Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap
Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. It made 14 grants totaling $1,081,000 in filing year 2025, supporting organizations including a recovery-centered high school, social services providers, and programs addressing addiction and mental health.
Key facts about Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap
In short: Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap gave $1.1M across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $77K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 82-1454838
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,081,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- Average grant
- $77,214
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $947,603
- Primary geography
- Ohio (80% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$948K
-51.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
-21.8% YoY
Grant Count
14
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$77K
-33.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap reported a distributable amount of $68K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap gives
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 26% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as recovery-centered education, social services, transitional housing, and assistance with addiction and mental health treatment.
For example, Heartland High School describes its mission as providing recovery-centered education that fosters belonging, self-confidence, and purpose. Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio says it serves people in need through services including food pantries, shelters, affordable housing, and care for seniors. The ChrisCross Foundation says it helps families access addiction, mental health, and suicide-prevention treatment. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $1,081,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $225,000, with a median of $50,000.
The largest reported grants included $225,000 to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio Kentucky and Indiana for general and unrestricted purposes; $200,000 to Heartland High School for its Life Leap Scholarship Fund; $150,000 to Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio for LSS Choices bridge funding; and $100,000 to the ChrisCross Foundation for its Foundation House Scholarship Fund. Other notable grants were $80,000 to Chabad of Columbus for its Kitchen of Life Program, $56,000 to Families Flourish for general and unrestricted purposes, and $50,000 to Heartland High School for We Recover Sponsorships.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 80% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 12% to recipients in Illinois, and 7% to recipients in Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $500K (2021) to $1.5M (2022). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Heartland High School ($250K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($10,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
45 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 16 grants of 45 (36%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Make-a-Wish Foundation of Ohio Kentucky and Indian Columbus, OH | General & Unrestricted | $225,000 |
| Heartland High School Columbus, OH | Life Leap Scholarship Fund | $200,000 |
| Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio Inc Columbus, OH | LSS Choices - bridge funding | $150,000 |
| Chriscross Foundation Hinsdale, IL | Foundation House Scholarship Fund | $100,000 |
| Chabad of Columbus New Albany, OH | Kitchen of Life Program | $80,000 |
| Families Flourish Inc Columbus, OH | General & Unrestricted | $56,000 |
| Heartland High School Columbus, OH | We Recover Sponsorships | $50,000 |
| Vista Village Inc Columbus, OH | General & Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| Brookes House Inc Hagerstown, MD | General & Unrestricted | $40,000 |
| Gratitude Foundation Inc Cumberland, MD | General & Unrestricted | $40,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $947,603 | $110,480 | $1,106,219 | $1,081,000 | 14 |
| 2024 | $1,943,342 | $73,794 | $1,418,602 | $1,382,000 | 12 |
| 2023 | $3,288,150 | -$57,596 | $1,405,504 | $1,354,500 | 12 |
The foundation’s 2025 filing states that distributions from sources other than current income totaled $1,081,000. It reports that this amount was at least 25% of net assets of $1,984,788, measured at fair market value at the beginning of the 2025 taxable year.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $947,603 | $1,943,342 | $3,288,150 |
| Revenue | $110,480 | $73,794 | $-57,596 |
| Expenses | $1,106,219 | $1,418,602 | $1,405,504 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,101,801 | $1,409,719 | $1,392,194 |
| Net Investment Income | $107,062 | $65,611 | $56,057 |
| Distributable Amount | $68,278 | $129,123 | $182,604 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2025 filing lists Kara J Trott as Treasurer, Director, and President; Robert W Philips as Director and Secretary; and Mikhail Alexander Gebhardt as Director.
Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap is led by Kara J Trott, Treasurer, Director & President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kara J Trott
Treasurer, Director & President
Director & President → Treasurer, Director & President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mikhail Alexander Gebhardt
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert W Philips
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/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.
Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Frequently asked questions about Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap
How much does Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap give each year?
Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap gave $1.1M across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 12 grants.
What is Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap's typical grant size?
Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $77,214, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap give grants?
Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap gives mostly in Ohio: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (12%) and Maryland (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (7 grants).
Does Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap give general operating support?
Yes: 43% of Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap's largest grantees?
Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap's largest 2025 grantees include Heartland High School ($250,000 across 2 grants), Make-a-Wish Foundation of Ohio Kentucky and Indian ($225,000) and Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio Inc ($150,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap?
Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap reported $948K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $68K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as recovery-centered education, social services, transitional housing, and assistance with addiction and mental health treatment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap?
The foundation 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 Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap's EIN?
Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-1454838. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Kara J Trott Family Foundation Aka Life Leap 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 September 2026.
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