The Charles and Mary Heider Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska. Established in 1999, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across multiple sectors including education, the arts, culture, religion, and human services.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$30.8M
+97.3% YoY
Grant Count
151
+11.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$204K
+77.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports Christian and Catholic causes, educational initiatives, arts and cultural projects, and human services. Primary funding focuses on:
- Education
- Historic preservation
- STEM education
- Arts and culture
- Religion and Christianity
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation makes direct contributions to preselected charitable organizations only.
Grant Range
$1,000 to $514,000
Average Grant
amount: $35,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Nebraska (primary focus)
- Iowa
- Colorado
- Kentucky
Additional support extends to organizations in California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and other states across the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $271,576,117
- Total Revenue: $15,791,597
- Total Expenses: $31,543,988
- Total Liabilities: $0
Historical Growth:
- Assets grew from $5.1 million in 2011 to $287.3 million in 2023
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Charles F. Heider - Principal Officer/President
- Cindy M. Heider - President and Treasurer
- Erin Swanson Russell - Officer
- Staff: 2 employees
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CINDY M HEIDER | PRESIDENT/TREASURER | 15 | $158,333 |
| SCOTT C HEIDER | VICE-PRESIDENT/SECRETARY | 5 | — |
| ERIN SWANSON RUSSELL | OFFICER | 15 | $209,167 |
| MICHAEL T FINDLEY | OFFICER | 5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Heider family and foundation received the Carroll Chamber of Commerce 2023 Good Neighbor Award in recognition of their philanthropic impact. Charles Heider, a Carroll, Iowa native born in 1928 and World War II veteran, established the foundation with his wife Mary. The foundation continues to be led by their son Scott and daughter-in-law Cindy Heider.
Heider professor awarded $1.2M Templeton grant to tie business to serviceThe foundation has made significant contributions to Creighton University, including support for the Heider College of Business and endowed professorships. The foundation's giving has exceeded $220 million cumulatively in support of educational and cultural institutions.
Heider professor awarded $1.2M Templeton grant to tie business to serviceSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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