The Wells Foundation
The Wells Foundation is a private foundation located in Louisville, Kentucky, established in 1967. It operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and functions primarily as a grantmaking foundation.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$213K
-49.1% YoY
Grant Count
15
+7.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-52.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is giving primarily for arts and culture, education, youth services, and health.
Grantmaking
The Wells Foundation makes unrestricted gifts to organizations aligned with its funding interests. Recent grant activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the Louisville, Kentucky area and surrounding region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending June 2025:
- Total Assets: $6,091,506
- Total Revenues: $302,818
- Total Expenses: $223,142
As of Fiscal Year Ending June 2024:
- Total Assets: $6,011,858
- Total Revenues: $356,226
The foundation maintains zero liabilities and operates with no employees.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Holy Trinity ($65,000), Speed Art Museum ($44,000), Filson Historical Society ($32,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CATHOLIC SERVICES APPEAL LOUISVILLE, KY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $10,000 |
| FILSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY LOUISVILLE, KY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $32,000 |
| HOLY TRINITY LOUISVILLE, KY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $65,000 |
| LOST TREE FOUNDATION NORTH PALM BEACH, FL | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $7,500 |
| SACRED HEART ACADEMY ANNUAL FUND LOUISVILLE, KY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $10,000 |
| SAINT XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL LOUISVILLE, KY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $10,000 |
| SPEED ART MUSEUM LOUISVILLE, KY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $44,000 |
| GILDA'S CLUB LOUISVILLE, KY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $5,000 |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVENMENT OF KENTUCKIANA LOUISVILLE, KY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $10,000 |
| KMAC COUTRE LOUISVILLE, KY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $4,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANN WELLS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DARRELL WELLS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 4350 Brownsboro Rd Ste 310, Louisville, KY 40207-1679
Phone: 502-893-4215
EIN: 38-6157507
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Wells Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is giving primarily for arts and culture, education, youth services, and health.
How do I apply for a grant from The Wells Foundation?
The Wells Foundation makes unrestricted gifts to organizations aligned with its funding interests. Recent grant activity includes: • Speed Art Museum: $44,000 (unrestricted gift) • Filson Historical Society: $32,000 (unrestricted gift) • Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana: $10,000 (unrestricted gift) The foundation made 16 grants in its most recent fiscal year. Total giving reached $417,801 in 2024.
Where does The Wells Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the Louisville, Kentucky area and surrounding region.
What size grants does The Wells Foundation award?
In 2025, The Wells Foundation awarded 15 grants totaling $213K — an average of about $14K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Wells Foundation's EIN?
The Wells Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6157507. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Wells Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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