Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation
The Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Founded by Max and Helen Guernsey, longtime residents of the Waterloo community, it supports organizations working to improve community vitality.
Key facts about Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation
In short: Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation gave $2.2M across 125 grants in 2025 (avg $17K), mostly in Iowa. 34% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 42-1460664
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,186,400
- Grants made (2025)
- 125
- Average grant
- $17,491
- Median grant
- $16,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 34% first-time grantees (38 of 113, 2025)
- Total assets
- $49,906,388
- Primary geography
- Iowa (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applicants use the online grants system. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The website lists March 15 for a May decision and September 15 for a November decision.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). 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
$49.9M
+3.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.2M
-14.6% YoY
Grant Count
125
-8.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
-7.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.4M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
34%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 38 of 113 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $16K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 53% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 20% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 99% 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 (2021–2025). 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 foundation’s mission is “to work in partnership with others to improve the vitality of our community, addressing issues important now and into the future.” It focuses support on a broad spectrum of needs, including education that builds character, programs that enhance family life, and key social issues.
Grantees’ own missions illustrate the types of work supported. Cedar Valley Preschool & Child Care Center says it provides developmentally appropriate activities supporting children’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth. Cedar Valley Hospice says it provides palliative and end-of-life care and services to people who are grieving. SuccessLink says it provides mission-enhancing support services to organizations and institutions serving the Cedar Valley.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 125 grants totaling $2,186,400. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $35,000, with a median of $16,000. The foundation’s application information gives a typical award range of $1,000–$35,000; requests above $35,000 require a conversation with the Executive Director to determine eligibility.
Review Cycle
The website lists March 15 for a May decision and September 15 for a November decision. The foundation’s 2024 filing states that there are no deadlines.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation
Ready to take the next step with Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it awards grants to organizations in Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Fayette, Grundy, and Tama counties in Iowa. In 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to Iowa recipients; 2% went to California, 1% to Kansas, and a rounded less than 1% to Nebraska.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 125 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2023) to $2.6M (2024). In 2025 it made 125 grants totaling $2.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was City of Waterloo ($55K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $424K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($30,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
533 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 529 grants of 533 (99%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Valley Preschool & Childcare Center Cedar Falls, IA | Building Bright Futures Program | $35,000 |
| City of Tama Tama, IA | Capital for Safe Routes to School Network | $35,000 |
| Successlink Inc Waterloo, IA | Together 4 Youth Programming | $35,000 |
| Transformations by Cedar Valley Angels Waterloo, IA | Dare to Dream & Love Box Programs | $35,000 |
| UNI Foundation Cedar Falls, IA | Kaleidoscope, theatre 4 very young, talent search series pgms | $33,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of the Cedar Valley Waterloo, IA | Operating Support | $30,000 |
| Bremer County Fair Association Sumner, IA | Capital - 4H/FFA Youth Enrichment Center | $30,000 |
| Cedar Bend Humane Society Waterloo, IA | Operating Support | $30,000 |
| Cedar Valley Friends of the Family Waterloo, IA | Housing Stability Program | $30,000 |
| Cedar Valley Hospice Inc Waterloo, IA | Operating Support | $30,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants reported | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,186,400 | 125 |
| 2024 | $2,560,800 | 136 |
| 2023 | $1,350,500 | 77 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $49,906,388 | $48,163,592 | $45,526,447 |
| Revenue | $3,385,190 | $1,664,539 | $2,292,504 |
| Expenses | $2,540,091 | $2,891,503 | $2,160,002 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,361,726 | $2,750,144 | $1,553,207 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,256,360 | $1,531,788 | $875,879 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,381,841 | $2,256,294 | $1,773,148 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 19, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 7, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Gary Nelson as Trustee Chair, Thomas R. Paulsen as Finance Committee Chair, Harold B. Strever Jr. as Admin Committee Chair, Lois M. Johnson as Secretary, and Soo Greiman as Trustee. The foundation’s website identifies Shannon Hickman as Executive Director.
Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation is led by Gary Nelson, Trustee Chair on every filing since 2021; all 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Gary Nelson
Trustee Chair
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$8K (2021) → $10K (2025)
Harold B. Strever Jr.
Administrator Committee Chair
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$8K (2021) → $10K (2025)
Thomas R. Paulsen
Finance Committee Chair
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$8K (2021) → $10K (2025)
Soo Greiman
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$8K (2021) → $10K (2025)
Lois M. Johnson
Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$8K (2021) → $10K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $10K, to Thomas R Paulsen (Finance Committee Chair). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: Max Helen Guernsey Charitable Found
Mailing address: 3826 Cedar Heights Drive Ste 1, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Phone: (319) 226-3434
Website: https://guernseyfoundation.com
Frequently asked questions about Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation
How much does Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation give each year?
Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation gave $2.2M across 125 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.6M across 136 grants.
What is Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $16,000, and its average grant was $17,491, across 125 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation that year got $17K on average.
Where does Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation give grants?
Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Waterloo, IA (60 grants), Cedar Falls, IA (19 grants), Waverly, IA (10 grants) and Des Moines, IA (4 grants).
Does Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 34% of Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (43 of 125) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Police K9 Program" (4 grants).
Who are Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include City of Waterloo ($55,000 across 3 grants), Cedar Falls Community Theatre ($50,000 across 2 grants) and Waterloo Community Foundation ($50,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($30,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 7% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation?
Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation reported $49.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.4M (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 Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is “to work in partnership with others to improve the vitality of our community, addressing issues important now and into the future.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation?
Applicants use the online grants system. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1460664. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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