The Mead Lake Foundation
The Mead Lake Foundation is a private foundation based in Buffalo, Wyoming. In 2025, it gave $230,250 in grants to 10 organizations; all grant dollars went to recipients in Wyoming. Its grants supported organizations working in areas including land conservation, family services, the arts, youth services, job training, and animal sheltering.
The Mead Lake Foundation at a glance
In short: The Mead Lake Foundation gave $230K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $23K), mostly in Wyoming. 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $230,250
- +6.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- -33.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $23,025
- +59.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,125
- Total assets
- $23,099
- -37.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (1 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Wyoming (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 Mead Lake Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing directs applicants to contact Kyle Hendrickson and submit a formal letter addressed to the board by U.S. mail. The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Award restrictions or limitations are at the foundation’s discretion.
- Contact
Application contact: Kyle Hendrickson
Mailing address: Po Drawer 5059, Sheridan, WY 82801
Phone: (307) 672-7444
Email: kyle@lonabaugh.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Mead Lake Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Sheridan Community Land Trust ($65K). Together the top 10 received $230K.
Grant Size Distribution
46 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 44 grants of 46 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to organizations in Wyoming.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Mead Lake Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 10 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 90% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 92% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 421% 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 $52K (2021) to $230K (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $230K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sheridan Community Land Trust Sheridan, WY | Support Land Trust | $65,000 |
| Advocacy and Resource Center Sheridan, WY | Support Victims of Violence | $40,000 |
| Wyoming Childrens Society Cheyenne, WY | Support Adoption Agency | $40,000 |
| Sage Community Arts Sheridan, WY | Support Artists and the Arts | $25,000 |
| Our Camp Story, WY | To Support Disabled Youth | $20,250 |
| Climb Wyoming Gillette, WY | Support Job Training | $20,000 |
| Bought Beautifully Sheridan, WY | Support Opportunites for Third World | $5,000 |
| Dog and Cat Shelter Sheridan, WY | Support Animal Shelter | $5,000 |
| Rooted in Wyoming Sheridan, WY | Support Local Food Group | $5,000 |
| Sheridan Community Founation Sheridan, WY | To Support Community | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Mead Lake 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 | $23,099 | $113,751 | $243,944 | $230,250 | 10 | $235,506 | $108,492 | $55,919 |
| 2024 | $36,908 | $112,814 | $229,344 | $217,013 | 15 | $222,368 | $107,455 | $58,666 |
| 2023 | $153,438 | $127,190 | $155,317 | $152,001 | 11 | $152,647 | $115,307 | $56,007 |
| 2022 | $181,565 | $19,140 | $121,816 | $120,000 | 4 | $120,000 | $19,140 | $59,575 |
| 2021 | $284,241 | $106,448 | $52,833 | $52,000 | 6 | $52,000 | $106,188 | $65,624 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mead Lake Foundation reported a distributable amount of $56K 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 a land trust, organizations serving children and families, arts and job-training organizations, and groups working on local food and community needs.
The Sheridan Community Land Trust describes its mission as preserving open spaces, healthy rivers and creeks, working ranches, wildlife habitat, and local history while expanding recreation opportunities. The Wyoming Children’s Society says it works to build healthy families through adoption and advocate for birth families, children, and adoptive families. Rooted in Wyoming says it builds gardens that provide educational and recreational opportunities, locally grown food for Sheridan County families, connections with area history, and appreciation of the local environment. Bought Beautifully says it aims to enrich lives, restore hope, and empower people while reflecting God’s love. These organizations received grants from the foundation in 2025.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 10 grants totaling $230,250. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $65,000, with a median grant of $20,125.
The largest grants were $65,000 to Sheridan Community Land Trust for land trust support; $40,000 to Advocacy and Resource Center to support victims of violence; and $40,000 to Wyoming Children’s Society to support its adoption agency. Other grants included $25,000 to Sage Community Arts, $20,250 to Our Camp for disabled youth, and $20,000 to Climb Wyoming for job training. The foundation also awarded $5,000 each to Bought Beautifully, Dog and Cat Shelter, Rooted in Wyoming, and Sheridan Community Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kim Fehir as president, Polly Burge as secretary, and Megan Ratterman and Kyle Hendrickson as directors.
The Mead Lake Foundation is led by Kim Fehir, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kim Fehir
President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Kyle Hendrickson
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Megan Ratterman
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Polly Burge
Secretary
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jonathon Clough (2021–2023) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Mead Lake Foundation
How much does The Mead Lake Foundation give each year?
The Mead Lake Foundation gave $230K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $217K across 15 grants.
What is The Mead Lake Foundation's typical grant size?
The Mead Lake Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,125, and its average grant was $23,025, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Mead Lake Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Mead Lake Foundation give grants?
The Mead Lake Foundation gives mostly in Wyoming: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Sheridan, WY (7 grants).
Does The Mead Lake Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The Mead Lake Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Mead Lake Foundation's largest grantees?
The Mead Lake Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Sheridan Community Land Trust ($65,000), Advocacy and Resource Center ($40,000) and Wyoming Childrens Society ($40,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Mead Lake Foundation?
The Mead Lake Foundation reported $23K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $236K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $56K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Mead Lake Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a land trust, organizations serving children and families, arts and job-training organizations, and groups working on local food and community needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Mead Lake Foundation?
The filing directs applicants to contact Kyle Hendrickson and submit a formal letter addressed to the board by U.S. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Mead Lake Foundation's EIN?
The Mead Lake Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0426664. 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 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Mead Lake Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mead-lake-foundation-morg_ba80959e0a7d41349cf1eb69d4bab710
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_760426664_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Mead Lake Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mead-lake-foundation-morg_ba80959e0a7d41349cf1eb69d4bab710},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Mead Lake 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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