Mothershead Foundation
The Mothershead Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1991 and based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization with assets of approximately $3.2 million, supporting philanthropic initiatives across multiple disciplines and geographic regions.
Key facts about Mothershead Foundation
- EIN
- 35-1844375
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $90,658
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- Average grant
- $5,037
- Median grant
- $2,736
- Total assets
- $3,149,768
- Primary geography
- Indiana (94% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026.
Who Mothershead Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Mothershead Foundation's 18 itemized 2024 grants were Indiana (94%) and Missouri (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Indianapolis, IN (14 grants). 94% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.1M
-0.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$91K
-34.1% YoY
Grant Count
18
-10.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
-26.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mothershead Foundation reported a distributable amount of $222K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation focuses on funding initiatives in the following areas:
- Arts and culture
- Museums and children's museums
- Humanities and history
- Education
- Social sciences, anthropology, and archaeology
- Community and economic development
- Housing development
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation made grants to organizations including:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports projects in multiple U.S. cities and states, including:
- Franklin, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Naples, New York, and Northport
- States: Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and New York
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 18 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023)
- Total assets: $3,157,551
- Total revenues: $444,538
- Investment income and dividends: $80,739
- Total expenses: $211,776
Tax Information
- EIN: 35-1844375
- IRS ruling year: 1992
- 501(c)(3) organization
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,149,768 | $3,157,551 | $2,924,789 |
| Revenue | $156,038 | $444,538 | $353,159 |
| Expenses | $163,821 | $211,776 | $153,535 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $90,658 | $137,560 | $88,805 |
| Net Investment Income | $21,166 | $41,001 | $31,390 |
| Distributable Amount | $221,929 | $198,323 | $200,180 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Indiana Historical Society ($12,972 across 2 grants), Orchard School ($12,250), Franklin College ($11,250).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ORCHARD SCHOOL INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $12,250 |
| FRANKLIN COLLEGE FRANKLIN, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $11,250 |
| CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $10,185 |
| CROWN HILL HERITAGE FOUNDATION INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| WOODSTOCK FOUNDATION INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| FARMHOUSE FOUNDATION KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY INDIANAPOLIS, IN | FESTIVAL OF TREES | $2,972 |
| INDIANAPOLIS ZOO INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Katharine M. Kruse (Trustee)
- Katharine M. Wakefield (Trustee)
- Richard D. Kruse (Trustee)
- Anne E. Kruse (Trustee)
Katharine M. Wakefield and Anne E. Kruse receive compensation for their roles.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KATHARINE M KRUSE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| KATHARINE M WAKEFIELD | TRUSTEE | 2 | $14,000 |
| RICHARD D KRUSE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| ANNE E KRUSE | TRUSTEE | 2 | $13,500 |
Contact Information
- Address: 4800 W 96th St, Indianapolis, IN 46268-3901
- Telephone: (317) 257-8208
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mothershead Foundation fund?
The foundation focuses on funding initiatives in the following areas: • Arts and culture • Museums and children's museums • Humanities and history • Education • Social sciences, anthropology, and archaeology • Community and economic development • Housing development • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from Mothershead Foundation?
**Financial Activity (2023)** • Total assets: $3,157,551 • Total giving: $137,560 • Total expenses: $211,776 • Total revenues: $444,538 **Recent Grants** The foundation made grants to organizations including: • Indiana Historical Society ($25,000 for general operations) • The Children's Museum of Indianapolis ($23,310 for general operations) • Franklin College ($20,000 for general operations) The foundation made a total of 9 grants in 2023.
Where does Mothershead Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports projects in multiple U.S. cities and states, including: • Franklin, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Naples, New York, and Northport • States: Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and New York
What size grants does Mothershead Foundation award?
In 2024, Mothershead Foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $91K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Mothershead Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Mothershead Foundation reported a distributable amount of $222K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Mothershead Foundation's EIN?
Mothershead Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-1844375. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mothershead Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.