Virginia Smith Charitable Trust
The Virginia Smith Charitable Trust is a private foundation located in Chappell, Nebraska. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations and for scholarships, community projects, and other charitable purposes in Nebraska.
Virginia Smith Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Virginia Smith Charitable Trust gave $533K across 32 grants in 2025 (avg $17K), mostly in Nebraska. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $532,750
- +5.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $16,648
- +5.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $6,793,232
- +4.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (4 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Virginia Smith Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its filing says contributions are made only to preselected charitable organizations. It lists written materials, with details noted as “see Schedule D,” and restricts support as described under Mission & Focus Areas.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Connie Loos
Mailing address: PO Box 525, Chappell, NE 69129
Phone: (308) 874-2929
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Virginia Smith Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Scholarships Paid to Post- ($285K). Together the top 10 received $478K.
Grant Size Distribution
170 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 161 grants of 170 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2025 grant dollars were reported for recipients in Nebraska. The foundation’s filing identifies organizations in Big Springs, Chappell, and Lodgepole, Nebraska, among those eligible for support.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Virginia Smith Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 22 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 77% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $481K (2021) to $553K (2022). In 2025 it made 32 grants totaling $533K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarships Paid to Post- Various, NE | Scholarships | $285,000 |
| City of Chappell Nebraska Chappell, NE | Street Project | $50,000 |
| Chappell Airport Authority Chappell, NE | Runway Improvement | $20,000 |
| City of Chappell Nebraska Chappell, NE | Splash Pad for Pool | $20,000 |
| City of Chappell Nebraska Chappell, NE | Ambulance - on Call Wages | $17,500 |
| Village of Lodgepole NE Lodgepole, NE | Cemetery Repairs | $15,000 |
| Nebraska Lutheran Ashland, NE | Sullivan Hills Camp | $12,000 |
| South Platte Public Shools Big Springs, NE | Student Washington DC Trip | $12,000 |
| Berea Lutheran Church Chappell, NE | Support | $5,000 |
| City of Chappell Nebraska Chappell, NE | Library Equipment | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,793,232 | $952,054 | $668,444 | $532,750 | 32 | $575,413 | $849,327 | $577,987 |
| 2024 | $6,509,627 | $691,230 | $653,419 | $506,150 | 32 | $550,319 | $579,041 | $571,773 |
| 2023 | $6,471,816 | $471,429 | $669,723 | $530,600 | 37 | $574,525 | $369,363 | $555,193 |
| 2022 | $6,670,110 | $372,635 | $698,329 | $553,400 | 36 | $596,000 | $252,389 | $567,497 |
| 2021 | $6,995,804 | $817,853 | $623,778 | $480,950 | 33 | $525,183 | $222,233 | $601,089 |
| 2020 | $6,801,729 | $585,106 | $629,686 | $500,850 | 39 | — | $212,054 | $528,042 |
| 2019 | $6,846,309 | $403,561 | $652,083 | $504,350 | 19 | — | $298,094 | $537,696 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Virginia Smith Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $578K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing describes eligible support as being for educational, community, or civic purposes in Big Springs, Chappell, and Lodgepole, Nebraska, or for organizations operated exclusively for religious, charitable, educational, literary, scientific purposes, or the prevention of cruelty to children. The 2025 grants included scholarships, a street project, airport runway improvements, a pool splash pad, cemetery repairs, library equipment, and food pantry support.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 32 grants totaling $532,750. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $285,000, with a median of $5,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $285,000 for scholarships; $50,000 to the City of Chappell for a street project; $20,000 to the Chappell Airport Authority for runway improvements; and $20,000 to the City of Chappell for a pool splash pad. Other grants included $15,000 to the Village of Lodgepole for cemetery repairs, $12,000 to Nebraska Lutheran for Sullivan Hills Camp, and $12,000 to South Platte Public Schools for a student trip to Washington, D.C.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jerome E. Cabela and Kenneth Fornander as trustees, Leonard Littlejohn as “officer/trus,” and Janet Flohr as “chairperson/”.
Virginia Smith Charitable Trust is led by Janet Flohr, Chairperson since 2025 (on filings since 2019); all 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Janet Flohr
Chairperson
Chairperson → Trustee, 2021
Trustee → Chairperson, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$6K (2019) → $6K (2025)
Jerome E. Cabela
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$6K (2019) → $6K (2025)
Kenneth Fornander
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$6K (2019) → $6K (2025)
Leonard Littlejohn
Officer & Trustee
Trustee → Chairperson, 2021
Chairperson → Officer & Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$6K (2019) → $6K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Merlyn Carlson (2019–2024) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $6K, to Jerome E Cabela (Trustee). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Virginia Smith Charitable Trust
How much does Virginia Smith Charitable Trust give each year?
Virginia Smith Charitable Trust gave $533K across 32 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $506K across 32 grants.
What is Virginia Smith Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Virginia Smith Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $16,648, across 32 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Virginia Smith Charitable Trust that year got $5K on average.
Where does Virginia Smith Charitable Trust give grants?
Virginia Smith Charitable Trust gives mostly in Nebraska: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chappell, NE (19 grants), Big Springs, NE (6 grants) and Lodgepole, NE (4 grants).
Does Virginia Smith Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 31% of Virginia Smith Charitable Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Virginia Smith Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Virginia Smith Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Scholarships Paid to Post- ($285,000), City of Chappell Nebraska ($99,800 across 6 grants) and Chappell Airport Authority ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 76% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Virginia Smith Charitable Trust?
Virginia Smith Charitable Trust reported $6.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $575K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $578K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Virginia Smith Charitable Trust fund?
The foundation’s filing describes eligible support as being for educational, community, or civic purposes in Big Springs, Chappell, and Lodgepole, Nebraska, or for organizations operated exclusively for religious, charitable, educational, literary, scientific purposes, or the prevention of cruelty to children. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Virginia Smith Charitable Trust?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Virginia Smith Charitable Trust's EIN?
Virginia Smith Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-6348709. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Virginia Smith Charitable Trust 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.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 28, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 28, 2026)
Live grants for the work Virginia Smith Charitable Trust funds
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