The Whas Crusade for Children Inc
The WHAS Crusade for Children is a nonprofit organization established in 1954 by WHAS-TV in Louisville, Kentucky. The organization operates the longest and most successful single-station telethon in the country, raising funds through an annual radio and television telethon hosted by WHAS11 television and 84WHAS radio. The Crusade functions as a community-wide fundraising effort, collecting donations from corporate partners, employee payroll deduction campaigns, firefighters, clubs, churches, scout troops, and individual donors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$54.3M
+21.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.6M
-8.9% YoY
Grant Count
201
+4.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$28K
-12.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The WHAS Crusade for Children makes life better for children with special needs by inspiring generosity with our community partners.
Vision: Together we provide resources to impact all children with special needs.
The organization focuses on supporting agencies, schools, and hospitals that serve children with identified health care, educational, and emotional wellness needs up to age 18. Funding priorities include:
- Children with disabilities
- K-12 education
- Health and mental health services
- Enrichment, camp, and recreational programs for children with identified needs
Grantmaking
The WHAS Crusade distributes 100% of donations collected during the annual telethon as grants to nonprofits serving children with special needs. The organization makes approximately 150 grants annually.
Average Grant
amount varies by year
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Whas Crusade for Children Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The WHAS Crusade for Children funds organizations in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. All money collected stays in the Kentuckiana region to help children with special needs.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (Fiscal Year Ending August 2023):
- Total Assets: $54,254,496
- Total Revenue: $10,193,189
- Total Expenses: $7,430,000
- Total Liabilities: $7,660,000
- Total Giving: $5,700,526
Historical Context: Since its establishment in 1954, the organization has awarded over $222 million in grants to support children with special needs.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $54,254,496 | $44,854,468 | $38,851,590 |
| Revenue | $21,136,098 | $10,193,189 | $9,353,185 |
| Expenses | $6,890,328 | $7,429,972 | $6,250,159 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $11,473,014 | $1,307,287 | $1,393,759 |
| 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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from The Whas Crusade for Children Inc
WHAS Crusade for Children Grant - Former Grant Recipients
THE WHAS CRUSADE FOR CHILDREN INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
WHAS Crusade for Children Grant - New Applicants
THE WHAS CRUSADE FOR CHILDREN INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
WHAS Crusade for Children Grants
THE WHAS CRUSADE FOR CHILDREN INC
Amount
Varies by year; recent annual totals range from $5.4M - $5.7M
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Dr. Dawn Lee - President & CEO
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LISA COLUMBIA | BOARD MEMBER | 0.1 | — |
| JEAN O'BRIEN | BOARD MEMBER (THRU 3/24) | 0.1 | — |
| DEBBIE LEIST | BOARD MEMBER | 0.1 | — |
| SUSAN CILONE | BOARD MEMBER | 0.1 | — |
| KEVIN BURKE | BOARD MEMBER (THRU 3/24) | 0.1 | — |
| JOE GRAFFIS | BOARD MEMBER | 0.1 | — |
| BILL FREY | BOARD MEMBER | 0.1 | — |
| JENNIFER FRIES | BOARD MEMBER | 0.1 | — |
| JEREMY SHUMATE | BOARD MEMBER | 0.1 | — |
| MICHAEL CARR | BOARD MEMBER | 0.1 | — |
| MICHAEL WADE | BOARD MEMBER | 0.1 | — |
| SHAY MCALISTER | BOARD MEMBER | 0.1 | — |
| JASON MEIMAN | BOARD MEMBER | 0.1 | — |
| NATHAN FESSEL | BOARD MEMBER (FROM 3/24) | 0.1 | — |
| DANIEL CZECH | BOARD MEMBER (FROM 3/24) | 0.1 | — |
| PETINA JONES | BOARD MEMBER (FROM 3/24) | 0.1 | — |
| STEVEN WHITE | BOARD MEMBER (FROM 3/24) | 0.1 | — |
| JEFF NELSON | CHAIRMAN (THRU 3/24) | 0.2 | — |
| MEAGHAN REYNOLDS | TREASURER | 0.2 | — |
| DENNIS STILGER | CHAIRMAN | 0.2 | — |
| KATHERINE LANGAN | SECRETARY | 0.2 | — |
| DAWN LEE | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $156,171 |
| JOHN BLIM | VICE PRESIDENT (THRU 2/24) | 40 | $132,319 |
| SHAWN KAELIN | VICE PRESIDENT (FROM 2/24) | 40 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**72nd Annual Telethon (2025):** The 72nd WHAS Crusade for Children raised $5,890,189.77, with 100% of funds distributed as grants to recipient organizations.
2025-2026 WHAS Crusade for Children Grants Announced \u2013 WHAS Crusade\**Upcoming Event:** The 73rd WHAS Crusade for Children is scheduled for June 6-7, 2026.
2025-2026 WHAS Crusade for Children Grants Announced \u2013 WHAS Crusade\The organization maintains a four-star rating based on accountability and financial metrics, indicating strong organizational governance and financial management.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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