Herman & Katherine Peters
Herman & Katherine Peters is a private foundation based in Antioch, Illinois. It provides scholarships to high school students pursuing studies related to environment, forestry, or conservation, and to students pursuing primary or secondary education at a private Christian college. It also supports educational field trips for underprivileged children and makes grants to qualifying charitable, educational, religious, or scientific organizations.
Herman & Katherine Peters at a glance
In short: Herman & Katherine Peters gave $316K across 71 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $316,000
- +11.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 71
- +1.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,451
- +9.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $6,856,374
- +16.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (58% 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 Herman & Katherine Peters
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s application guidance requests a proposal summary, an organizational introduction, an assessment of need, objectives and measurable outcomes, a strategy, and an evaluation plan. The 2025 filing directs applicants to the foundation’s website for forms and materials and states that award restrictions are “none—see purpose”; it describes funding for underserved children, other 501(c)(3) organizations, and scholarships for selected high school seniors.
- Review Cycle
- November 1, 2025.
- Deadline
- November 1, 2025.
- Contact
Application contact: H K Peters Foundation Scholarship
Mailing address: 1058 Inverness Drive C/O Peters, Founation, Antioch, IL 60002
Phone: (847) 909-3130
Email: sleonard@petersfoundation.org
Website: https://petersfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Herman & Katherine Peters funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fox Valley Food for Health ($25K). Together the top 10 received $135K.
Grant Size Distribution
271 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 269 grants of 271 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Illinois. In 2025, 58% of grant dollars went to Illinois recipients; other leading recipient states were Florida (8%), Colorado (5%), Wisconsin (5%), and Minnesota (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 71 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Herman & Katherine Peters gives
- 74% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 35% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 117% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $234K (2022) to $333K (2021). In 2025 it made 71 grants totaling $316K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fox Valley Food for Health Geneva, IL | Charitable | $25,000 |
| Purple Plunge Lake Zurich, IL | Charitable | $20,000 |
| Stanton Rowing Foundation Jacksonville, FL | Charitable | $15,000 |
| University of Chicago Foundation Chicago, IL | Charitable | $15,000 |
| American Red Cross Washington DC, DC | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Chicago Coalition for Homeless Chicago, IL | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Feed the Children Oklahoma City, OK | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Glenwood Academy Glenwood, IL | Charitable | $10,000 |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Northern Ill Food Bank Geneva, IL | Charitable | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Herman & Katherine Peters?
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 | $6,856,374 | $1,642,456 | $669,902 | $316,000 | 71 | $526,806 | $1,555,308 | $451,387 |
| 2024 | $5,883,820 | $2,191,557 | $555,531 | $283,500 | 70 | $475,002 | $2,112,077 | $401,227 |
| 2023 | $4,247,794 | $141,814 | $498,119 | $246,100 | 70 | $431,386 | $75,490 | $354,805 |
| 2022 | $4,604,099 | $-102,089 | $477,503 | $233,600 | 2 | $403,749 | $29,420 | $355,673 |
| 2021 | $5,183,691 | $659,548 | $589,845 | $333,000 | 58 | $488,269 | $566,262 | $423,948 |
| 2020 | $5,113,988 | $134,248 | $531,739 | $300,250 | 2 | — | $115,964 | $357,029 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Herman & Katherine Peters reported a distributable amount of $451K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purposes include scholarship grants, conservation and natural-history educational field trips for underprivileged children, and contributions to organizations operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes under Section 501(c)(3).
Its 2025 grants included organizations with varied charitable missions. Fox Valley Food for Health, which received $25,000, says it provides meals, nutrition education, and support to people and families dealing with serious health issues. Stanton Rowing Foundation, which received $15,000, says it uses rowing to help children develop character and life skills. Glenwood Academy, which received $10,000, says it works to address poverty, injustice, and inequality through residential education. Feed the Children, also awarded $10,000, says it works to end child hunger.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 71 grants totaling $316,000. Individual grants ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median of $2,500.
Other notable 2025 grants included $20,000 to Purple Plunge; $15,000 to the University of Chicago Foundation; and $10,000 each to the American Red Cross, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Northern Illinois Food Bank, and Salvation Army USA.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Scot A. Leonard as director and president, and Jeanine Holtsford, George Carroll, James Devine, and Cyndy Hass as directors.
Herman & Katherine Peters is led by Scot A. Leonard, Director & President since 2022 (on filings since 2021); 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Scot A. Leonard
Director & President
President → Director & President, 2022
On filings since 2021
25 hrs/week
$104K (2021) → $125K (2025)
Cyndy Hass
Director
On filings since 2021
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
George Carroll
Director
Vice President → Director, 2022
On filings since 2021
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Devine
Director
Vice President-Treasurer → Director, 2022
On filings since 2021
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeanine Holtsford
Director
Vice President-Secretary → Director, 2022
On filings since 2021
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 $125K, to Scot a Leonard (Director/President).
Frequently asked questions about Herman & Katherine Peters
How much does Herman & Katherine Peters give each year?
Herman & Katherine Peters gave $316K across 71 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $284K across 70 grants.
What is Herman & Katherine Peters's typical grant size?
Herman & Katherine Peters's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $4,451, across 71 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Herman & Katherine Peters give grants?
Herman & Katherine Peters gives mostly in Illinois: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (8%) and Colorado (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (12 grants), Palatine, IL (4 grants), Geneva, IL (3 grants) and Phoenix, AZ (3 grants).
Does Herman & Katherine Peters give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 71 grants with a stated purpose on Herman & Katherine Peters's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (52 grants) and "Scholarship" (19 grants).
Who are Herman & Katherine Peters's largest grantees?
Herman & Katherine Peters's largest 2025 grantees include Fox Valley Food for Health ($25,000), Purple Plunge ($20,000) and Stanton Rowing Foundation ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Herman & Katherine Peters?
Herman & Katherine Peters reported $6.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $527K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $451K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Herman & Katherine Peters fund?
The foundation’s stated purposes include scholarship grants, conservation and natural-history educational field trips for underprivileged children, and contributions to organizations operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes under Section 501(c)(3). See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Herman & Katherine Peters?
The foundation’s application guidance requests a proposal summary, an organizational introduction, an assessment of need, objectives and measurable outcomes, a strategy, and an evaluation plan. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Herman & Katherine Peters's EIN?
Herman & Katherine Peters's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4180010. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Herman & Katherine Peters funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Herman & Katherine Peters's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Herman & Katherine Peters funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/herman-and-katherine-peters-morg_c47ab328dcc64e80a991b529f1ab98e7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364180010_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Herman \& Katherine Peters funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/herman-and-katherine-peters-morg_c47ab328dcc64e80a991b529f1ab98e7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Herman & Katherine Peters'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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