Vera French Foundation
The Vera French Foundation is a public charity based in Davenport, Iowa. Established in 1985, it supports mental health in the community by fostering compassionate awareness and generous giving, principally in support of Vera French Community Mental Health Center programs and services.
Vera French Foundation at a glance
In short: Vera French Foundation gave $1.1M across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $107K), mostly in Iowa. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,074,122
- +91.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +42.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $107,412
- +34.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $29,490
- Total assets
- $1,628,386
- -23.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Iowa (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Vera French Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 1441 W Central Park Ave, Davenport, IA 52804
Phone: (563) 383-1900
Website: https://verafrenchmhc.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Vera French Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Vera French CMHC ($1.0M across 9 grants). Together the top 2 received $1.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
34 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 19 grants of 34 (56%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Vera French Foundation gives
- Giving grew 584% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $157K (2022) to $1.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vera French CMHC Davenport, IA | Carol's Village Gardens | $429,527 |
| Vera French CMHC Davenport, IA | Facilities Reinvestment | $354,182 |
| Vera French CMHC Davenport, IA | VF Clinics | $131,908 |
| Vera French CMHC Davenport, IA | School Based | $39,387 |
| Vera French CMHC Davenport, IA | MST | $34,435 |
| Vera French Housing Davenport, IA | Housing | $24,545 |
| Vera French CMHC Davenport, IA | Other Restricted | $22,481 |
| Vera French CMHC Davenport, IA | Youth & Family | $22,213 |
| Vera French CMHC Davenport, IA | Rick's House of Hope | $8,980 |
| Vera French CMHC Davenport, IA | RCF | $6,464 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Amounts are reported for each filing year.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,628,386 | $789,292 | $1,338,592 | $1,074,122 | 10 | $157,680 |
| 2024 | $2,119,804 | $766,450 | $859,142 | $561,159 | 7 | $155,143 |
| 2023 | $1,864,088 | $689,311 | $885,158 | $633,751 | 5 | $22,499 |
| 2022 | $1,969,689 | $556,932 | $355,898 | $156,938 | 5 | $108,160 |
| 2021 | $2,070,449 | $746,030 | $777,432 | $568,399 | 7 | $82,683 |
| 2020 | $1,692,219 | $851,341 | $713,374 | $457,668 | 6 | $38,832 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation states that its mission is to foster compassionate awareness of mental illness and inspire generous giving in support of Vera French Community Mental Health Center and Vera French Housing Corporation. Its filings describe funding programs of those related organizations through activities that increase community awareness of mental illness and the need for community support.
In 2025, the Foundation’s grants included support for the Center’s Carol’s Village Gardens, facilities reinvestment, clinics, school-based services, MST, youth and family services, and Rick’s House of Hope, as well as housing. The Foundation’s website also describes support for children’s school-based therapy, Rick’s R.A.Y. of Hope, and camp scholarships, and for the Carol Center’s medication management, food, and socialization support.
Vera French Housing Corporation describes its own mission as providing affordable housing linked with appropriate supportive services for people with severe and persistent mental illness and/or other serious challenges, including low income and medical conditions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 10 grants totaling $1,074,122. Grant amounts ranged from $6,464 to $429,527, with a median of $29,490. The largest awards were to Vera French Community Mental Health Center: $429,527 for Carol’s Village Gardens, $354,182 for facilities reinvestment, and $131,908 for VF Clinics. Vera French Housing received $24,545 for housing.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Nathan Sondgeroth as Executive Director; Jean Friemel as President; Erin Daniel as Vice President; Austin Ziegler as Secretary; and Mark Gray as Treasurer. It also lists Jill Westhoff, Denise Beenk, Richard K. Whitaker Jr., Kyle Day, and Jenelle Wolber as directors.
Vera French Foundation is led by Nathan Sondgeroth, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nathan Sondgeroth
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$93K (2020) → $106K (2025)
Jean Friemel
President
Director → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard K. Whitaker Jr.
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Denise Beenk
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jenelle Wolber
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jill Westhoff
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kyle Day
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
BRIAN McKENRICK
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
KASSANDRA McKOWN
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erin Daniel
Vice President
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Gray
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Austin Ziegler
Secretary
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Morse
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Genevieve Nelson (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Jeff Bloemker (2024) — Director
- Former: Carolyn Martin (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Linda Fennelly (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Michelle Marcove Weiser (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Erin Clark (2020–2022) — Vice President
- Former: Connie Stecker (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Ian Frink (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Mike Mickle (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Connie Williams (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: David Turner (2020) — Director
- Former: John Anderson (2020) — Director
- Former: Merriam Rink (2020) — Secretary
- Former: Richard Taber (2020) — Director
- Former: Terry Elenberg (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 $106K, to Nathan Sondgeroth (Executive Dir.).
Frequently asked questions about Vera French Foundation
How much does Vera French Foundation give each year?
Vera French Foundation gave $1.1M across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $561K across 7 grants.
What is Vera French Foundation's typical grant size?
Vera French Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $29,490, and its average grant was $107,412, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Vera French Foundation give grants?
Vera French Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Davenport, IA (10 grants).
Does Vera French Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Vera French Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
How large is Vera French Foundation?
Vera French Foundation reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $789K.
What does Vera French Foundation fund?
The Foundation states that its mission is to foster compassionate awareness of mental illness and inspire generous giving in support of Vera French Community Mental Health Center and Vera French Housing Corporation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Vera French Foundation?
Vera French Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check verafrenchmhc.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Vera French Foundation's EIN?
Vera French Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1256448. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Vera French Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/vera-french-foundation-morg_c04515a5806a4785b00fc2b34ffe5b03
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_421256448_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Vera French Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/vera-french-foundation-morg_c04515a5806a4785b00fc2b34ffe5b03},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-25. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Vera French Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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