Mothershead Foundation
The Mothershead Foundation is a private foundation based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, primarily in Indiana, including schools, museums, historical and heritage organizations, and a church.
Mothershead Foundation at a glance
In short: Mothershead Foundation gave $91K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), mostly in Indiana. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $90,658
- -34.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- -10.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,037
- -26.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,736
- Total assets
- $3,149,768
- -0.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (4 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (94% 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 Mothershead Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4800 West 96Th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46268
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mothershead Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Indiana Historical Society ($13K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $87K.
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 85 grants of 87 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana and 6% to recipients in Missouri. The listed grants included organizations in Indianapolis and Franklin, Indiana, and Kansas City, Missouri.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Mothershead Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 17 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $375; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $238 first-time, $10K repeat.
- 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 41% 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 $89K (2022) to $223K (2020). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $91K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| 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 |
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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 | $3,149,768 | $156,038 | $163,821 | $90,658 | 18 | $90,658 | $21,166 | $221,929 |
| 2023 | $3,157,551 | $444,538 | $211,776 | $137,560 | 20 | $137,560 | $41,001 | $198,323 |
| 2022 | $2,924,789 | $353,159 | $153,535 | $88,805 | 19 | $88,805 | $31,390 | $200,180 |
| 2021 | $2,725,165 | $354,208 | $170,636 | $95,875 | 17 | $95,875 | — | $214,726 |
| 2020 | $2,541,593 | $75,857 | $297,493 | $222,900 | 13 | — | $80,654 | $187,669 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations in education, history and heritage, museums, horticulture, and community institutions. The Indiana Historical Society describes its work as collecting, preserving, interpreting, and sharing Indiana’s history, as well as providing educational and public programming. Crown Hill Heritage Foundation says its mission is to preserve and celebrate Crown Hill Cemetery’s architectural, cultural, and natural heritage. The Indiana State Fair Foundation says it supports youth development, education, and campus stewardship projects.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $90,658. Grant amounts ranged from $25 to $12,250, with a median of $2,736. Among the larger grants were $12,250 to Orchard School, $11,250 to Franklin College, $10,185 to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, and $10,000 each to Crown Hill Heritage Foundation, Woodstock Foundation, Indiana Historical Society, and Second Presbyterian Church. The Indiana Historical Society also received $2,972 for its Festival of Trees.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Katharine M. Kruse, Katharine M. Wakefield, Richard D. Kruse, and Anne E. Kruse as trustees.
Mothershead Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; 2 of 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Anne E. Kruse
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $14K (2024)
Katharine M. Wakefield
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$15K (2021) → $14K (2024)
Richard D. Kruse
Trustee
On filings since 2020
$12K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Katharine M. Kruse
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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 $14K, to Katharine M Wakefield (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Mothershead Foundation
How much does Mothershead Foundation give each year?
Mothershead Foundation gave $91K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $138K across 20 grants.
What is Mothershead Foundation's typical grant size?
Mothershead Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,736, and its average grant was $5,037, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mothershead Foundation that year got $375 on average.
Where does Mothershead Foundation give grants?
Mothershead Foundation gives mostly in Indiana: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Missouri (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Indianapolis, IN (14 grants).
Does Mothershead Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 94% of Mothershead Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Mothershead Foundation's largest grantees?
Mothershead Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Indiana Historical Society ($12,972 across 2 grants), Orchard School ($12,250) and Franklin College ($11,250), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Mothershead Foundation?
Mothershead Foundation reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $91K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $222K (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 Mothershead Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations in education, history and heritage, museums, horticulture, and community institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mothershead Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Does Mothershead Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mothershead Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mothershead-foundation-morg_e314798e00cf4ae99f88a7990ce0e564
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_351844375_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mothershead Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mothershead-foundation-morg_e314798e00cf4ae99f88a7990ce0e564},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Mothershead Foundation'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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