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The Ahrens Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Louisville, KY EIN: 61-6265649 Website

The Ahrens Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky. Its 2025 filing reports 43 grants totaling $201,500, with awards to organizations in multiple states.

Key facts about The Ahrens Family Foundation

In short: The Ahrens Family Foundation gave $202K across 43 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), top state Oregon. 2% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
61-6265649
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$201,500
Grants made (2025)
43
Average grant
$4,686
Median grant
$2,000
New grantees (estimate)
2% first-time grantees (1 of 43, 2025)
Total assets
$2,163,395
Primary geography
Oregon (42% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
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. Full details ↓
Deadline
None.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.2M

+1.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$202K

+0.5% YoY

Grant Count

43

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$5K

+0.5% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ahrens Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $147K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is The Ahrens Family Foundation open to new grantees?

2%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 1 of 43 grantees (2%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $5K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $4K repeat.

  • 95% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 137% 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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The available filing information describes the 2025 awards as general support but does not state a foundation mission or specific focus areas. The grantees include organizations with varied missions: Willamette Family describes its work as providing mental health and substance-abuse care; Nearby Nature focuses on nature education and ecological living; and Louisville Nature Center describes its mission as conservation through environmental education and connection to nature. Other grantees include organizations focused on Cincinnati firefighting history and fire safety, American signage history and preservation, and college access for underrepresented students.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation made 43 grants totaling $201,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $10,000, with a median of $2,000. Largest awards included $10,000 each to Cascade Raptor Center, Food for Lane County, Hope & Safety Alliance, Lane County School Garden Project, Looking Glass Community Service, Louisville Nature Center, McKenzie River Trust, Nearby Nature, Shelter Care, Volunteers in Medicine, and Willamette Family. The Kentucky Ornithological Society received $6,500.

Review Cycle

None.

How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Applications must be in writing. The filing lists no restrictions on awards. Edwin Ahrens is listed as the contact for applications.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 filing shows grant dollars going to recipients in several states. Oregon received 42% of grant dollars, Kentucky 30%, Ohio 9%, Indiana 7%, and the District of Columbia 4%.

Grant Distribution by State

12states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 43 itemized grants.

Cities

LouisvilleEugeneWashingtonCincinnatiMilfordBarabooBereaBloomingtonBoiseBurlingtonCincinattiClarksvilleClermontClorado SpringsGranvilleHarpers FerryIndianapolisIthacaLexingtonNew York

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K46 grants2020 46 grants2021 46 grants2022 46 grants2023 43 grants2024 43 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $184K (2021) to $202K (2025). In 2025 it made 43 grants totaling $202K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Cascade Raptor Center: $10KCascade Raptor Center$10KFood for Lane CO: $10KFood for Lane CO$10KHope & Safety Alliance: $10KHope & Safety Alliance$10KLane County School Garden Project: $10KLane County School GardenProject$10KLooking Glass Community Service: $10KLooking Glass CommunityService$10KLouisville Nature Center: $10KLouisville Nature Center$10KMcKensie River Trust: $10KMcKensie River Trust$10KNearby Nature: $10KNearby Nature$10KShelter Care: $10KShelter Care$10KVolunteers in Medicine: $10KVolunteers in Medicine$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Cascade Raptor Center ($10K). Together the top 10 received $100K.

Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

224 grants across all recorded years

224<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 224 grants of 224 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Cascade Raptor Center Louisville, KYGeneral Support$10,000
Food for Lane CO Eugene, ORGeneral Support$10,000
Hope & Safety Alliance Eugene, ORGeneral Support$10,000
Lane County School Garden Project Eugene, ORGeneral Support$10,000
Looking Glass Community Service Eugene, ORGeneral Support$10,000
Louisville Nature Center Louisville, KYGeneral Support$10,000
McKensie River Trust Eugene, ORGeneral Support$10,000
Nearby Nature Eugene, ORGeneral Support$10,000
Shelter Care Eugene, ORGeneral Support$10,000
Volunteers in Medicine Bloomington, INGeneral Support$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants Grant count
2025 $2,163,395 $263,383 $230,963 $201,500 43
2024 $2,130,975 $125,608 $223,976 $200,500 43
2023 $2,229,343 $99,705 $218,631 $192,500 46
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$100K$200K$300K$400K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$2,163,395$2,130,975$2,229,343
Revenue$263,383$125,608$99,705
Expenses$230,963$223,976$218,631
Qualifying Distributions$201,500$200,500$192,500
Net Investment Income$236,020$104,232$75,674
Distributable Amount$146,618$144,649$134,482

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 22, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Edwin M. Ahrens and Richard E. Ahrens as trustee advisors.

The Ahrens Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Edwin M. Ahrens

    Trustee Advisor

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Richard E. Ahrens

    Trustee Advisor

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/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.

Contact

Application contact: Edwin Ahrens
Mailing address: 21 Autumn Hill, Louisville, KY 40059
Phone: (502) 228-5800
Email: winahrens@aol.com
Website: https://ahrensfamilyfoundation.org

Frequently asked questions about The Ahrens Family Foundation

How much does The Ahrens Family Foundation give each year?

The Ahrens Family Foundation gave $202K across 43 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $201K across 43 grants.

What is The Ahrens Family Foundation's typical grant size?

The Ahrens Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $4,686, across 43 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ahrens Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.

Where does The Ahrens Family Foundation give grants?

The Ahrens Family Foundation's top state is Oregon, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Kentucky (30%) and Ohio (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Louisville, KY (11 grants), Eugene, OR (9 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).

Does The Ahrens Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of The Ahrens Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (43 of 43) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The Ahrens Family Foundation's largest grantees?

The Ahrens Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cascade Raptor Center ($10,000), Food for Lane CO ($10,000) and Hope & Safety Alliance ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Ahrens Family Foundation?

The Ahrens Family Foundation reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $202K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $147K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does The Ahrens Family Foundation fund?

The available filing information describes the 2025 awards as general support but does not state a foundation mission or specific focus areas. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Ahrens Family Foundation?

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is The Ahrens Family Foundation's EIN?

The Ahrens Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-6265649. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does The Ahrens Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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