The Willa Cather Foundation
To advance willa cather's legacy locally and beyond through education, preservation, and the arts.
The Willa Cather Foundation at a glance
- Total assets
- $26,232,627
- +2.7% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $2,481,847
- -46.5% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $103,897
- -50.0% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $1,943,636
- +8.6% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Willa Cather Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
1 grant across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1 grant of 1 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2024 it made 1 grant totaling $20K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Willa Cather's Virginia Gore, VA | Property Cleanup | $19,917 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,232,627 | $2,481,847 | $1,943,636 | — | — | $103,897 |
| 2024 | $25,541,023 | $4,639,567 | $1,790,394 | $19,917 | 1 | $207,663 |
| 2023 | $22,497,621 | $3,239,870 | $1,524,330 | — | — | $97,369 |
| 2022 | $21,224,400 | $3,140,636 | $1,492,908 | — | — | $92,504 |
| 2021 | $21,410,298 | $4,745,039 | $1,014,199 | — | — | $187,282 |
| 2020 | $17,551,726 | $2,595,534 | $1,024,756 | — | — | $123,523 |
About The Willa Cather Foundation
Based on IRS filings
The Willa Cather Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Red Cloud, NE. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $26.2M in total assets. Net investment income was $104K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Willa Cather Foundation is led by Peter Cipkowski, President since 2025 (on filings since 2021); 1 of 22 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Peter Cipkowski
President
Director → Vice President, 2023
Vice President → President, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy L. Springer
Director
Director → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Romines
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fritz Mountford
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James A. Jaap
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marian Fey
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ruth H. Keene
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Baker Hansen
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Reese Gallagher
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Luis F. Sotelo
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ana McCracken
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charmion Gustke Hearn
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donna Gower
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Neff Balmanno
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Preis
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Wolfe
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Bintrim
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ashley Olson
Executive Di
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$110K (2022) → $130K (2025)
C. Kay Stahly
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John A. Yost
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark W. Bostock
Past President
Vice President → President, 2023
President → Past President, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Deffenbaugh
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (20)
- Former: Robert Thacker (2020–2024) — Past President
- Former: Mary June Talen (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Jack Preis (2024) — Director
- Former: Nancy Bierman (2024) — Director
- Former: Glenda J. Pierce (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Melissa Homestead (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Steve Skupa (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Diane Prenatt (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Marion Arneson (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Max Frazier (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Julie Olin-Ammentorp (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Sally Stich (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Steven Shively (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Virgil Albertini (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Andrew Jewell (2020) — Director
- Former: Charles Johanningsmeier (2020) — Director
- Former: Lynette Krieger (2020) — Director
- Former: Nancy Sherwood (2020) — Secretary
- Former: Richard Harris (2020) — Director
- Former: Tere Williams (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $130K, to Ashley Olson (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about The Willa Cather Foundation
How large is The Willa Cather Foundation?
The Willa Cather Foundation reported $26.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.5M.
What is The Willa Cather Foundation?
The Willa Cather Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Red Cloud, NE. It holds $26.2M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does The Willa Cather Foundation operate?
The Willa Cather Foundation has awarded grants in Virginia.
What is The Willa Cather Foundation's EIN?
The Willa Cather Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-0485401. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 4, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 25, 2026)
Live grants for the work The Willa Cather Foundation funds
Arts, Culture & Humanities Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Willa Cather Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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