Hazel & Walter Bales Foundation
The Hazel & Walter T. Bales Foundation, Inc. is a private foundation established in 1989 and based in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The foundation was created by Hazel Albro Bales and her husband Walter, who built the Bales Motor Company from a small Dodge and Plymouth dealership in 1952 into a major automotive enterprise. The foundation maintains a significant philanthropic presence in the Southern Indiana region, with a focus on improving the lives of those in need.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.9M
-2.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$836K
+2.4% YoY
Grant Count
41
-6.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$20K
+9.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Hazel & Walter Bales Foundation reported a distributable amount of $962K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary focus is improving the lives of those in need in Clark County, Southern Indiana, and Jefferson County, Kentucky. Grant-making priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
The foundation supports the Hazel and Walter T. Bales Scholarship, administered through the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana. The scholarship awards up to $2,000 and is available to residents of Clark or Floyd counties in Indiana studying business or automotive technology in Indiana or Kentucky. Special consideration is given to students from Jeffersonville High School. Minimum 2.0 GPA required.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Clark County, Indiana
- Southern Indiana
- Jefferson County, Kentucky
- Floyd County, Indiana
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $10,862,902
- Total Annual Giving: $835,850
- Principal Office Address: 6218 Conservation Drive, Jeffersonville, IN 47130
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,862,902 | $11,117,611 | $11,103,642 |
| Revenue | $703,007 | $893,829 | $611,728 |
| Expenses | $963,610 | $879,860 | $1,016,361 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $842,599 | $796,878 | $934,168 |
| Net Investment Income | $601,289 | $823,135 | $549,755 |
| Distributable Amount | $962,174 | $796,096 | $810,941 |
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
213 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include River Heritage ($250,000), Serinity House ($50,000), Choices ($28,850).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARTS ALLIANCE OF SI NEW ALBANY, IN | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| FAMILY ARK JEFFERSONVILLE, IN | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| MICAH CHRISTIAN SCHOOL LOUISVILLE, KY | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| GIRL SCOUTS OF KENTUCKINA LOUISVILLE, KY | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| COMMUNITY KITCHEN JEFFERSONVILLE, IN | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| IN SALUTE TO VETERANS MEMPHIS, IN | GENERAL | $1,500 |
| CENTER FOR LAY MINISTREIS JEFFERSONVILLE, IN | GENERAL | $20,000 |
| YOUTH FOR CHRIST SI ENGLEWOOD, CO | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| FAITHPOINT CHURCH Floyds Knobs, IN | PLAYGROUND | $10,000 |
| JEFF MAIN ST JEFFERSONVILLE, IN | GENERAL | $8,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Lori Lewis – Foundation Executive Director and Registered Agent
- Les Albro – Vice President (Hazel Bales' cousin; 59-year veteran salesman at Bales automotive)
- Sylvia Cubranic – Board Member (Hazel Bales' sister)
- Judy Adamson – Foundation Secretary (daughter of Sylvia Cubranic; niece of Walter and Hazel Bales)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JUDY ADAMSON | SECRETARY | — | — |
| LORI LEWIS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation remains actively engaged in the Southern Indiana community. Board members conducted a site visit to Family & Children's Place's Clark County office in July 2015 to review the impact of their $15,000 grant supporting the agency's new facilities and services.
Ezell\u2019s, Hazel Danielle Clayton Foundation Award Inaugural Grant To\Frequently Asked Questions
What does Hazel & Walter Bales Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary focus is improving the lives of those in need in Clark County, Southern Indiana, and Jefferson County, Kentucky. Grant-making priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Hazel & Walter Bales Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $1,500 to $250,000. **Recent Grants:** • $15,000 to Family & Children's Place for their new Clark County office in Jeffersonville, supporting counseling services and forensic interviews related to child abuse cases (2015) • Approximately $12,000 (jointly with Community Foundation of Southern Indiana) to Re:Center Ministries for classroom equipment and technology to support job readiness programming for homeless individuals **Scholarship Program:** Th…
Where does Hazel & Walter Bales Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Clark County, Indiana • Southern Indiana • Jefferson County, Kentucky • Floyd County, Indiana
What size grants does Hazel & Walter Bales Foundation award?
In 2024, Hazel & Walter Bales Foundation awarded 41 grants totaling $836K — an average of about $20K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Hazel & Walter Bales Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Hazel & Walter Bales Foundation reported a distributable amount of $962K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Hazel & Walter Bales Foundation's EIN?
Hazel & Walter Bales Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-1783030. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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