The Forest Fund Inc
THE FOREST FUND INC is a private foundation based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its 2025 filing reports 28 grants totaling $280,500 to organizations including Indiana nonprofits, a school foundation, a church, and organizations serving communities in other states.
Key facts about The Forest Fund Inc
In short: The Forest Fund Inc gave $281K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Indiana. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 26-3922724
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $280,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- Average grant
- $10,018
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (9 of 28, 2025)
- Total assets
- $5,745,799
- Primary geography
- Indiana (68% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The 2024 filing lists a letter as the application material, states that there is no deadline and no restriction on awards, and names Wendy Kortepeter, president, as the contact. Full details ↓
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
$5.7M
+4.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$281K
-9.5% YoY
Grant Count
28
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
-9.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Forest Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $342K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Forest Fund Inc open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 28 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−9%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 83% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in varied areas. For example, New Hope of Indiana describes its work as providing services and resources to people with disabilities and their families; Park Tudor Foundation describes its work as helping students thrive through academics and other experiences; and Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Fund describes its purpose as preserving Lake Maxinkuckee and its surrounding watershed. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $280,500. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $28,500, with a median of $10,000. Its reported grant totals were $309,861 across 28 grants in 2024 and $290,500 across 23 grants in 2023.
Review Cycle
and no restriction on awards, and names Wendy Kortepeter, president, as the contact.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were reported as going to recipients in Indiana (68%), Illinois (23%), Georgia (4%), North Carolina (4%), and Colorado (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $167K (2020) to $310K (2024). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $281K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Gastro-Intestinal Research Foundation Inc ($29K). Together the top 10 received $176K.
Grant Size Distribution
130 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 128 grants of 130 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gastro-Intestinal Research Foundation Inc Highland Park, IL | Operations | $28,500 |
| The Salvation Army Indianapolis, IN | Operations | $25,000 |
| Midwest Food Bank Normal, IN | Operations | $20,000 |
| New Hope of Indiana Indianapolis, IN | Services for Disabled Persons and Their Families | $20,000 |
| Park Tudor Foundation Indianapolis, IN | Build Possibility Campaign | $20,000 |
| First Principles Forum Indianapolis, IN | Operations | $15,000 |
| Second Presbyterian Church Indianapolis, IN | To Support Youth Ministries | $15,000 |
| Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Fund Inc Culver, IN | Operations | $12,000 |
| Coburn Place Safehaven II Inc Indianapolis, IN | Operations | $10,000 |
| Grit & Grace Girls Acworth, GA | Operations | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,745,799 | $5,521,641 | $4,678,164 |
| Revenue | $576,654 | $1,200,457 | $537,339 |
| Expenses | $352,496 | $356,980 | $329,787 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $284,150 | $313,361 | $294,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $541,108 | $1,163,207 | $507,227 |
| Distributable Amount | $342,428 | $316,542 | $283,901 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 30, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 19, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 31, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Wendy Kortepeter as president and William Kortepeter as vice president.
The Forest Fund Inc is led by Wendy Kortepeter, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Wendy Kortepeter
President
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William Kortepeter
Vice President
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Wendy Kortepeter - President
Mailing address: 320 N Meridian St Ste 700, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 829-5500
Frequently asked questions about The Forest Fund Inc
How much does The Forest Fund Inc give each year?
The Forest Fund Inc gave $281K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $310K across 28 grants.
What is The Forest Fund Inc's typical grant size?
The Forest Fund Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,018, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Forest Fund Inc that year got $6K on average.
Where does The Forest Fund Inc give grants?
The Forest Fund Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 68% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Illinois (23%). The most frequent recipient cities were Indianapolis, IN (12 grants), Chicago, IL (6 grants) and Culver, IN (2 grants).
Does The Forest Fund Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on The Forest Fund Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (17 grants).
Who are The Forest Fund Inc's largest grantees?
The Forest Fund Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Gastro-Intestinal Research Foundation Inc ($28,500), The Salvation Army ($25,000) and Midwest Food Bank ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Forest Fund Inc?
The Forest Fund Inc reported $5.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $284K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $342K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Forest Fund Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in varied areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Forest Fund Inc?
The 2024 filing lists a letter as the application material, states that there is no deadline and no restriction on awards, and names Wendy Kortepeter, president, as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Forest Fund Inc's EIN?
The Forest Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3922724. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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