Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc
Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Its 2026 filing reports 16 grants totaling $858,829 to charitable organizations.
Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc gave $859K across 16 grants in 2026 (avg $54K), mostly in Kentucky. 56% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $858,829
- +275.5% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 16
- -20.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $53,677
- +369.4% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $3,150
- Total assets
- $2,993,125
- -3.5% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (9 of 16, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (94% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc
- 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: 1279 Central Pike, Harrodsburg, KY 40330
Phone: (859) 325-1937
Website: https://tallgrassfarmfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was UK Office of Philanthropy ($511K). Together the top 10 received $854K.
Grant Size Distribution
98 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 93 grants of 98 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2026, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Kentucky and 6% went to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 9 of 16 grantees (56%) 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 $8K; repeat grants $113K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 44% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 207% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 305% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). 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 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $117K (2021) to $859K (2026). In 2026 it made 16 grants totaling $859K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UK Office of Philanthropy Lexington, KY | General Fund | $510,500 |
| Shaker Village Harrodsburg, KY | General Fund | $251,529 |
| American Paint Horse Foundation Fort Worth, TX | General Fund | $50,000 |
| The Berry Center New Castle, KY | General Fund | $20,000 |
| Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning Lexington, KY | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Mercer County Youth 4-H Investment Harrodsburg, KY | General Fund | $4,250 |
| Morgan County Cooperative Extension Service West Liberty, KY | General Fund | $3,500 |
| Wolfe County Cooperative Extension Service Campton, KY | General Fund | $3,500 |
| Farmington Louisville, KY | General Fund | $2,800 |
| Christ Church Cathedral Lexington, KY | General Fund | $2,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $2,993,125 | $873,627 | $980,615 | $858,829 | 16 | $864,682 | $642,361 | $283,388 |
| 2025 | $3,100,383 | $447,086 | $314,651 | $228,722 | 20 | $232,988 | $174,378 | $268,981 |
| 2024 | $2,967,621 | $275,027 | $241,467 | $120,472 | 23 | $134,705 | — | $221,951 |
| 2023 | $2,934,061 | $236,597 | $349,821 | $280,068 | 19 | $298,045 | $45,522 | $158,206 |
| 2022 | $3,047,285 | $246,716 | $179,578 | $119,398 | 20 | $128,109 | $60,572 | $177,124 |
| 2021 | $2,980,147 | $325,510 | $235,788 | $117,300 | 19 | — | $80,137 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $283K for 2026 — 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 2026 grants went to organizations including a university philanthropy office, Shaker Village, a horse foundation, a regional agricultural center, literacy and learning organizations, youth 4-H programs, cooperative extension services, farms, and churches.
The American Paint Horse Foundation describes its mission as preserving and recording the history of the American Paint Horse and educating people about the horse’s influence on society; it also says it awards scholarships to people interested in horsemanship or horses. The Berry Center says its work preserves the legacy of Wendell Berry’s work and writings and the agricultural contributions of his family, and advocates for farmers, land-conserving communities, and healthy regional economies.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation made 16 grants totaling $858,829. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $510,500, with a median grant of $3,150.
Among the largest reported grants were $510,500 to UK OFFICE OF PHILANTHROPY in Lexington, Kentucky, and $251,529 to SHAKER VILLAGE in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Other grants included $50,000 to the AMERICAN PAINT HORSE FOUNDATION in Fort Worth, Texas; $20,000 to THE BERRY CENTER in New Castle, Kentucky; and $5,000 to CARNEGIE CENTER FOR LITERACY AND LEARNING in Lexington, Kentucky. These grants were reported with the purpose “GENERAL FUND.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists LOIS MATEUS as president and CRAIG H WOOD, JAMES STEVEN WILSON, and CHERYL PRATHER YOUNG as directors.
Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc is led by Lois Mateus, President on every filing since 2023; none of the 4 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Lois Mateus
President
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cheryl Prather Young
Director
New on the 2026 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Craig H. Wood
Director
New on the 2026 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Steven Wilson
Director
New on the 2026 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Lora M. Knight (2021–2025) — Director
- Former: Donna Berry (2022–2025) — Secretary
- Former: Scott Smith (2025) — Director
- Former: Timothy Duncan Peters (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Lois Mateus Peters (2021–2022) — President
- Former: Benjamin J. Werner (2021) — Secretary & Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "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 Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc
How much does Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc give each year?
Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc gave $859K across 16 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $229K across 20 grants.
What is Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc's median grant in 2026 was $3,150, and its average grant was $53,677, across 16 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc that year got $8K on average.
Where does Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc give grants?
Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc gives mostly in Kentucky: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Harrodsburg, KY (6 grants) and Lexington, KY (4 grants).
Does Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc's largest 2026 grantees include UK Office of Philanthropy ($510,500), Shaker Village ($251,529) and American Paint Horse Foundation ($50,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 95% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc?
Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc reported $3.0M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $865K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $283K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc?
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 Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc's EIN?
Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1111988. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Does Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/tallgrass-farm-foundation-inc-morg_aa0c01389a334cd59137754c918ec31c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201111988_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Tallgrass Farm Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/tallgrass-farm-foundation-inc-morg_aa0c01389a334cd59137754c918ec31c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Tallgrass Farm 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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