Samerian Foundation Inc
Samerian Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Indianapolis, Indiana. It seeks to enhance quality of life through grantmaking in areas including education, economic development, health, youth sports, community development, and humanitarian projects, with a stated primary focus on disadvantaged youth and Central Indiana.
Samerian Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Samerian Foundation Inc gave $4.9M across 93 grants in 2024 (avg $52K), mostly in Indiana. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,859,596
- +0.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 93
- +55.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $52,254
- -35.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $69,293,425
- +3.9% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Indiana (75% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Samerian Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Submit a written application stating the purpose of the grant and the amount requested. The filing says proposals are accepted from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Tammy Owen
Mailing address: 9910 Towne Road, Carmel, IN 46032
Phone: (317) 875-3369
Website: https://samerianfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Samerian Foundation Inc
Cindy Simon-Skjodt Scholarship Grant
Samerian Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ian J. Skjodt Scholarship Grant
Samerian Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Paul Skjodt Scholarship Grant
Samerian Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Samerian Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Indiana University Foundation ($2.1M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $4.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
266 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 217 grants of 266 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s program information says it primarily serves Central Indiana and has also participated in international endeavors and special projects outside the state. In 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana and 24% to recipients in Washington, DC; the reported shares for Illinois, New York, and California were 1%, 1%, and 0%, respectively.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 93 itemized grants.
Cities
How Samerian Foundation Inc gives
- 42% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 117% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $4.7M (2021) to $4.9M (2022). In 2024 it made 93 grants totaling $4.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana University Foundation Bloomington, IN | General Fund | $2,000,000 |
| United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington, DC | General Fund | $1,000,000 |
| Humane Society of Hamilton County Noblesville, IN | General Fund | $312,500 |
| Riley Children's Foundation Indianapolis, IN | General Fund | $250,000 |
| United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington, DC | Human Rights Programming | $150,000 |
| Riley Children's Foundation Indianapolis, IN | General Fund | $106,264 |
| 500 Festival Foundation Indianapolis, IN | General Fund | $100,000 |
| Indiana University Foundation Indianapolis, IN | Jewish Fellowship | $100,000 |
| Indiana Democracy Collective Indianapolis, IN | General Fund | $83,333 |
| Free Press Indiana Indianapolis, IN | Civic/Community Programming | $50,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $69,293,425 | $8,183,485 | $5,601,782 | $4,859,596 | 93 | $5,115,394 | $6,960,602 | $4,386,909 |
| 2023 | $66,697,915 | $5,344,020 | $5,393,321 | $4,851,704 | 60 | $5,069,197 | $3,897,325 | $3,875,862 |
| 2022 | $66,763,179 | $3,700,757 | $5,671,921 | $4,938,097 | 37 | $5,173,564 | $2,154,970 | $4,008,860 |
| 2021 | $68,980,217 | $8,669,188 | $5,311,787 | $4,694,278 | 52 | $4,928,962 | $4,297,199 | $4,352,464 |
| 2020 | $65,657,154 | $6,882,176 | $5,629,241 | $4,796,000 | 24 | — | $1,181,736 | $3,591,056 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Samerian Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated aim is to enhance quality of life through funding for education, economic development, health, youth sports, community organizations serving underserved people, and humanitarian projects. Its program information also lists poverty and hunger prevention, medical and health care programs, environmental initiatives, building strong families, human rights and social needs, and the arts.
Its 2024 grants included a range of organizations. The Indiana University Foundation describes its work as maximizing private philanthropic support for Indiana University through stakeholder relationships, advancement leadership, and fundraising services. The Indiana Democracy Collective says it invests in long-term political and civic infrastructure to support Hoosiers. Brightlane Learning describes providing tutoring and academic support to students affected by homelessness or housing instability, while Human Rights First describes advocacy and action to advance free and equal societies.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 93 grants totaling $4,859,596. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $2,000,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest awards included $2,000,000 to the Indiana University Foundation for its general fund, $1,000,000 to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum for its general fund, and $312,500 to the Humane Society of Hamilton County for its general fund. Other notable awards included $250,000 to Riley Children’s Foundation and $100,000 to the 500 Festival Foundation.
The Samerian Foundation Grant program is listed as active, with awards up to $5,000. Its program description welcomes applications from 501(c)(3) organizations and says it does not fund general operating expenses or for-profit ventures. The foundation’s 2024 filing states that written applications should include the grant purpose and amount requested, and that it accepts funding proposals from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The filing names Tammy Owen as the contact. The filing reports no deadline.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Cynthia Simon Skjodt as chairman, Paul Skjodt as president, Erik Skjodt as treasurer, and Elizabeth Niedermeyer as secretary.
Samerian Foundation Inc is led by Paul Skjodt, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Paul Skjodt
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Simon Skjodt
Chairman
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Niedermeyer
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
20 hrs/week
$54K (2024)
Erik Skjodt
Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Betsy Niedermeyer (2020–2023) — Chief Operating Officer
- Former: Fonda Crandall (2020–2023) — Director
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 $54K, to Elizabeth Niedermeyer (Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about Samerian Foundation Inc
How much does Samerian Foundation Inc give each year?
Samerian Foundation Inc gave $4.9M across 93 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.9M across 60 grants.
What is Samerian Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Samerian Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $52,254, across 93 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Samerian Foundation Inc give grants?
Samerian Foundation Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (24%). The most frequent recipient cities were Indianapolis, IN (65 grants), Bloomington, IN (5 grants), Carmel, IN (4 grants) and Noblesville, IN (3 grants).
Does Samerian Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 14% of Samerian Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 93) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Youth Programming" (15 grants), "Civic/Community Programming" (7 grants) and "Disabled Programming" (4 grants).
Who are Samerian Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Samerian Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Indiana University Foundation ($2,100,000 across 2 grants), United States Holocaust Memorial Museum ($1,150,000 across 2 grants) and Riley Children's Foundation ($356,264 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 74% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Samerian Foundation Inc?
Samerian Foundation Inc reported $69.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Samerian Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated aim is to enhance quality of life through funding for education, economic development, health, youth sports, community organizations serving underserved people, and humanitarian projects. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Samerian Foundation Inc?
Submit a written application stating the purpose of the grant and the amount requested. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Samerian Foundation Inc's EIN?
Samerian Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-1439047. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 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). Samerian Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/samerian-foundation-inc-morg_f625e9a0acec462289542d1f8b33821a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_371439047_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Samerian Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/samerian-foundation-inc-morg_f625e9a0acec462289542d1f8b33821a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Samerian Foundation Inc'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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