R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation
R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation is a private foundation based in Columbia, Missouri. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Missouri.
R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation at a glance
In short: R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation gave $46K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Missouri. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $45,670
- +11.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +14.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,854
- -2.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,750
- Total assets
- $999,647
- +23.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (5 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to R&J Lewis Comm Betterment 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: 111 S 9Th Street, Columbia, MO 65201
Phone: (573) 817-8787
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Missouri Symphony ($5K). Together the top 10 received $36K.
Grant Size Distribution
75 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 75 grants of 75 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Missouri and 3% to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 16 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $41K (2024) to $46K (2025). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $46K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Missouri Symphony Columbia, MO | General Use | $5,200 |
| Columbia Police Scholarship Fund Columbia, MO | General Use | $5,000 |
| The Salvation Army Columbia, MO | General Use | $4,000 |
| Ronald McDonald House Charities Columbia, MO | General Use | $4,000 |
| Assistance League of Columbia, MO | General Use | $4,000 |
| Heart of America CASA Columbia, MO | General Support | $3,000 |
| Columbia Fund for Academic Columbia, MO | General Use | $3,000 |
| Coyote Hill Managed Agency Harrisburg, MO | General Use | $3,000 |
| Columbia Crime Stoppers Program Columbia, MO | General Use | $2,500 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Columbia Columbia, MO | General Use | $2,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $999,647 | $248,391 | $57,857 | $45,670 | 16 | $46,948 | $238,969 | $45,621 |
| 2024 | $809,801 | $74,678 | $51,121 | $40,900 | 14 | $42,100 | $66,375 | $47,514 |
| 2023 | $786,344 | $33,195 | $52,442 | $43,900 | 15 | $44,990 | $25,743 | $44,501 |
| 2022 | $805,897 | $-125 | $53,322 | $43,900 | 15 | $48,472 | $20,920 | $45,910 |
| 2021 | $859,664 | $79,374 | $51,940 | $42,900 | 15 | $47,142 | $42,275 | $50,429 |
| 2020 | $832,230 | $116,652 | $51,451 | $42,900 | 15 | — | $21,177 | $45,315 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation reported a distributable amount of $46K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants include support for organizations in music, public safety, child and family services, food delivery, housing, youth programs, and other areas. For example, The Missouri Symphony says it enriches the Columbia community through music education and performances; Meals on Wheels of Columbia says it delivers meals to homebound and elderly people; and Show-Me Central Habitat for Humanity says it builds modest homes for low-income families.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $45,670. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $5,200, with a median of $2,750. Among the largest grants were $5,200 to The Missouri Symphony, $5,000 to Columbia Police Scholarship Fund, $4,000 each to The Salvation Army, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Assistance League of Columbia, and $3,000 each to Heart of America CASA, Columbia Fund for Academic Excellence, and Coyote Hill Managed Agency.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists The Central Trust Bank as administrator and Cynthia Ann Lewis, Phebe La Mar, and Rebecca Sue Lewis as directors.
R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cynthia Ann Lewis
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Rebecca Sue Lewis
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Phebe La Mar
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
The Central Trust Bank
Administrator
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
$8K (2022) → $0 (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: John Roark (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: John David Lewis (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2022 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2022 filing was $8K, to The Central Trust Bank (Administrator).
Frequently asked questions about R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation
How much does R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation give each year?
R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation gave $46K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $41K across 14 grants.
What is R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation's typical grant size?
R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,750, and its average grant was $2,854, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation give grants?
R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation gives mostly in Missouri: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Columbia, MO (14 grants).
Does R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation's largest grantees?
R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Missouri Symphony ($5,200), Columbia Police Scholarship Fund ($5,000) and The Salvation Army ($4,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation?
R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation reported $1000K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $47K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $46K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations in music, public safety, child and family services, food delivery, housing, youth programs, and other areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from R&J Lewis Comm Betterment 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 R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation's EIN?
R&J Lewis Comm Betterment Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1780147. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does R&J Lewis Comm Betterment 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 17, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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