Kentucky Derby Festival Inc logo

Kentucky Derby Festival Inc

501(c)(4) organization Louisville, KY EIN: 61-0713833 Website

Provide creative and unique entertainment and community service for the people of the greater louisville area that directly contributes to the aesthetic, cultural, educational, charitable and economic development of the area. We will organize, promote and conduct events using the collective efforts and resources of volunteers, small and large businesses, non-profit organizations and governmental entities to enhance the positive international recognition, economic and cultural development, and community image of the greater louisville area.

Kentucky Derby Festival Inc at a glance

In short: Kentucky Derby Festival Inc gave $65K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $65K), mostly in Kentucky. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$65,000
+8.3% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
1
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$65,000
+8.3% vs 2024
Median grant
$65,000
Total assets
$6,850,608
+8.9% vs 2024
Primary geography
Kentucky (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Kentucky Derby Festival Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top recipient in 2025

Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation: $65KKentucky Derby FestivalFoundation$65K

The largest 2025 recipient was Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation ($65K).

Grant Size Distribution

4 grants across all recorded years

<$50K4$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 4 grants of 4 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.

States

Cities

Louisville

How Kentucky Derby Festival Inc gives

  • Giving fell 32% from 2022 to 2025. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$25K$50K$75K$100K0 grants2019 0 grants2020 0 grants2021 1 grant2022 1 grant2023 1 grant2024 1 grant2025

From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $60K (2024) to $98K (2023). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $65K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation Louisville, KYTo Fund Events and Provide General Support$65,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$6,850,608$7,309,916$6,815,480$65,0001$659,886
2024$6,291,584$8,253,123$8,116,119$60,0001$248,039
2023$5,705,840$7,244,621$7,626,360$97,5001$71,669
2022$5,949,101$6,945,171$7,370,569$95,0001$107,201
2021$6,625,289$3,844,478$3,505,199——$206,383
2020$5,707,837$2,479,645$3,362,745——$537,124
2019$5,011,479$6,984,283$6,823,575——$270,245

About Kentucky Derby Festival Inc

Based on IRS filings

Kentucky Derby Festival Inc is a public charity, based in Louisville, KY. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $6.9M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $65K. Net investment income was $660K.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Kentucky Derby Festival Inc is led by Matthew Gibson, President & CEO on every filing since 2022; 6 of 80 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Matthew Gibson

    President & CEO

    On filings since 2022

    35 hrs/week

    $183K (2022) → $227K (2025)

  • Alfonso Cornish

    Chair & Immediate Past Chair

    Secretary & Vice Chair → Chair-Elect, 2024

    Chair-Elect → Chair & Immediate Past Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Louis Waterman

    Chair Elect & Chair

    Treasurer & Board Member → Secretary, 2024

    Secretary → Chair Elect & Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • April Zik

    Marketing Manager

    On filings since 2019

    40 hrs/week

    $139K (2019) → $170K (2025)

  • Timothy Whitten

    Chief Financial Officer

    On filings since 2019

    35 hrs/week

    $77K (2019) → $101K (2025)

  • Joannie Lepping Gillis

    Sponsorship Manager

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $118K (2024) → $118K (2025)

  • Aimee Boyd

    Vice President of Communications

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $105K (2025)

  • Dodie Howlett

    Vice President of Marketing

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $106K (2025)

  • Barbara Porter

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carol Nord

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Col John Aubrey

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Darren Hobbs

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • David Beck

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • David Bingham

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Erin Rasinen

    Immediate Past Chair

    Vice Chair & Chair Elect → Chair, 2024

    Chair → Immediate Past Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gary Friedman

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Hank Mangeot

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • J. P. Delaney

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jill Bell

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Joey Wagner

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Les Fugate

    Secretary & Vice Chair

    Board Member → Secretary & Vice Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Maria Smith

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Sadofsky

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mike Gandolfo

    Treasurer

    Board Member → Treasurer, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nancy Trafton

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Paul Carroll

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robert Hecht

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Stacey Yates

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Steve Andriot

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tim McGurk

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bill Fisher

    Vice Chair & Chair Elect

    Board Member → Treasurer, 2024

    Treasurer → Vice Chair & Chair Elect, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Andy Murphy

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carolle Jones Clay

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Casey Ramage

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • David Vogel

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Debbie Roberson

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Donna Salas

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Janet Lively McCauley

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jo Graves

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kellie Watson

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lisa Columbia

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marina Gonzalez

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mary Irby-Jones

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Megan Thoben

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mike Mangeot

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mike Parrino

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Phillip Baker

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rebecca Wood

    Treasurer & Secretary

    Board Member → Treasurer & Secretary, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Allison Gousha

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chad Waggoner

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Corenza Townsend

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dan Wasserzug

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Derek Cowherd

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dwight Newton

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jason O'Daniel

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John O'Brien

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Justin Walker

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lance George

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mike Campbell

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ryan Sienkowski

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Will Donaldson

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Alfred Smith

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Alyssa Upton

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bill Lamb

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brian Atcher

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brittney Monteith

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Caroline Clark

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dean Schlader

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dior Cotten

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jenni Schelling

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Joanne Hurst

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Joe Simoneit

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kyala Williams

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Maurice Brown

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nicole Yates

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rick Blackwell

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robert Frank

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Shannon Adkins

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Suzanne Wright

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Swannie Jett

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (72)
  • Former: Ann Maldini (2019–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Brian Walters (2019–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Cynthia Goldsberry (2019–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Janice Cates (2019–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Ken Selvaggi (2019–2024) — Immediate Past Chair
  • Former: Merilyn Coslow (2019–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Natasha Collins (2019–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Tracey Ballard (2019–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Tyler Bliss (2019–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Cassidy Hyde (2022–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Dale Woods (2022–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Jason Chin (2022–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Leslie Raeber-Eberle (2022–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Sarah Neff (2022–2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Briana Lathon Bluford (2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Crystal Anderson (2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Jessica Pollio (2024) — Sponsorship Manager
  • Former: Melanie Miller (2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Bruce Salyer (2019–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Charles Hoffman (2019–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Jean Scott (2019–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Kathy Bingham (2019–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Mike Shea (2019–2023) — Chair & Board Member
  • Former: Nancy O'Hearn (2019–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Wendy Chesser (2019–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: William Donaldson (2019–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Ashley Parrott (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Barb Wainwright (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Bob Herre (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Briana Lathon (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Dillon Miles (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Erin Grant (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: John Aubrey (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Taylor Powers (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Barry Denton (2019–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Debbie Prewitt (2019–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Judy Hess (2019–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Dana Kasler (2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Eric Fow (2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Lynnie Meyer (2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Paula Bishop (2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Ronna Corrente (2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Brian Outland (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Christy Moreno (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Colleen Truman (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Debra Rayman (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Glenny Haygood (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Harry Dennery (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: James King (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Janet Lively (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Joe Elliott (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: John Waggoner (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Kristen Branscum (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Kristin Warfield (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Lani Vandertoll (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Marita Willis (2019–2021) — Chair
  • Former: Marti Hazel (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Michael Berry (2019–2021) — Former President & CEO
  • Former: Mike Coomes (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Mike Sewell (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Mike Ziemanski (2019–2021) — Chair-Elect
  • Former: Patrick Cason (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Rebecca Matheny (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Rick Smith (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Sarah Jordan (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Scott Watkins (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Shawna Burton (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Stacy Serad (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Steve Conrad (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Matt Gibson (2020–2021) — President & CEO
  • Former: Fisher (2019–2020) — Board Member
  • Former: Stacey L. Robinson (2019–2020) — Senior Vice President Operations

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Matthew Gibson — President & CEO: $227KMatthew GibsonPresident & CEO$227KApril ZIK — Marketing Manager: $170KApril ZIKMarketing Manager$170KJoannie Lepping Gillis — Sponsorship MGR.: $118KJoannie Lepping GillisSponsorship MGR.$118KDodie Howlett — VP of Marketing: $106KDodie HowlettVP of Marketing$106KAimee Boyd — VP of Communications: $105KAimee BoydVP of Communications$105KTimothy Whitten — Chief Financial Officer: $101KTimothy WhittenChief Financial Officer$101K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $227K, to Matthew Gibson (President & CEO). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Kentucky Derby Festival Inc

How much does Kentucky Derby Festival Inc give each year?

Kentucky Derby Festival Inc gave $65K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $60K across 1 grant.

How large is Kentucky Derby Festival Inc?

Kentucky Derby Festival Inc reported $6.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.3M.

Where does Kentucky Derby Festival Inc operate?

Kentucky Derby Festival Inc has awarded grants in Kentucky.

What is Kentucky Derby Festival Inc's EIN?

Kentucky Derby Festival Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-0713833. 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

(3)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 21, 2020)
  2. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 6, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Kentucky Derby Festival Inc'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.

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