohio Tennessee Virginia

Cities

CincinnatiClarksvilleClermontCrestwoodDurangoGoshenJeffersonvilleLexingtonLouisvilleMemphisMidwayMount WashingtonNew AlbanyNew MilfordPaiaPaynevillePeoriaProspectRestonRoanoke

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Most Recent Filing (2023):

Total assets: $1,665,277
Total annual giving: $98,950
Total revenues: $78,370
Total expenses: $109,407
Investment income and dividends: $55,985

Financial Trends:

Investment income increased 7.6% from prior year
Expense ratio: 139.6% of total revenue

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$1,683,702	$1,665,277	$1,696,314
Revenue	$120,812	$78,370	$87,786
Expenses	$102,387	$109,407	$111,214
Qualifying Distributions	$102,387	$109,407	$111,214
Net Investment Income	$110,925	$67,913	$76,822
Distributable Amount	$107,807	$100,662	$103,336

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

200 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Father John Judie Ministries Inc ($5,000), Kimokeo Foundation ($5,000), River Fields Inc ($4,500).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
FATHER JOHN JUDIE MINISTRIES INC Louisville, KY	Charitable	$5,000
Kimokeo Foundation Wailuku, HI	Charitable	$5,000
River Fields Inc Louisville, KY	Conservation	$4,500
Olmsted Parks Conservancy Inc Louisville, KY	ConservationEducational	$4,000
Kentucky Humane Society Louisville, KY	Charitable	$3,500
Filson Historical Society Louisville, KY	EducationalCivic	$3,500
Mission Wolf Westcliffe, CO	Conservation	$3,000
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest Clermont, KY	conservationeducational	$2,000
The Nature Conservancy Kentucky Chapter Lexington, KY	Conservation	$2,000
Pa'ia Youth and Cultural Ctr Paia, HI	Educationalcharitable	$2,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Key personnel (all serving on a voluntary, unpaid basis):

Marea B. Gardner – President
William A. Gardner Jr. – Vice President and Treasurer
Marea G. Clark – Secretary Trustee
Michael Y. Gardner – Trustee

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
WILLIAM A GARDNER JR	Vice President	14	—
MAREA G CLARK	Secretary Trustee	7	—
MICHAEL Y GARDNER	Trustee	7	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Gardner Foundation Incorporated fund?

The foundation supports a diverse range of charitable causes including: • Education • Conservation and environmental protection • Philanthropy and voluntarism • Human services • Religion and charitable work • Historic preservation • Medical research • Civic education

How do I apply for a grant from Gardner Foundation Incorporated?

**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant range: $250–$7,500 • Average grant size: approximately $1,109 • Recent annual giving: $98,950–$101,500 • Number of grants awarded: 75–81 grants annually **Recent Grant Recipients (2023):** • Kimokeo Foundation: $6,000 • Louisville Olmsted Parks Conservancy: $5,500 • River Fields: $4,500 • Second Stride Inc: $2,500 • Hosparus: $2,000 • Dogs Helping Heroes: $1,500 • Old Friends Inc: $1,000 • Paws with Purpose: $1,000 • Shamrock Foundation: $1,000 • Salva…

Where does Gardner Foundation Incorporated make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Kentucky (primary focus, especially Louisville) • Indiana • Virginia • Hawaii • Colorado The foundation also supports various cities across the United States including Cincinnati and Memphis.

What size grants does Gardner Foundation Incorporated award?

In 2024, Gardner Foundation Incorporated awarded 82 grants totaling $93K — an average of about $1K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Gardner Foundation Incorporated required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Gardner Foundation Incorporated reported a distributable amount of $108K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Gardner Foundation Incorporated's EIN?

Gardner Foundation Incorporated's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-0966287. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.