Maxine E Spitler Foundation
The Maxine E Spitler Foundation is a private foundation based in Newton, Illinois. Its filing states that awards are restricted to 501(c)(3) organizations benefiting youth or youth activities, or providing for the care and prevention of cruelty to animals, in Jasper and Lawrence counties, Illinois.
Maxine E Spitler Foundation at a glance
In short: Maxine E Spitler Foundation gave $33K across 16 grants in 2026 (avg $2K), mostly in Illinois. 29% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $32,525
- +1.7% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 16
- +14.3% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $2,033
- -11.0% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $1,570
- Total assets
- $695,699
- +6.4% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (4 of 14, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Maxine E Spitler Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applicants may request detailed application procedures in writing from Rita M Kocher. Awards are restricted to 501(c)(3) organizations benefiting youth or youth activities, or providing for the care and prevention of cruelty to animals, located in Jasper and Lawrence counties, Illinois.
- Review Cycle
- May 31 each year. The 2026 deadline was a past cycle as of September 29, 2026.
- Deadline
- May 31 each year.
- Contact
Application contact: Rita M Kocher
Mailing address: PO Box 305, Newton, IL 62448
Phone: (618) 783-3447
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Maxine E Spitler Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was St Thomas School ($6K). Together the top 10 received $29K.
Grant Size Distribution
74 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 74 grants of 74 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing restricts awards to eligible organizations located in Jasper and Lawrence counties, Illinois. All grant dollars reported for filing year 2026 went to recipients in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Maxine E Spitler Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 4 of 14 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 64% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−10%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2026). 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 2019 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $24K (2020) to $36K (2023). In 2026 it made 16 grants totaling $33K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Thomas School Newton, IL | Asus Chromebooks | $5,790 |
| Kid Shopping Day of Lawrence County Lawrenceville, IL | School Clothing & Supplies | $5,000 |
| Lawrence Co Humane Society Lawrenceville, IL | Spay & Neuter Program | $2,900 |
| Saved by Grace Animal Rescue Newton, IL | Spay, Neuter & Rabies Programs | $2,900 |
| Jasper County Boys & Girls Park Newton, IL | Drinking Fountain/Bottle Filler | $2,729 |
| Jasper County CUSD1 Newton, IL | Choral & Theater Dept | $2,590 |
| Jasper County CUSD1 Read Program Newton, IL | Read Program Books | $2,000 |
| Lawrence County Cusd 20 Lawrenceville, IL | Library & Art Supplies | $1,900 |
| Jasper County Health Department Newton, IL | Supplies | $1,239 |
| Erba Jasper County Office Newton, IL | Food Pantry-Low Income Kids | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $695,699 | $81,948 | $41,928 | $32,525 | 16 | $33,712 | $76,919 | $32,842 |
| 2025 | $653,571 | $54,886 | $39,020 | $31,993 | 14 | $33,145 | $49,545 | $31,292 |
| 2024 | $636,785 | $23,689 | $37,111 | $32,251 | 16 | $33,328 | $19,925 | $31,211 |
| 2023 | $650,463 | $9,257 | $37,931 | $36,179 | 15 | $37,220 | $10,778 | $31,576 |
| 2022 | $683,065 | $17,645 | $42,407 | $34,528 | 13 | $35,609 | $12,498 | $35,459 |
| 2021 | $706,177 | $46,735 | $40,359 | $33,663 | 9 | — | $31,397 | $33,573 |
| 2020 | $698,936 | $245,716 | $39,289 | $24,007 | 13 | — | $12,513 | $32,909 |
| 2019 | $482,853 | $-2,924 | $29,505 | $25,832 | 16 | — | $9,037 | $23,469 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Maxine E Spitler Foundation reported a distributable amount of $33K for 2026 — 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 filing does not state a separate mission. Its stated grant restrictions cover youth and youth activities, and the care and prevention of cruelty to animals. Recent grants included support for school technology and supplies, youth programs, and animal spay and neuter services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation gave 16 grants totaling $32,525. Grant amounts ranged from $460 to $5,790, with a median of $1,570.
The largest grants included $5,790 to ST THOMAS SCHOOL for ASUS Chromebooks; $5,000 to KID SHOPPING DAY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY for school clothing and supplies; $2,900 to LAWRENCE CO HUMANE SOCIETY for its spay and neuter program; and $2,900 to SAVED BY GRACE ANIMAL RESCUE for spay, neuter, and rabies programs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Rita M Kocher as president, William R Michl as vice president, Jane E Smith as secretary, Amy K Potts as treasurer, and George Zwilling as director.
Maxine E Spitler Foundation is led by Rita M. Kocher, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Rita M. Kocher
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
George Zwilling
Director
On filings since 2025
No compensation reported
Amy K. Potts
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Jane E. Smith
Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
William R. Michl
Vice President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: John Chapman (2019–2024) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2026. "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 Maxine E Spitler Foundation
How much does Maxine E Spitler Foundation give each year?
Maxine E Spitler Foundation gave $33K across 16 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $32K across 14 grants.
What is Maxine E Spitler Foundation's typical grant size?
Maxine E Spitler Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $1,570, and its average grant was $2,033, across 16 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Maxine E Spitler Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Maxine E Spitler Foundation give grants?
Maxine E Spitler Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Newton, IL (8 grants), Lawrenceville, IL (5 grants) and Sumner, IL (2 grants).
Does Maxine E Spitler Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Maxine E Spitler Foundation's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Maxine E Spitler Foundation's largest grantees?
Maxine E Spitler Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include St Thomas School ($5,790), Kid Shopping Day of Lawrence County ($5,000) and Jasper County CUSD1 ($3,589 across 2 grants), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Maxine E Spitler Foundation?
Maxine E Spitler Foundation reported $696K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $34K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $33K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Maxine E Spitler Foundation fund?
The filing does not state a separate mission. Its stated grant restrictions cover youth and youth activities, and the care and prevention of cruelty to animals. Recent grants included support for school technology and supplies, youth programs, and animal spay and neuter services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Maxine E Spitler Foundation?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Maxine E Spitler Foundation's EIN?
Maxine E Spitler Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4155172. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(9)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 8, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 23, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 25, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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