McMillen Foundation Inc
McMillen Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Established in 1947 by Dale W. and Agnes S. McMillen, it awards grants for charitable purposes to qualifying organizations. Its website describes a focus on capital expenditures that benefit the greatest number of people over the longest period.
McMillen Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: McMillen Foundation Inc gave $1.4M across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $65K), mostly in Indiana. 57% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,424,010
- -23.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- -15.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $64,728
- -9.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $45,000
- Total assets
- $29,161,554
- +2.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 57% first-time grantees (12 of 21, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to McMillen Foundation Inc
- Contact
Application contact: John F Mcmillen
Mailing address: 7030 Pointe Inverness Way 127, Fort Wayne, IN 46804
Phone: (260) 484-8631
Website: https://mcmillenfoundationfortwayne.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from McMillen Foundation Inc
Who McMillen Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Fort Wayne Park Foundation ($250K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
111 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 55 grants of 111 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The website says applicants must be located in and provide programs and services mainly within Fort Wayne and Allen County. The 2024 filing lists the local area as preferred. All reported 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
Cities
Is McMillen Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
57%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 21 grantees (57%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $58K; repeat grants $80K. How we count
Medians: $38K first-time, $60K repeat.
- 29% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 31% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2024) to $2.1M (2021). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne Park Foundation Fort Wayne, IN | Program Support | $250,000 |
| Arts United Greater FW Fort Wayne, IN | Program Support | $200,000 |
| Fort Wayne Childrens Zoo Fort Wayne, IN | Program Support | $150,000 |
| Bridge of Grace Compassionate Ministries Fort Wayne, IN | Program Support | $125,000 |
| Vincent Village Inc Fort Wayne, IN | Program Support | $100,000 |
| Miss D Fort Wayne, IN | Program Support | $65,000 |
| Community Transportation Network Inc Fort Wayne, IN | Program Support | $60,000 |
| Fort Wayne Civic Theatre Fort Wayne, IN | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Erin's House Fort Wayne, IN | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Turnstone Center for Children & Adults with Disabilities Fort Wayne, IN | Therapeutic Service Support; Program Support | $50,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $29,161,554 | $2,439,548 | $1,926,562 | $1,424,010 | 22 | $1,602,521 | $2,023,458 | $1,871,730 |
| 2023 | $28,527,200 | $739,998 | $2,374,655 | $1,858,800 | 26 | $2,015,537 | $303,098 | $1,732,291 |
| 2022 | $30,097,914 | $501,691 | $2,437,886 | $1,959,055 | 29 | $2,118,337 | $258,643 | $1,840,830 |
| 2021 | $31,760,477 | $3,266,305 | $2,690,107 | $2,055,000 | 19 | $2,215,986 | $2,453,368 | $2,024,699 |
| 2020 | $30,751,418 | $2,664,984 | $2,018,758 | $1,570,000 | 15 | — | $2,331,067 | $1,636,647 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, McMillen Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website does not state a separate mission. It says grants generally support capital expenditures rather than annual support, including land and buildings, building renovation, equipment, and items with a normal life expectancy of at least three years. The Wildcat Athletic Association is an exception; the foundation says it annually supports the Wildcats because Dale W. McMillen established the League.
The 2024 grants show support for organizations in areas including parks, arts, animal care, housing and homelessness services, transportation, theater, dance, disability services, and education. For example, Fort Wayne Park Foundation describes its mission as preserving the city’s green spaces and providing free and affordable leisure opportunities. Vincent Village says it serves homeless families through shelter, care, advocacy, affordable housing, and supportive services. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not stated missions of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $1,424,010. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $250,000, with a median of $45,000. Its largest listed awards included $250,000 to Fort Wayne Park Foundation, $200,000 to Arts United Greater FW, $150,000 to Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, $125,000 to Bridge of Grace Compassionate Ministries, and $100,000 to Vincent Village. The listed grant purposes were primarily program support.
The foundation’s website says applicants first submit a one- or two-page concept letter by email. If invited after review, an organization submits a full proposal. The concept letter should include the organization’s legal name and address, proof of 501(c)(3) status, mission, project description, request amount and total project cost, and an executive staff contact. The full proposal requires a narrative about the organization and project, expected community benefits and measurable outcomes, project costs and timeline, request amount, and funds raised to date. Required exhibits include officers and directors, detailed project and operating budgets, specified audit statements, three years of income and expense detail, and donor history for donors giving $1,000 or more in any of those years.
The website requires applicants to have been 501(c)(3) organizations for five years and to be located in and provide programs and services mainly within Fort Wayne and Allen County. It excludes private foundations, churches, state-funded colleges and universities, and individuals, including scholarship applicants; it says schools at any level are rarely funded. An organization that received a grant may submit a new concept letter beginning one full calendar year after the year of the award, subject to the stated rule for multi-year payments, and all required prior final reports must be submitted. The 2024 filing states that giving is not restricted to preselected organizations and lists a written application describing need, use, and supporting detail. How to apply: The website describes a concept-letter and invitation-based full-proposal process; the 2024 filing lists a written application. Deadline: The website lists October 1, 2026, March 2027, and June 2027. October 1, 2026 is a past deadline.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John F. McMillen as president; Kristin Giant as secretary/treasurer; and Thomas A. Irmscher, N. Reed Silliman, Jason McMillen, Kraig Cabe, and Kathleen J. Silliman as directors.
McMillen Foundation Inc is led by John F. McMillen, President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 7 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John F. McMillen
President
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$27K (2020) → $60K (2024)
Jason McMillen
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen J. Silliman
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kraig Cabe
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
N. Reed Silliman
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas A. Irmscher
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristin Giant
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
25 hrs/week
$53K (2021) → $55K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Dorothy Robinson (2020–2021) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Thomas M. Shoaff (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $60K, to John F McMillen (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about McMillen Foundation Inc
How much does McMillen Foundation Inc give each year?
McMillen Foundation Inc gave $1.4M across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.9M across 26 grants.
What is McMillen Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
McMillen Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $45,000, and its average grant was $64,728, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from McMillen Foundation Inc that year got $58K on average.
Where does McMillen Foundation Inc give grants?
McMillen Foundation Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Wayne, IN (21 grants).
Does McMillen Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on McMillen Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (19 grants).
Who are McMillen Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
McMillen Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Fort Wayne Park Foundation ($250,000), Arts United Greater FW ($200,000) and Fort Wayne Childrens Zoo ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is McMillen Foundation Inc?
McMillen Foundation Inc reported $29.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.9M (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 McMillen Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s website does not state a separate mission. It says grants generally support capital expenditures rather than annual support, including land and buildings, building renovation, equipment, and items with a normal life expectancy of at least three years. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from McMillen Foundation Inc?
McMillen Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check mcmillenfoundationfortwayne.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is McMillen Foundation Inc's EIN?
McMillen Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-6021003. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). McMillen Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mcmillen-foundation-inc-morg_6cff9b2080c5402ab675f8e3be39c57c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_356021003_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{McMillen Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mcmillen-foundation-inc-morg_6cff9b2080c5402ab675f8e3be39c57c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 McMillen 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.
McMillen Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?