Higher Education Scholarship Trust
Higher Education Scholarship Trust was a private foundation located in Geneva, Nebraska. Its filing describes scholarships for graduates of accredited Fillmore County high schools who planned to attend college in Nebraska.
Higher Education Scholarship Trust at a glance
- Revenue (2021)
- $6,918
- -23.3% vs 2020
- Net investment income (2021)
- $6,918
- +2.7% vs 2020
- Expenses (2021)
- $1,185
- -94.1% vs 2020
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2021 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2021; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Higher Education Scholarship Trust
- Review Cycle
- The filing stated that deadlines were set annually based on graduation dates and were approximately April 15. This is not a current application deadline.
- Deadline
- The filing stated that deadlines were set annually based on graduation dates and were approximately April 15.
- Contact
Application contact: Lucas Swartzendruber
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 Higher Education Scholarship Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
14 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 14 grants of 14 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing restricted awards to applicants from accredited high schools in Fillmore County, Nebraska, who planned to attend college in Nebraska.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2020 it made 14 grants totaling $16K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Caleb Hendrickson Geneva, NE | Education | $2,000 |
| Lauryn Monteforte Geneva, NE | Education | $2,000 |
| Jacob Swartzendruber Geneva, NE | Education | $1,000 |
| Kelsey Bigelow Geneva, NE | Education | $1,000 |
| Madison Bonin Geneva, NE | Education | $1,000 |
| Madison Galusha Geneva, NE | Education | $1,000 |
| Mitchell Manning Geneva, NE | Education | $1,000 |
| Sydney Jividen Geneva, NE | Education | $1,000 |
| Sydney Simacek Geneva, NE | Education | $1,000 |
| Josh Swartzendruber Geneva, NE | Education | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | — | $6,918 | $1,185 | — | — | $6,918 | $6,693 |
| 2020 | $131,850 | $9,020 | $19,952 | $16,000 | 14 | $6,739 | $19,808 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Higher Education Scholarship Trust reported a distributable amount of $7K for 2021 — 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 filing describes the trust’s purpose as serving graduates of accredited Fillmore County, Nebraska, high schools. Its stated award restrictions were that applicants must come from those schools and plan to attend college in Nebraska.
Grantmaking
In 2020, the trust reported $16,000 in grants to 14 recipients. The 2021 filing reported no grants. The filing’s planned transfer of assets to the Heartland Bank Foundation was described as a distribution of the trust’s assets, not as grants.
The filing described an application process using a form provided by Heartland Bank. Applicants were asked to provide their name, address, high school, class size and ranking, chosen college, proposed course of study, GPA, ACT score, other scholarships applied for, community activities, siblings under 21, jobs or projects, and a one-page letter explaining their choice of course of study. Because the trust filed a final return and appears to have wound down, these application instructions should not be treated as current.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2021 filing listed Heartland Trust, Bart Brinkman, John Wilkins, P R Farmer, and Adam Erdkamp as trustees.
Higher Education Scholarship Trust's 2021 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2021 report compensation.
Officers on the 2021 filing
Heartland Trust
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$3K (2020) → $0 (2021)
Adam Erdkamp
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bart Brinkman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Wilkins
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
P. R. Farmer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2021. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2020 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2020 filing was $3K, to Heartland Trust (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Higher Education Scholarship Trust
What does Higher Education Scholarship Trust fund?
The filing describes the trust’s purpose as serving graduates of accredited Fillmore County, Nebraska, high schools. Its stated award restrictions were that applicants must come from those schools and plan to attend college in Nebraska. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Higher Education Scholarship Trust?
Higher Education Scholarship Trust has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does Higher Education Scholarship Trust make grants?
The filing restricted awards to applicants from accredited high schools in Fillmore County, Nebraska, who planned to attend college in Nebraska.
How much is Higher Education Scholarship Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2021, Higher Education Scholarship Trust reported a distributable amount of $7K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Higher Education Scholarship Trust's EIN?
Higher Education Scholarship Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7159935. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2021.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2021
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Figures come from Higher Education Scholarship Trust'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.
Higher Education Scholarship Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?