Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation
Founded in 1998, the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation receives and manages charitable contributions on behalf of the Kentucky derby festival, inc., its supporters and the general public. The foundation perpetuates the festival's impact on the community by developing projects that highlight the festival's influence on the area's cultural heritage. Its mission is to further the festival's educational and charitable mission through exhibitions and performances. The foundation adds to the festival's mission of providing creative entertainment that enhances the community.
Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation at a glance
In short: Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation reported $35K in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $34,700 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- +23.3% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $369,928
- +47.9% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $297,659
- +72.8% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $1,257
- +15.1% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $148,964
- +30.4% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
3 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 3 grants of 3 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $13K (2020) to $40K (2023). In 2025 it reported $35K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County Public Schools Louisville, KY | Donation to Public School | $12,880 |
| Waggener High School Louisville, KY | Sponsor Directed Donations | $7,281 |
| The Diversity Equity & Poverty Dept in JCPS Louisville, KY | Donation to Public School | $7,120 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $369,928 | $297,659 | $148,964 | $34,700 | Total only | $1,257 |
| 2024 | $250,093 | $172,234 | $114,246 | $28,150 | Total only | $1,092 |
| 2023 | $132,599 | $218,787 | $114,753 | $40,250 | Total only | $1,162 |
| 2022 | $178,038 | $176,533 | $94,685 | $18,100 | Total only | $499 |
| 2021 | $149,565 | $179,108 | $106,632 | $27,281 | 3 | $715 |
| 2020 | $143,310 | $66,261 | $136,080 | $12,500 | 1 | $716 |
| 2019 | $76,824 | $82,992 | $111,951 | $25,427 | 9 | $809 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Louisville, KY. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $370K in total assets. In 2025, it reported $35K in grants paid as a total on its IRS filing, without an itemized list. Net investment income was $1K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation is led by Matthew Gibson, President & CEO on every filing since 2024; none of the 33 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Matthew Gibson
President & CEO
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dodie Howlett
Board Member & Executive Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ken Selvaggi
Board Member & Chair
Board Member → Board Member & Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carolle Jones Clay
Board Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chadwick McTighe
Board Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Nett
Immediate Past Chair
Chair Elect → Chair, 2023
Chair → Immediate Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Glenda Thome
Chair Elect
Board Member → Treasurer & Secretary, 2022
Treasurer & Secretary → Chair Elect, 2023
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jo Graves
Board Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Hatfield
Board Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne Wright
Board Member
Chair → Immediate Past Chair, 2023
Immediate Past Chair → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Whitten
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alfonso Cornish
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Craig White
Treasurer & Secretary
Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Treasurer & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erin Rasinen
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michele Oberst
Secretary & Board Member
Treasurer & Board Member → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Secretary & Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Becky Crump
Board Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cheryl Guess
Board Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Debra Rayman
Board Member & Chair-Elect
Board Member → Board Member & Chair-Elect, 2025
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Craddock
Board Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vincent James
Board Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Nall
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Helen Davis
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joanne Hurst
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roy Potts
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bill Fisher
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeremy Jarvi
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Louis I. Waterman
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melody Murphy
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle B. White
Board Member & Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shannon Adkins
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shari Broecker
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Barber
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Will Fenesterer
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (28)
- Former: Logan Leet (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Mike Shea (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Adria Johnson (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Jay Ferguson (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Becky Cowan (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Judy Hess (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Trish Osborn (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Matt Gibson (2020–2023) — President & CEO
- Former: Tim McGurk (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Melaine Kane (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Chris Whelan (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Marita Willis (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Mike Kallay (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Sally Galla (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Ty Ball (2019–2022) — Secretary & Board Member
- Former: Barb Wainwright (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Natasha Collins (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Paula Bishop (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Jeff Powell (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Norris Hamilton (2019–2021) — Chair Elect
- Former: Scott Kuhn (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Scott Watkins (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Susan Moore (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Wendy Jacob (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Mike Ziemianski (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Jeff English (2019–2020) — President & CEO · Filing note: Term ended 102920
- Former: Mike Zeimianski (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Michael Berry (2019) — President & CEO
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation
How much does Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation give each year?
Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation reported $35K in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it reported $28K in grants paid.
How large is Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation?
Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation reported $370K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $298K.
What is Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation?
Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Louisville, KY. It holds $370K in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation operate?
Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation has awarded grants in Kentucky, North Carolina.
What is Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation's EIN?
Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1629357. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Figures come from Kentucky Derby Festival 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.
Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?