The Redbud Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2007 and based in Topeka, Kansas. Created by Glenn and Claire Swogger, the foundation operates as a grantmaking organization focused on enhancing educational opportunities and supporting arts and culture initiatives in their community.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.1M
-11.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
-53.1% YoY
Grant Count
11
-21.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$161K
-40.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Redbud Foundation reported a distributable amount of $551K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Redbud Foundation primarily funds initiatives to enhance educational opportunities for all students through collaboration between the community and public schools. The foundation encourages and cultivates appreciation for education by providing grants, including support for scholarships and educational programs.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education and educational opportunities
- Arts, culture, and humanities
- Community development
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$3,000 to $615,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds initiatives in Kansas, with some grants extending to Colorado and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $11,056,099
- Total Revenue: $643,418
- Total Expenses: $2,111,822
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Giving Rate: 5.2% of assets
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,056,099 | $12,524,503 | $13,249,191 |
| Revenue | $643,418 | $3,306,083 | $461,122 |
| Expenses | $2,111,822 | $4,030,771 | $1,192,230 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,774,800 | $3,781,500 | $938,947 |
| Net Investment Income | $527,059 | $328,274 | $179,992 |
| Distributable Amount | $550,731 | $598,791 | $661,082 |
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
60 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Hillsdale College ($615,000), ACE Scholarships ($500,000), Kansas Policy Institute ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACE Scholarships Denver, CO | Support scholarships. | $500,000 |
| American Council on Science and Health New York, NY | To provide current scientific analyses on key issues related to chemicals, health, energy, and food. | $100,000 |
| Friends For Life Inc Littleton, CO | Provide superior care & companionship for cancer patients with duty, dignity & discretion. | $3,000 |
| Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI | To provide students with literary, scientific, and theological education. This grant establishes an endowed scholarship fund for students of the college. | $615,000 |
| Kansas Children's Discovery Center Topeka, KS | Enhance the lives of children; inspire creativity and a lifelong love of learning; enrich the health of our community through education; and provide an exciting and safe place for families to learn, play and interact. Grant earmarked for Access Discovery Programs. | $62,800 |
| Kansas Policy Institute Wichita, KS | To support student-focused education programs and to support the Kansas School Board Resource Center. | $200,000 |
| North Topeka Arts District Inc Topeka, KS | Establish a viable arts community in North Topeka. | $114,000 |
| SENT Inc Topeka, KS | To accomplish the holistic tranformation of neighborhoods in Shawnee County through relationships and strategic development. Grant earmarked for Early Childhood Education Program. | $50,000 |
| Sunflower Music Festival (Washburn University) Topeka, KS | Sunflower Music Festival of Topeka, Kansas presents an annual series of orchestra concerts, chamber music evenings, educational projects and other artistic events of the highest caliber. These events occur throughout a two week period each June in White Concert Hall on the Washburn University campus. | $25,000 |
| The Topeka Symphony Society Topeka, KS | To encourage and cultivate appreciation and support for fine music in northeast Kansas. Grant earmarked for Youth Symphony Concerts and School Days Concerts. | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members/Directors:
- Gerald Lauber (President, Director)
- Thomas E Zanecchia (Secretary, Director)
- JC Bloom (Treasurer, Director)
- Dave Newbery (Assistant Treasurer/Secretary, Director)
Founders:
- Glenn Swogger
- Claire Swogger
The foundation maintains a staff of 3 employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas E Zanecchia | Secretary, Director | 10 | $60,000 |
| JC Bloom | Treasurer, Director | 10 | $60,000 |
| Dave Newbery | Asst. Treasurer/Secretary, Director | 8 | $48,000 |
| Gerald Lauber | President, Director | 10 | $60,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Redbud Foundation was honored as an outstanding local philanthropic foundation at the Topeka Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals National Philanthropic Day luncheon. The foundation has been recognized for its significant contributions to the community, particularly through its support of The Library Foundation and the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library's History Neighborhood project, which converts the library's history collection into distinctive subject-focused zones.
Redbud Grant Dollars Handed Out to Local Schools | KECO 96.5FMSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Redbud Foundation fund?
The Redbud Foundation primarily funds initiatives to enhance educational opportunities for all students through collaboration between the community and public schools. The foundation encourages and cultivates appreciation for education by providing grants, including support for scholarships and educational programs. Primary funding areas include: • Education and educational opportunities • Arts, culture, and humanities • Community development • Philanthropy and grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from Redbud Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2024):** • Total giving: $1,774,800 • Number of grants: 13 • Grant range: $3,000 to $615,000 • Median grant: $70,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • Hillsdale College: $615,000 (endowed scholarship fund) • Kansas Policy Institute: $200,000 (student-focused education programs and Kansas School Board Resource Center) • North Topeka Arts District: $114,000 (establishing a viable arts community in North Topeka) **Application Policy:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applica…
Where does Redbud Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds initiatives in Kansas, with some grants extending to Colorado and New York.
What size grants does Redbud Foundation award?
In 2024, Redbud Foundation awarded 11 grants totaling $1.8M — an average of about $161K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Redbud Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Redbud Foundation reported a distributable amount of $551K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Redbud Foundation's EIN?
Redbud Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0375951. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Redbud 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.
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