M E Raker Foundation Inc
M E Raker Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It primarily funds organizations serving Fort Wayne and Allen County, with interests including K–12 education support, health support, historic preservation, parks and public recreation, services for people with disabilities, and youth development.
M E Raker Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: M E Raker Foundation Inc gave $480K across 64 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Indiana. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $480,436
- +0.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 64
- +3.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,507
- -2.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $10,740,187
- +0.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (16 of 63, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to M E Raker Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Applicants submit an electronic application through the Foundation’s website. The Foundation provides different applications for organizations that received funding in the past three years and those that are new or have not received funding during that period. Applicants are asked to limit applications to four pages and provide a project budget and organizational operating budget. The Foundation says to allow 3–6 months for review and that applicants receive written notification of the board’s decision. Eligible applicants must be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) and qualify as a 509(a) public charity. The Foundation does not make grants to individuals, for general fund drives or annual charitable appeals, to influence legislation or elections, or to organizations for distribution to beneficiaries of their own choosing. Its 2024 filing states that it does not make grants in furtherance of the arts.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists FY2027 deadlines of July 24, October 30, January 29, and April 30.
- Deadline
- The website lists FY2027 deadlines of July 24, October 30, January 29, and April 30.
- Contact
Application contact: Jennifer Pickard
Mailing address: 6207 Constitution Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46804
Phone: (260) 436-2182
Website: https://meraker.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who M E Raker Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Turnstone Center ($15K). Together the top 10 received $115K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($20,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
305 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 305 grants of 305 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation primarily funds organizations serving residents of Fort Wayne and Allen County, Indiana. In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana and 2% to recipients in Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 64 itemized grants.
Cities
Is M E Raker Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 63 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 51% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $383K (2020) to $500K (2023). In 2025 it made 64 grants totaling $480K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Turnstone Center Fort Wayne, IN | Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Easter Seals ARC of NE Indiana Fort Wayne, IN | Employment Initiatives | $15,000 |
| Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society Fort Wayne, IN | Restoration of Pleasant Lake Station | $15,000 |
| 2 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $20,000 |
| Stillwater Hospice Fort Wayne, IN | Patient Bed Frames | $10,000 |
| Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana Fort Wayne, IN | Client Advocate Program | $10,000 |
| Just Neighbors Fort Wayne, IN | Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Science Central Fort Wayne, IN | Operating Support | $10,000 |
| ACRES Land Trust Huntertown, IN | Part time Archivist | $10,000 |
| Associated Churches Fort Wayne, IN | Food Bank Network | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $10,740,187 | $659,630 | $644,842 | $480,436 | 64 | $559,528 | $582,328 | $596,349 |
| 2024 | $10,725,399 | $502,517 | $622,621 | $476,500 | 62 | $550,323 | $397,417 | $561,417 |
| 2023 | $10,827,941 | $108,177 | $671,806 | $500,400 | 58 | $574,467 | $247,338 | $546,887 |
| 2022 | $11,391,570 | $1,834,304 | $645,710 | $486,940 | 61 | $547,703 | $1,766,141 | $585,395 |
| 2021 | $10,202,976 | $1,696,127 | $569,111 | $421,500 | 60 | — | $1,621,702 | $544,807 |
| 2020 | $9,075,960 | $440,723 | $562,459 | $383,000 | 53 | — | $358,228 | $506,387 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, M E Raker Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $596K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated aim is to benefit the Fort Wayne and Allen County community in ways that honor Gene Raker and his legacy. It gives priority to applicants with diverse funding sources, who encourage volunteerism and collaborate with like-minded organizations.
Its 2025 grants illustrate support for a range of local services and projects. For example, Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society received $15,000 for restoration of Pleasant Lake Station. Among other grantees, Science Central describes itself as providing hands-on science education, while Community Transportation Network says it eases transportation barriers so people can maintain connections in the community. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation awarded 64 grants totaling $480,436. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $15,000, with a median of $7,500. Larger awards included $15,000 each to Turnstone Center for operating support, Easter Seals ARC of NE Indiana for employment initiatives, and Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society for restoration of Pleasant Lake Station. Other grants of $10,000 included awards to an individual recipient High School and an individual recipient High School for scholarships, Stillwater Hospice for patient bed frames, and Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana for its Client Advocate Program.
The Foundation’s website reports that it awarded $502,500 in grants in fiscal year 2026 and highlights support for disability services, youth development, education, conservation, volunteer-led home repairs, and historic preservation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Stephen J Williams as president, Jennifer J Pickard as secretary, and Emily Pichon as treasurer.
M E Raker Foundation Inc is led by Stephen J Williams, President on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Stephen J Williams
President
On filings since 2020
12 hrs/week
$25K (2021) → $32K (2025)
Emily Pichon
Treasurer
Treasurer → Vice President & Treasurer, 2021
Vice President & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$6K (2021) → $19K (2025)
Jennifer J Pickard
Secretary
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$27K (2021) → $32K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: John N Pichon (2020) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $32K, to Stephen J Williams (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about M E Raker Foundation Inc
How much does M E Raker Foundation Inc give each year?
M E Raker Foundation Inc gave $480K across 64 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $477K across 62 grants.
What is M E Raker Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
M E Raker Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $7,500, and its average grant was $7,507, across 64 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from M E Raker Foundation Inc that year got $7K on average.
Where does M E Raker Foundation Inc give grants?
M E Raker Foundation Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Wayne, IN (54 grants) and New Haven, IN (2 grants).
Does M E Raker Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Occasionally: 9% of M E Raker Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 64) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (10 grants).
Who are M E Raker Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
M E Raker Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Turnstone Center ($15,000), Easter Seals ARC of NE Indiana ($15,000) and Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($20,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 9% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is M E Raker Foundation Inc?
M E Raker Foundation Inc reported $10.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $560K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $596K (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 M E Raker Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated aim is to benefit the Fort Wayne and Allen County community in ways that honor Gene Raker and his legacy. It gives priority to applicants with diverse funding sources, who encourage volunteerism and collaborate with like-minded organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from M E Raker Foundation Inc?
Applicants submit an electronic application through the Foundation’s website. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is M E Raker Foundation Inc's EIN?
M E Raker Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1040474. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). M E Raker Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/m-e-raker-foundation-inc-morg_cea937ebf7004dbab32d24ff829823d6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311040474_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{M E Raker Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/m-e-raker-foundation-inc-morg_cea937ebf7004dbab32d24ff829823d6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 M E Raker Foundation 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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