The Charles and Mary Heider
The Charles and Mary Heider is a private foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska, that primarily funds charitable organizations. Its 2025 filing reports 149 grants totaling $40,294,540, including substantial support for Creighton University and other organizations.
The Charles and Mary Heider at a glance
In short: The Charles and Mary Heider gave $40.3M across 149 grants in 2025 (avg $270K), mostly in Nebraska. 22% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $40,294,540
- +30.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 149
- -1.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $270,433
- +32.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $17,500
- Total assets
- $245,126,764
- -9.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (33 of 148, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (91% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Charles and Mary Heider
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 12910 Pierce St Ste 310, Omaha, NE 68144
Phone: (402) 397-0295
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Charles and Mary Heider funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Creighton University ($26.6M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $34.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
689 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 534 grants of 689 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in Nebraska. The other leading recipient states listed were Florida, Colorado, and New York, at 2% each, and Kentucky, at 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 149 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Charles and Mary Heider open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 33 of 148 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $63K; repeat grants $332K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 831% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 187% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.3M (2022) to $40.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 149 grants totaling $40.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Creighton University Omaha, NE | Charitable | $25,189,040 |
| Child Saving Institute Omaha, NE | Charitable | $2,332,500 |
| Creighton University Omaha, NE | Charitable | $1,380,500 |
| Joslyn Art Museum Omaha, NE | Charitable | $1,000,000 |
| The Parkinson's Foundation Miami, FL | Charitable | $900,000 |
| Michael J Fox Foundation New York, NY | Charitable | $600,000 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands Omaha, NE | Charitable | $566,000 |
| Word on Fire Catholic Ministries Des Plaines, IL | Charitable | $550,000 |
| Omaha Police Foundation Omaha, NE | Charitable | $536,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Omaha Omaha, NE | Charitable | $500,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Charles and Mary Heider?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $245,126,764 | $3,815,512 | $41,665,593 | $40,294,540 | 149 | $40,941,514 | $3,493,684 | $21,860,458 |
| 2024 | $271,576,117 | $15,791,597 | $31,543,988 | $30,774,900 | 151 | $31,197,311 | $15,700,904 | $20,244,810 |
| 2023 | $287,328,508 | $222,349,532 | $16,344,671 | $15,598,835 | 136 | $15,938,742 | $1,826,410 | $10,078,432 |
| 2022 | $87,280,268 | $87,302,705 | $4,734,361 | $4,328,374 | 125 | $4,328,374 | $1,121,806 | $875,519 |
| 2021 | $4,711,924 | $1,666 | $7,447,808 | $7,060,966 | 128 | $7,060,966 | — | $456,660 |
| 2020 | $12,158,066 | $1,672,911 | $8,909,402 | $8,476,670 | 124 | — | $1,634,921 | $743,631 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Charles and Mary Heider reported a distributable amount of $21.9M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing states that it primarily funds charitable organizations. Its 2025 grantees include educational, arts, religious, housing, child-welfare, and cultural organizations. Creighton University describes itself as a Catholic and Jesuit comprehensive university; Joslyn Art Museum says it brings people together to explore art across time and cultures. Habitat for Humanity of Omaha says it builds homes and communities in eastern Nebraska, while Project Harmony describes its work as protecting and supporting children and working to end child abuse and neglect.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 149 grants totaling $40,294,540. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $25,189,040, with a median grant of $17,500. Among the largest grants were $25,189,040 and $1,380,500 to Creighton University, $2,332,500 to Child Saving Institute, $1,000,000 to Joslyn Art Museum, and $900,000 to The Parkinson’s Foundation. Other notable awards included $600,000 to the Michael J Fox Foundation, $550,000 to Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, and $500,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Omaha.
The foundation made 151 grants totaling $30,774,900 in 2024 and 136 grants totaling $15,598,835 in 2023.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Cindy M. Heider as president and treasurer; Scott C. Heider as vice-president and secretary; Erin Swanson Russell and Michael T. Findley as officers; and Rachel H. Powell as an officer and employee.
The Charles and Mary Heider is led by Cindy M. Heider, President & Treasurer since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 3 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cindy M. Heider
President & Treasurer
Vice President → President, 2022
President → President & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$100K (2023) → $223K (2025)
Erin E. Swanson Russell
Officer
Vice President - Community → Vice President - Community Giving, 2022
Vice President - Community Giving → Officer, 2023
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$129K (2020) → $226K (2025)
Rachel H. Powell
Officer & Employee
New on the 2025 filing
15 hrs/week
$130K (2025)
Scott C. Heider
Vice President & Secretary
Secretary → Vice President & Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael T. Findley
Officer
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Mark J. Heider (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Mary C. Heider (2020–2021) — President
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $226K, to Erin Swanson Russell (Officer). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Charles and Mary Heider
How much does The Charles and Mary Heider give each year?
The Charles and Mary Heider gave $40.3M across 149 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $30.8M across 151 grants.
What is The Charles and Mary Heider's typical grant size?
The Charles and Mary Heider's median grant in 2025 was $17,500, and its average grant was $270,433, across 149 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Charles and Mary Heider that year got $63K on average.
Where does The Charles and Mary Heider give grants?
The Charles and Mary Heider gives mostly in Nebraska: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Omaha, NE (104 grants), Lexington, KY (8 grants), Lincoln, NE (6 grants) and Denver, CO (3 grants).
Does The Charles and Mary Heider give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 149 grants with a stated purpose on The Charles and Mary Heider's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (149 grants).
Who are The Charles and Mary Heider's largest grantees?
The Charles and Mary Heider's largest 2025 grantees include Creighton University ($26,569,540 across 2 grants), Child Saving Institute ($2,332,500) and Joslyn Art Museum ($1,000,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 74% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Charles and Mary Heider?
The Charles and Mary Heider reported $245.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $40.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $21.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Charles and Mary Heider fund?
The foundation’s filing states that it primarily funds charitable organizations. Its 2025 grantees include educational, arts, religious, housing, child-welfare, and cultural organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Charles and Mary Heider?
The foundation 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 Charles and Mary Heider's EIN?
The Charles and Mary Heider's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-0810266. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Charles and Mary Heider 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.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 17, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 20, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 1, 2024)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Charles and Mary Heider funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-charles-and-mary-heider-morg_448b499ef1d141358cc49a5e53112305
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_470810266_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Charles and Mary Heider funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-charles-and-mary-heider-morg_448b499ef1d141358cc49a5e53112305},
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 The Charles and Mary Heider'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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