Heartland Bank Foundation
Heartland Bank Foundation is a private foundation based in Geneva, Nebraska. Its 2025 filing reports grants to Nebraska organizations and individual scholarship recipients, including support for a county fair, community foundations, schools, and community organizations.
Heartland Bank Foundation at a glance
In short: Heartland Bank Foundation gave $109K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Nebraska. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $109,167
- +39.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- -19.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,764
- +73.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $1,623,130
- +7.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Heartland Bank Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The filing describes an application process for scholarships through a form provided by Heartland Trust Company. It also states that the foundation gives only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists April 1 of the year preceding the academic year.
- Deadline
- The filing lists April 1 of the year preceding the academic year.
- Contact
Application contact: Heartland Trust Company
Mailing address: 896 G Street PO Box 313, Geneva, NE 68361
Phone: (402) 759-3114
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Heartland Bank Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Garfield County Frontier Fair Association ($38K). Together the top 10 received $74K.
Organizations only. It also paid 19 individual scholarships ($35,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
126 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 126 grants of 126 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Nebraska. The listed grants include communities such as Burwell, Hastings, Aurora, and Hampton.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Heartland Bank Foundation gives
- Giving grew 98% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 87% 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-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $11K (2021) to $109K (2025). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $109K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Garfield County Frontier Fair Association Burwell, NE | Donation | $37,500 |
| Hastings Community Foundation Hastings, NE | Donation | $5,000 |
| YMCA of Hastings Nebraska Hastings, NE | Donation | $5,000 |
| Bremer Center Aurora, NE | Donation | $5,000 |
| Hamilton Community Foundation Aurora, NE | Donation | $5,000 |
| Calamus Area Community Fund Burwell, NE | Donation | $5,000 |
| Hampton Veterans Memorial Hampton, NE | Donation | $5,000 |
| Amherst Public Schools Amherst, NE | Donation | $2,500 |
| HPS Foundation Hastings, NE | Donation | $2,500 |
| 19 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $35,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Heartland Bank Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,623,130 | $239,562 | $124,184 | $109,167 | 29 | $109,167 | $26,770 | $126,152 |
| 2024 | $1,507,752 | $332,393 | $91,267 | $78,333 | 36 | $78,333 | $21,329 | $107,320 |
| 2023 | $1,266,626 | $327,712 | $80,146 | $69,333 | 27 | $69,333 | $19,750 | $80,097 |
| 2022 | $1,019,060 | $426,190 | $68,311 | $55,000 | 23 | $55,000 | $18,444 | $70,586 |
| 2021 | $661,181 | $310,943 | $31,669 | $11,169 | 11 | — | $5,771 | $52,244 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Heartland Bank Foundation reported a distributable amount of $126K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its grants show support for a range of Nebraska charitable and educational activities. For example, the Garfield County Frontier Fair Association describes its mission as operating Garfield County’s fair for the benefit of residents of the county and surrounding areas. Hastings Community Foundation says it works to enrich quality of life in Hastings and the surrounding area through philanthropic donations, while Hamilton Community Foundation describes its work as administering funds for charitable or educational purposes benefiting Hamilton County residents. Shickley Community Foundation says it provides seed funding for future community improvement projects.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $109,167. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $37,500, with a median grant of $2,000. The largest listed grant was $37,500 to Garfield County Frontier Fair Association. Other notable grants included $5,000 each to Hastings Community Foundation, YMCA of Hastings Nebraska, Bremer Center, Hamilton Community Foundation, Calamus Area Community Fund, and Hampton Veterans Memorial. The filing also lists three $2,000 scholarships to individual recipients.
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. For scholarship applications, the filing says applicants must complete an application form provided by Heartland Trust Company and provide evidence of GPA and extracurricular or community involvement. Generally, candidates must qualify for admission to a post-secondary institution, be enrolled full time, have a GPA of at least 3.0, demonstrate extracurricular or community involvement, and provide strong, substantive application answers. Certain trustees, advisors, donors, selection committee members, and related parties are ineligible.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John C. Wilkins, Lucas L. Swartzendruber, Aaron T. Schardt, and Dennis D. Ferguson as advisors.
Heartland Bank Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Aaron T. Schardt
Advisor
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dennis D. Ferguson
Advisor
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John C. Wilkins
Advisor
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lucas L. Swartzendruber
Advisor
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Heartland Bank Foundation
How much does Heartland Bank Foundation give each year?
Heartland Bank Foundation gave $109K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $78K across 36 grants.
What is Heartland Bank Foundation's typical grant size?
Heartland Bank Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $3,764, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Heartland Bank Foundation give grants?
Heartland Bank Foundation gives mostly in Nebraska: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Hastings, NE (3 grants), Burwell, NE (2 grants) and Aurora, NE (2 grants).
Does Heartland Bank Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Heartland Bank Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (19 grants) and "Donation" (10 grants).
Who are Heartland Bank Foundation's largest grantees?
Heartland Bank Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Garfield County Frontier Fair Association ($37,500), Hastings Community Foundation ($5,000) and YMCA of Hastings Nebraska ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 19 individual scholarships ($35,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Heartland Bank Foundation?
Heartland Bank Foundation reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $109K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $126K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Heartland Bank Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its grants show support for a range of Nebraska charitable and educational activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Heartland Bank Foundation?
The filing describes an application process for scholarships through a form provided by Heartland Trust Company. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Heartland Bank Foundation's EIN?
Heartland Bank Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-6916406. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Heartland Bank Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 28, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work Heartland Bank Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Heartland Bank Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Heartland Bank Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/heartland-bank-foundation-morg_7589dcdcb22e433e886a9dca114954e6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_846916406_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Heartland Bank Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/heartland-bank-foundation-morg_7589dcdcb22e433e886a9dca114954e6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Heartland Bank 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.
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