Simon Estes Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Ankeny, IA EIN: 42-1525276

Simon Estes Foundation is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Ankeny, IA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $965K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $5K.

Simon Estes Foundation at a glance

In short: Simon Estes Foundation gave $5K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Iowa. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$5,000
-66.7% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
1
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$5,000
-66.7% vs 2024
Median grant
$5,000
Total assets
$964,699
+1.4% vs 2024
Primary geography
Iowa (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Simon Estes Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top recipient in 2025

Des Moines Metro Opera: $5KDes Moines Metro Opera$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Des Moines Metro Opera ($5K).

Grant Size Distribution

11 grants across all recorded years

11<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 11 grants of 11 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

4states

Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.

Cities

Des MoinesIowa CityAmesAnkenyCeder FallsDecorahIndianolaNew YorkPeoriaWashingtionOttumwa

How Simon Estes Foundation gives

  • Giving fell 57% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10K$20K$30K$40K2 grants2020 1 grant2021 8 grants2022 0 grants2023 1 grant2024 1 grant2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5K (2025) to $35K (2021). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $5K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Des Moines Metro Opera Indianola, IAGeneral Operations$5,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$964,699$43,056$29,621$5,0001$269,839—$8,562
2024$951,264$3,439$82,561$15,0001$160,149$2,035$22,891
2023$1,028,886$4,293$28,690——$101,444$3,018$26,190
2022$1,053,283$402,103$31,075$11,5008$176,056$496$24,416
2021$682,255$217,111$59,059$35,0001—$56—
2020$524,203$135,702$29,675$11,2002—$235—

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Simon Estes Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Simon Estes Foundation is led by Simon Estes, President on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Simon Estes

    President

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

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.

Frequently asked questions about Simon Estes Foundation

How much does Simon Estes Foundation give each year?

Simon Estes Foundation gave $5K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $15K across 1 grant.

How large is Simon Estes Foundation?

Simon Estes Foundation reported $965K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $270K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $9K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Simon Estes Foundation?

Simon Estes Foundation is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Ankeny, IA. It holds $965K in total assets as of 2025.

Where does Simon Estes Foundation operate?

Simon Estes Foundation has awarded grants in District of Columbia, Iowa, Illinois, New York.

What is Simon Estes Foundation's EIN?

Simon Estes Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1525276. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 12, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 6, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 10, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 20, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 17, 2025)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 3, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Simon Estes 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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