Jefferson Foundation
Jefferson Foundation is a private foundation based in Festus, Missouri, that supports charitable and educational activities promoting health and well-being in Jefferson County. The foundation says it was created on January 31, 2013, with proceeds from the sale of Jefferson Regional Medical Center, and was established to be perpetual.
Jefferson Foundation at a glance
In short: Jefferson Foundation gave $7.7M across 219 grants in 2024 (avg $35K), mostly in Missouri. 14% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,672,546
- +1.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 219
- +17.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $35,034
- -13.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $22,500
- Total assets
- $196,634,221
- +12.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (27 of 198, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Jefferson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its website says to contact the foundation to obtain a grant application.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1450 Parkway West, Festus, MO 63028
Phone: (636) 638-1400
Website: https://www.jfmo.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Jefferson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Chestnut Health Systems ($345K). Together the top 10 received $2.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,055 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 845 grants of 1,055 (80%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s guidelines say grants support qualified public charities and government units located in or serving residents of Jefferson County, Missouri. In 2024, all reported grant dollars went to recipients in Missouri.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 219 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Jefferson Foundation open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 27 of 198 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $42K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 77% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+16%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $6.6M (2021) to $8.3M (2022). In 2024 it made 219 grants totaling $7.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chestnut Health Systems Hillsboro, MO | Project Access | $345,488 |
| Mercy Health Foundation Jefferson St. Louis, MO | Mercy hospital jefferson da vinci robotic surgeon phase two | $312,500 |
| Saint Louis Counseling Fenton, MO | Outpatient Mental Health Services | $200,000 |
| Jefferson County Health Department Hillsboro, MO | Life Saving Support for Prevention Services | $175,000 |
| Upward Smiles Inc Festus, MO | 2024A - Upward Smiles Program Support | $150,000 |
| Jefferson College Foundation Inc Hillsboro, MO | Jefferson college student scholarships and vikings' vault food pantry | $125,000 |
| Chads Coalition for Mental Health St. Louis, MO | Chads School Outreach | $120,000 |
| Jefferson College Foundation Inc Hillsboro, MO | Jefferson College EMS Simulation Equipment | $110,490 |
| Pony Bird Inc Mapaville, MO | Greater impact through strengthened facilities for individuals with disabilities | $108,912 |
| Lafayette Industries Manchester, MO | Stepup Jefferson County Expansion | $108,300 |
Ready to take the next step with Jefferson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $196,634,221 | $5,008,377 | $14,164,216 | $7,672,546 | 219 | $8,545,539 | $4,770,835 | $9,246,942 |
| 2023 | $174,306,583 | $3,202,649 | $8,698,383 | $7,587,855 | 187 | $8,447,230 | $2,996,577 | $8,061,154 |
| 2022 | $154,659,200 | $3,247,827 | $9,185,563 | $8,265,384 | 215 | $8,930,351 | $3,045,963 | $8,307,855 |
| 2021 | $197,861,216 | $15,372,530 | $6,717,731 | $6,642,167 | 207 | $7,373,113 | $13,519,673 | $9,089,154 |
| 2020 | $176,412,329 | $29,746,524 | $6,858,485 | $7,085,630 | 227 | — | $29,519,864 | $7,450,648 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jefferson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.2M for 2024 — 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 foundation’s mission is to support charitable and educational activities that promote individual and community health and well-being in Jefferson County.
Its 2026 responsive-portfolio guidelines cover program support, capacity building, and capital projects. Topics include scholarships, basic needs, dental services, substance-use treatment and prevention, mental health counseling, medical equipment, disability services, preventive health care, and transportation assistance. The guidelines say grants are for qualified public charities and government units located in or serving Jefferson County, Missouri.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work funded. Upward Smiles says it provides dental services to Medicaid recipients and low-income individuals. CHADS Coalition for Mental Health says it advances awareness and prevention of depression and suicide. Pony Bird says it enriches the lives of individuals with disabilities. These are the organizations’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 219 grants totaling $7,672,546. Individual grants ranged from $2,000 to $345,488, with a median of $22,500.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $345,488 to Chestnut Health Systems for Project Access; $312,500 to Mercy Health Foundation Jefferson for a Da Vinci robotic surgeon project at Mercy Hospital Jefferson; $200,000 to Saint Louis Counseling for outpatient mental health services; and $175,000 to the Jefferson County Health Department for prevention services. Other notable awards included $150,000 to Upward Smiles for program support, $125,000 to Jefferson College Foundation for student scholarships and a food pantry, and $120,000 to CHADS Coalition for Mental Health for school outreach.
The foundation’s 2026 guidelines set a standard grant range of $5,000 to $250,000, while allowing the board to award larger or smaller grants at its discretion. They describe two annual responsive-portfolio cycles, with awards in June and December. Applications for the June 2026 cycle were due February 5, 2026, and applications for the December 2026 cycle were due July 16, 2026; both deadlines have passed. The guidelines state that grants are generally limited to 501(c)(3) public charities designated 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2), with grants to government units made under special circumstances. They also state that endowment funds and loans are not eligible.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael Ravenscraft as president/CEO; Jeff Draves as chairman; Lindell Carter as treasurer; Stoke Wischmeier as secretary; and Benjamin Albano, Dan Eckenfels, Jeff Buck, Jim Muehlhauser, Ron Ravenscraft, and Timothy Patterson as directors.
The foundation’s website lists Michael Ravenscraft as president and CEO and Missy Endres as executive vice president.
Jefferson Foundation is led by Michael Ravenscraft, President & CEO on every filing since 2022; 1 of 10 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Ravenscraft
President & CEO
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$171K (2022) → $213K (2024)
Jeff Draves MD
Chairman
Director → Chairman, 2022
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Buck
Director
President & CEO → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$174K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Benjamin Albano MD
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Muehlhauser
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ron Ravenscraft
Director
Chairman → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Patterson
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Eckenfels
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lindell Carter
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stoke Wischmeier
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Eric Ammons (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $213K, to Michael Ravenscraft (President/CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Jefferson Foundation
How much does Jefferson Foundation give each year?
Jefferson Foundation gave $7.7M across 219 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $7.6M across 187 grants.
What is Jefferson Foundation's typical grant size?
Jefferson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $22,500, and its average grant was $35,034, across 219 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jefferson Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does Jefferson Foundation give grants?
Jefferson Foundation gives mostly in Missouri: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Saint Louis, MO (70 grants), Festus, MO (26 grants), Hillsboro, MO (23 grants) and Arnold, MO (17 grants).
Does Jefferson Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 2% of Jefferson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 219) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Jefferson Foundation's largest grantees?
Jefferson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Chestnut Health Systems ($345,488), Mercy Health Foundation Jefferson ($312,500) and Upward Smiles Inc ($248,567 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Jefferson Foundation?
Jefferson Foundation reported $196.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $9.2M (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 Jefferson Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support charitable and educational activities that promote individual and community health and well-being in Jefferson County. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jefferson Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Jefferson Foundation's EIN?
Jefferson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 90-0898945. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Jefferson 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in Jefferson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Jefferson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jefferson-foundation-morg_d3c581cc258743b6b853bac9b04d0fa6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_900898945_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Jefferson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jefferson-foundation-morg_d3c581cc258743b6b853bac9b04d0fa6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Jefferson 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.
Jefferson Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?