Optimist International
By providing hope and positive vision, optimists bring out the best in youth, our communities and ourselves.
Key facts about Optimist International
- EIN
- 43-0443279
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Total assets
- $6,223,112
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$6.2M
+9.3% YoY
Revenue
$3.9M
-5.1% YoY
Net Investment Income
$89K
-9.1% YoY
Expenses
$3.6M
+1.4% YoY
About Optimist International
Based on IRS filings
Optimist International is a public charity, based in Saint Louis, MO. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $6.2M in total assets. Net investment income was $89K.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $40K (2022) to $83K (2021). In 2022 it made 1 grant totaling $40K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
3 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2 grants of 3 (67%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for 2025.
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,223,112 | $5,696,149 | $5,022,321 |
| Revenue | $3,908,856 | $4,119,016 | $4,080,823 |
| Expenses | $3,645,616 | $3,595,943 | $3,528,366 |
| Net Investment Income | $88,940 | $97,793 | $60,927 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 7, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 9, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Optimist International is led by Cheryl Brenn, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 8 of 17 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cheryl Brenn
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$61K (2022) → $154K (2025)
Jan Oord Graves
President
President-Elect → President, 2025
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Carver
Director
Director → Senior Director of It, 2020
Senior Director of It → Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
$125K (2019) → $139K (2025)
Ronda Vaughn
Director
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$104K (2021) → $123K (2025)
Stephanie Monschein
Director
On filings since 2023
50 hrs/week
$100K (2023) → $114K (2025)
Dana Thomas
Director
New on the 2025 filing
50 hrs/week
$110K (2025)
Marcus Sheker
Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$119K (2025)
Patrick Prendergast
Board Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terry Gorman
Board Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rod McKendrick
Board Director
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sandi Schmidt
Board Director
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Boles
Board Director
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paula Reyling
Board Director
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Constance Pellock
CFO
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$97K (2021) → $114K (2025)
Brian Huggins
CFO
New on the 2025 filing
50 hrs/week
$24K (2025)
Tracy Huxley
Immediate Past President
President-Elect → President, 2024
President → Immediate Past President, 2025
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Kendo
President Elect
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (18)
- Former: Carol Haynes (2022–2024) — Board Director
- Former: Robert McFadyen (2022–2024) — Immediate Past President
- Former: Russ Thomas (2022–2024) — Board Director
- Former: Patsy Garner (2019–2023) — Immediate Past President
- Former: Janet Lloyd (2021–2023) — Board Director
- Former: Robert Doyle (2021–2023) — Board Director
- Former: Benny Ellerbe (2019–2022) — Former Executive Director
- Former: Mark Weinsoff (2019–2022) — Immediate Past President
- Former: Luc Dubois (2020–2022) — Board Director
- Former: Sandy Williams (2020–2022) — Board Director
- Former: Adrian M. Elcock (2019–2021) — Immediate Past President
- Former: Sandra Larivee (2019–2021) — Board Director
- Former: Sandy Cyphers (2019–2021) — Board Director
- Former: Don Brose (2019–2020) — Board Director
- Former: Rebecca Butler Mona (2019–2020) — Immediate Past President
- Former: Theresa Ovelgoenner (2019–2020) — CFO -
- Former: H. Nick Prillaman Jr. (2019) — Immediate Past President
- Former: Nicole Paquette (2019) — Board Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $154K, to Cheryl Brenn (Executive Director). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Optimist International
How large is Optimist International?
Optimist International reported $6.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.9M.
Where does Optimist International operate?
Optimist International has awarded grants in Missouri.
What is Optimist International's EIN?
Optimist International's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-0443279. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Here's the math on researching Optimist International by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Optimist International's focus areas in our free grants database
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