The GB Knecht Foundation
The GB Knecht Foundation is a private foundation based in Blue Hill, Maine. In its 2025 filing, it described its direct charitable activity as distributing contributions to deserving charitable organizations; that year it reported 24 grants totaling $125,000.
The GB Knecht Foundation at a glance
In short: The GB Knecht Foundation gave $125K across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Maine. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $125,000
- +4.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- +9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,208
- -4.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,639,412
- +5.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (3 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Maine (80% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The GB Knecht Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing names Donna Madonna as the contact for requests. It asks applicants to submit the organization’s IRS tax-exempt letter and contact information, the amount requested, a detailed explanation of how the grant would be used, and an indication of whether the request is for a matching grant. The filing states there are no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Donna Madonna
Mailing address: 101 Carleton Stream Lane, Blue Hill, ME 04614
Phone: (207) 266-2301
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The GB Knecht Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Emmaus Homeless Center ($12K). Together the top 10 received $69K.
Grant Size Distribution
144 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 144 grants of 144 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 80% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maine. The other leading recipient-state shares were Virginia, Minnesota, and Connecticut at 4% each, and Maryland at 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The GB Knecht Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 24 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 88% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $111K (2021) to $125K (2025). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $125K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Emmaus Homeless Center Ellsworth, ME | General Fund | $12,000 |
| Good Shepard Food Bank Auburn, ME | General Fund | $12,000 |
| Downeast Community Partners Ellsworth, ME | General Fund | $10,000 |
| Blue Hill Public Library Blue Hill, ME | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Care USA Merrifield, VA | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Catholic Charities Maine Portland, ME | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Healthy Peninsula Blue Hill, ME | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County Ellsworth, ME | General Fund | $5,000 |
| International Rescue Committee Albert Lea, MN | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Jonathan Fisher House Memorial Blue Hill, ME | General Fund | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The GB Knecht Foundation?
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 | $2,639,412 | $274,986 | $154,002 | $125,000 | 24 | $125,000 | $250,050 | $121,237 |
| 2024 | $2,503,999 | $211,047 | $157,617 | $120,000 | 22 | $120,000 | $183,177 | $114,831 |
| 2023 | $2,339,466 | $14,328 | $148,929 | $114,000 | 30 | $119,600 | $25,252 | $111,493 |
| 2022 | $2,162,822 | $254,831 | $161,037 | $116,000 | 37 | $136,800 | $230,594 | $112,449 |
| 2021 | $2,734,749 | $432,709 | $170,311 | $111,000 | 31 | $141,800 | $404,198 | $128,778 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The GB Knecht Foundation reported a distributable amount of $121K 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 does not state a separate mission. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose own missions involve reducing poverty and improving quality of life in Downeast communities, supporting health and well-being in rural and island communities, helping adults build literacy skills, and assisting people experiencing homelessness. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not a stated focus-area list from the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $125,000 through 24 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $12,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest grants included $12,000 each to Emmaus Homeless Center and Good Shepard Food Bank, and $10,000 to Downeast Community Partners. Other grants included $5,000 each to Blue Hill Public Library, Catholic Charities Maine, Healthy Peninsula, Literacy Volunteers of Bangor, and several other organizations. The listed grants were designated for general funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jean Madonna, Donna Madonna, and Jim Fisher as trustees.
The GB Knecht Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Donna Madonna
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
$10K (2021) → $0 (2025)
Jean Madonna
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.1 hrs/week
$10K (2021) → $0 (2025)
Jim Fisher
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
$10K (2021) → $0 (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2022 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2022 filing was $20K, to Donna Madonna (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The GB Knecht Foundation
How much does The GB Knecht Foundation give each year?
The GB Knecht Foundation gave $125K across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $120K across 22 grants.
What is The GB Knecht Foundation's typical grant size?
The GB Knecht Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,208, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The GB Knecht Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The GB Knecht Foundation give grants?
The GB Knecht Foundation gives mostly in Maine: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Blue Hill, ME (5 grants), Ellsworth, ME (3 grants), Milbridge, ME (2 grants) and Deer Isle, ME (2 grants).
Does The GB Knecht Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The GB Knecht Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The GB Knecht Foundation's largest grantees?
The GB Knecht Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Emmaus Homeless Center ($12,000), Good Shepard Food Bank ($12,000) and Downeast Community Partners ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The GB Knecht Foundation?
The GB Knecht Foundation reported $2.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $125K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $121K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The GB Knecht Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing does not state a separate mission. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The GB Knecht Foundation?
The filing names Donna Madonna as the contact for requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The GB Knecht Foundation's EIN?
The GB Knecht Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3473937. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The GB Knecht Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-gb-knecht-foundation-morg_4120556ffeeb43f1b7aa25e4d41feb02
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943473937_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The GB Knecht Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-gb-knecht-foundation-morg_4120556ffeeb43f1b7aa25e4d41feb02},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 GB Knecht Foundation'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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