The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc
The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc is a Form 990-PF private foundation based in Lexington, Kentucky. Its 2025 filing reports 18 grants totaling $96,025, all to recipients in Kentucky. The listed grants supported projects including historic preservation, music, agriculture, and public broadcasting.
The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc gave $96K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Kentucky. 56% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $96,025
- +27.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- +50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,335
- -15.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,537,266
- +1.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (10 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (100% 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 Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists a written grant request that includes the type of project, the building’s location, the amount requested, and pictures of what is to be restored. The filing lists no specific limit on awards.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing lists semiannual dates but does not provide specific dates.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing lists semiannual dates but does not provide specific dates.
- Contact
Application contact: Michael Mills
Mailing address: 3292 Eagle View Ln Ste 340, Lexington, KY 40509
Phone: (859) 252-4431
Email: contact@josephinearderyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Kentucky ($10K). Together the top 10 received $66K.
Grant Size Distribution
64 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 64 grants of 64 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Kentucky.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 18 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 39% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 106% 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 $75K (2024) to $96K (2025). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $96K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Kentucky Lexington, KY | To Create Scholarship for Historic Preservation | $10,000 |
| South Union Shaker Village Auburn, KY | Support Historical Site | $10,000 |
| The Berry Center New Castle, KY | Preserve Agrarian Way of Life | $9,000 |
| First Presbyterian Church Lexington, KY | To Support Historical Music | $6,000 |
| March Madness Lexington, KY | Support Local Musicians | $6,000 |
| Dry Stone Conservancy Lexington, KY | Preserve Historic Walls in KY | $5,000 |
| Food Literacy Project Louisville, KY | Preservation of Historic Farm | $5,000 |
| Mary Todd Lincoln House-KY Mansions Preseration Fdn Lexington, KY | Preserve Historic Landmark | $5,000 |
| Alice Lloyd College Pippa Passes, KY | Restore Historic Building | $5,000 |
| Farmington Louisville, KY | Restore Historic Building | $5,000 |
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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 | $1,537,266 | $144,947 | $116,104 | $96,025 | 18 | $96,025 | $127,757 | $90,879 |
| 2024 | $1,508,423 | $109,735 | $94,447 | $75,350 | 12 | $75,350 | $92,601 | $87,607 |
| 2023 | $1,493,135 | $74,838 | $97,613 | $80,000 | 12 | $80,000 | $59,140 | $80,551 |
| 2022 | $1,515,910 | $78,222 | $106,085 | $87,570 | 11 | $87,983 | $52,049 | $82,336 |
| 2021 | $1,543,773 | $130,476 | $112,318 | $93,000 | 11 | $93,490 | $112,379 | $92,583 |
| 2020 | $1,525,615 | $110,831 | $100,034 | $80,119 | 11 | — | $94,675 | $83,614 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $91K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for historic buildings and sites, historic music, local musicians, an agricultural project, and public broadcasting.
The Berry Center describes its mission as preserving the legacy of Wendell Berry’s work and writings and the agricultural contributions of his family, and advocating for farmers, land-conserving communities, and healthy regional economies. Alice Lloyd College says its mission is to educate mountain people for leadership and make its education accessible to qualified mountain students regardless of financial situation. The Dry Stone Conservancy says it works to preserve historic drystone structures, advance the drystone masonry craft, and create a center for training and expertise nationwide.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $96,025. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $10,000, with a median of $5,000.
Among the listed 2025 grants were $10,000 to the University of Kentucky for a historic preservation scholarship and $10,000 to South Union Shaker Village to support a historical site; $9,000 to The Berry Center to preserve agrarian life; and $6,000 each to First Presbyterian Church for historical music and March Madness to support local musicians. Other listed grants included $5,000 each to the Dry Stone Conservancy, Food Literacy Project, Mary Todd Lincoln House–KY Mansions Preservation Foundation, Alice Lloyd College, Farmington, Kentucky Educational Television, and Lexington Philharmonic, for purposes including preservation, restoration, and support for public broadcasting and local musicians.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Joan H. Blythe as director; Margo Miller and Sharon Gold as secretaries; Candace Lane as vice president; Debra Dawahare as president; and Michael Mills as treasurer.
The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc is led by Debra Dawahare, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Debra Dawahare
President
Director → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joan H. Blythe
Director
President → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Candace Lane
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margo Miller
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Mills
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Gold
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc
How much does The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc give each year?
The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc gave $96K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $75K across 12 grants.
What is The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,335, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc give grants?
The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc gives mostly in Kentucky: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lexington, KY (7 grants), Louisville, KY (2 grants), Frankfort, KY (2 grants) and Paris, KY (2 grants).
Does The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include University of Kentucky ($10,000), South Union Shaker Village ($10,000) and The Berry Center ($9,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc?
The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $96K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $91K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for historic buildings and sites, historic music, local musicians, an agricultural project, and public broadcasting. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc?
The 2024 filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8432064. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 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 March 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-josephine-ardery-foundation-inc-morg_b59e246c42e94c5b92918d6a2d9ea7d8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_208432064_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-josephine-ardery-foundation-inc-morg_b59e246c42e94c5b92918d6a2d9ea7d8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc'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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