John Deere Foundation
The John Deere Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation established in 1948 as the philanthropic arm of Deere & Company. Based in Moline, Illinois, the foundation supports programs addressing world hunger, advancing education initiatives, and strengthening local communities where John Deere operates.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$34.7M
+32.0% YoY
Grant Count
5
+25.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6.9M
+5.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding priorities include:
- World Hunger Solutions – Supporting global initiatives to combat food insecurity
- Education – Advancing educational programs and initiatives
- Community Strengthening – Supporting programs in communities where John Deere maintains operations
- FIRST Robotics Programs – Supporting robotics education through various FIRST League programs including FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge, FIRST LEGO League Challenge, FIRST LEGO League Discover, and FIRST LEGO League Explore
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** $53,000 to $7,500,000
Invitation Only
** Invitation-only. Nonprofits working in the foundation's focus areas are encouraged to request an invitation via email at Brand@JohnDeere.com. For FIRST Robotics programs, inquiries can be directed to Inspire@JohnDeere.com.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports programs in U.S. communities where John Deere operates, including Illinois, Iowa, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. The foundation also funds international programs in Canada, Europe, India, Brazil, and developing countries in Africa and Asia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $213 million to $220.5 million (2023-2024)
Annual Giving: $26.3 million to $35.9 million
Total Revenue: $17.7 million to $18.8 million (2023-2024)
Total Expenses: $42.5 million to $55.8 million (2023-2024)
Giving Rate: 16.6%
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
19 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from John Deere Foundation
JDF: FIRST LEGO League Discover Grant
JOHN DEERE FOUNDATION
Amount
Unspecified amount in in-kind support
Deadline
Rolling / Open
JDF: FIRST Robotics Competition Grant
JOHN DEERE FOUNDATION
Amount
Unspecified amount in in-kind support
Deadline
Rolling / Open
JDF: FIRST Tech Challenge Grant
JOHN DEERE FOUNDATION
Amount
Unspecified amount in in-kind support
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key officers and directors include:
- John C. May – Chairman
- Hilary Stubben – Assistant Secretary
- Rhonda Copeland – Assistant Treasurer
- Kellye Walker – Director
- Rajesh Kalathur – Director
- Ryan D. Campbell – Director
- Cory J. Reed – Director
- Joshua A. Jepsen – Director
- Felecia J. Pryor – Director
- Justin Rose – Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HILARY STUBBEN | ASSISTANT SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| RHONDA COPELAND | ASSISTANT TREASURER | 1 | — |
| JOHN C MAY | CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| KELLYE WALKER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RAJESH KALATHUR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RYAN D CAMPBELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CORY J REED | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOSHUA A JEPSEN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| FELECIA J PRYOR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JUSTIN ROSE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| EDWARD R BERK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARA S DOWNING | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| STEPHEN HAMBORG | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| LAURA EBERLIN | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: One John Deere Place, Moline, IL 61265
Phone: 309-765-5256
Email: Brand@JohnDeere.com (general inquiries); Inspire@JohnDeere.com (FIRST Robotics)
Website: https://www.deere.com/en/website/our-company/sustainability/grant-guidelines/
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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