The Patricia Schaefer Foundation Trust is a private foundation based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Established by Patricia Schaefer (1930-2025), the foundation became tax-exempt in March 2022 and is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation operates as a non-operating private foundation filing Form 990-PF with the IRS.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$90.8M
+6.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.9M
+18.4% YoY
Grant Count
34
-12.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$86K
+35.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Patricia Schaefer Foundation Tr reported a distributable amount of $4.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking priorities align with Patricia Schaefer's professional interests and include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Arts and Culture
- Music and performing arts
The foundation supports cultural and educational institutions, continuing Patricia Schaefer's philanthropic vision in these areas.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. It operates on an invitation-only basis, selecting grantees rather than accepting open grant proposals. The foundation typically selects preselected charitable organizations for funding.
Grant Range
$50,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in:
- Indiana (particularly Muncie and Delaware County area)
- California
- Colorado
These three states account for approximately 81% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 8 states total.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $90,752,669
- Total revenue: $9,438,081
- Total expenses: $4,289,241
- Net income: $5,148,840
- Net assets: $90,752,669
Historical Growth:
- Total assets grew from $61.5 million in 2022 to $85.6 million in 2023 to $90.75 million in 2024
- Annual giving grew from $450,000 in 2022 to $2.5 million in 2023 to $2.915 million in 2024
- Giving rate: approximately 2.9% of assets
Contact Information:
- Address: C/O Michael Flood, 6418 Lima Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46818
- Phone: 260-436-0859
- EIN: 88-6221748
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $90,752,669 | $85,603,829 | $61,511,495 |
| Revenue | $9,438,081 | $27,275,749 | $61,940,286 |
| Expenses | $4,289,241 | $4,357,292 | $428,791 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,915,000 | $2,463,000 | $224,750 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,981,359 | $26,646,231 | $61,736,245 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,789,450 | $3,708,865 | $290,552 |
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
98 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ball State University Fnd ($1,000,000), Indiana Public Radio ($150,000), Animal Rescue Fund ($125,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 91 PLACE INDIANAPOLIS, IN | OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| 91 PLACE INDIANAPOLIS, IN | FUNDRAISING CONSULTANT | $20,000 |
| ANIMAL RESCUE FUND MUNCIE, IN | BUILDING EXPENSES | $125,000 |
| ANIMAL RESCUE FUND MUNCIE, IN | OPERATING SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| BALL STATE UNIVERSITY FND MUNCIE, IN | PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | $1,000,000 |
| CHILDREN'S ORGAN TRANSPLANT ASSOC BLOOMINGTON, IN | OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MUNCIE MUNCIE, IN | GRANTMAKING | $100,000 |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MUNCIE MUNCIE, IN | SHARED SERVICES SPACE | $50,000 |
| DUMB FRIENDS LEAGUE DENVER, CO | OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| EXODUS REFUGEE INDIANAPOLIS, IN | OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Michael T Flood - Co-Trustee and Principal Officer
The foundation is governed by 3 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL FLOOD | TRUSTEE | 8 | $277,239 |
| LOUISE MARSH | TRUSTEE | 8 | $277,240 |
| PATRICIA SCHAEFER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported 51 unique organizations across its grantmaking history. Recent grant activity demonstrates continued commitment to arts, culture, and community support organizations, with notable 2024 grants to performing arts organizations and food security initiatives.
Over $213,000 in grants awarded to boost Ross County communities in 2025Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Patricia Schaefer Foundation Tr fund?
The foundation's grantmaking priorities align with Patricia Schaefer's professional interests and include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Arts and Culture • Music and performing arts The foundation supports cultural and educational institutions, continuing Patricia Schaefer's philanthropic vision in these areas.
How do I apply for a grant from The Patricia Schaefer Foundation Tr?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: $2,915,000 (2024) • Made 25 grants in 2024 and 39 grants in 2023 • Total grants made: 89 grants totaling approximately $2.9 million across tracked years • Median grant size: $50,000 • Grant range: $1,000 to $400,000 • Average award: $33,000 **Recent Grantees (2024):** • Animal Rescue Fund: $125,000 (Building Expenses) • Muncie Civic Theatre: $100,000 (Operating Support) • Second Helpings: $100,000 (Operating Support) • Muncie Symphony Orchestra **Application…
Where does The Patricia Schaefer Foundation Tr make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in: • Indiana (particularly Muncie and Delaware County area) • California • Colorado These three states account for approximately 81% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 8 states total.
What size grants does The Patricia Schaefer Foundation Tr award?
In 2024, The Patricia Schaefer Foundation Tr awarded 34 grants totaling $2.9M — an average of about $86K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Patricia Schaefer Foundation Tr required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Patricia Schaefer Foundation Tr reported a distributable amount of $4.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Patricia Schaefer Foundation Tr's EIN?
The Patricia Schaefer Foundation Tr's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-6221748. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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