The Whippoorwill Family Foundation
The Whippoorwill Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Prospect, Kentucky. In 2024, it made grants to organizations including arts and cultural groups, environmental organizations, and community and education-focused nonprofits.
Key facts about The Whippoorwill Family Foundation
In short: The Whippoorwill Family Foundation gave $887K across 42 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), mostly in Kentucky. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 45-5631503
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $886,776
- Grants made (2024)
- 42
- Average grant
- $21,114
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $6,163,638
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (72% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None listed.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.2M
-10.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$887K
-6.5% YoY
Grant Count
42
+13.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$21K
-17.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Whippoorwill Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $321K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Whippoorwill Family Foundation gives
- 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+15%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 279% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in several areas. For example, New Jersey Audubon Society describes itself as a statewide membership organization; Waterfront Botanical Gardens says it is developing an urban botanical garden with education and community activities; and American Friends of Canadian Nature describes work to protect lands with significant natural values and educate the public about biological diversity. Louisville arts grantees include the Fund for the Arts and the Louisville Orchestra.
Other 2024 recipients include Evolve502 Scholars Foundation, which says it supports students and works to address systemic barriers of poverty and institutional racism, and Metro United Way, whose stated mission is to improve lives and the community by engaging people to give, advocate, and volunteer. These are the grantees’ descriptions, not stated priorities of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 42 grants totaling $886,776. Awards ranged from $250 to $125,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $125,000 to New Jersey Audubon Society, $118,600 to the Louisville Orchestra, $105,000 to Waterfront Botanical Gardens, $100,000 to Metro United Way, $70,000 to American Friends of Canadian Nature, and $50,000 each to Evolve502 Scholars Foundation and Louisville Ballet. The listed purposes for these grants were “for general charitable purposes.”
Review Cycle
None listed.
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Its filing lists a letter as the form and materials, with James Welch Jr as the contact for applications. It lists no restrictions on awards.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 72% of grant dollars went to recipients in Kentucky, 14% to New Jersey, 8% to New York, and 1% to Massachusetts. The filing’s state breakdown also includes 4% attributed to an unspecified state.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $326K (2020) to $948K (2023). In 2024 it made 42 grants totaling $887K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was New Jersey Audubon Society ($125K). Together the top 10 received $710K.
Grant Size Distribution
133 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 106 grants of 133 (80%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Audubon Society Bernardsville, NJ | For General Charitable Purposes | $125,000 |
| Louisville Orchestra Louisville, KY | For General Charitable Purposes | $118,600 |
| Waterfront Botanical Gardens Louisville, KY | For General Charitable Purposes | $105,000 |
| Metro United Way Louisville, KY | For General Charitable Purposes | $100,000 |
| American Friends of Canadian Nature Inc Buffalo, NY | For General Charitable Purposes | $70,000 |
| EVOLVE502 Scholars Foundation Louisville, KY | For General Charitable Purposes | $50,000 |
| Louisville Ballet Louisville, KY | For General Charitable Purposes | $50,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Lexington, KY | For General Charitable Purposes | $36,000 |
| Fund for the Arts Louisville, KY | For General Charitable Purposes | $30,000 |
| Canopy Certified Inc Louisville, KY | For General Charitable Purposes | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants awarded | Grant count |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $886,776 | 42 |
| 2023 | $948,132 | 37 |
| 2022 | $938,796 | 34 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,163,638 | $6,872,636 | $7,726,156 |
| Revenue | $275,580 | $195,874 | $197,799 |
| Expenses | $984,578 | $1,049,394 | $974,877 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $896,085 | $948,590 | $940,588 |
| Net Investment Income | $187,087 | $159,688 | $206,620 |
| Distributable Amount | $321,337 | $350,169 | $393,831 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 2, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 6, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Marianne Welch as president; J Stirling Welch III and Maud Welch as vice presidents; James Welch Jr as treasurer; and Erin Shinkle as secretary.
The Whippoorwill Family Foundation is led by Marianne Welch, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Marianne Welch
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erin Shinkle
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
J. Stirling Welch III
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Welch Jr.
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maud Welch
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: James Welch Jr
Mailing address: 11811 Covered Bridge Rd, Prospect, KY 40059
Phone: (502) 228-2899
Frequently asked questions about The Whippoorwill Family Foundation
How much does The Whippoorwill Family Foundation give each year?
The Whippoorwill Family Foundation gave $887K across 42 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $948K across 37 grants.
What is The Whippoorwill Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Whippoorwill Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $21,114, across 42 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Whippoorwill Family Foundation give grants?
The Whippoorwill Family Foundation gives mostly in Kentucky: 72% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (14%) and New York (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Louisville, KY (27 grants) and Lexington, KY (2 grants).
Does The Whippoorwill Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Whippoorwill Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (42 of 42) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Whippoorwill Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Whippoorwill Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include New Jersey Audubon Society ($125,000), Louisville Orchestra ($118,600) and Waterfront Botanical Gardens ($105,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Whippoorwill Family Foundation?
The Whippoorwill Family Foundation reported $6.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $896K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $321K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Whippoorwill Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in several areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Whippoorwill Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Whippoorwill Family Foundation's EIN?
The Whippoorwill Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-5631503. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Whippoorwill Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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