William J & Bonnie L Hefner
William J & Bonnie L Hefner is a private foundation based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 2024, it reported 28 grants totaling $2,524,900, all to recipients in Indiana.
William J & Bonnie L Hefner at a glance
In short: William J & Bonnie L Hefner gave $2.5M across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $90K), mostly in Indiana. 43% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,524,900
- +73.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- +16.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $90,175
- +48.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $20,349,512
- -5.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (12 of 28, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to William J & Bonnie L Hefner
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3015 Emerald Lake Dr, Fort Wayne, IN 46804
Phone: (260) 493-4493
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William J & Bonnie L Hefner funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Historic Fort Wayne ($500K). Together the top 10 received $2.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
111 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 81 grants of 111 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is William J & Bonnie L Hefner open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 28 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $94K; repeat grants $87K. How we count
Medians: $44K first-time, $18K repeat.
- 54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 306% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 160% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $622K (2021) to $2.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $2.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Historic Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN | Support | $500,000 |
| FW YWCA Fort Wayne, IN | Support | $400,000 |
| Charis House Fort Wayne, IN | Support | $325,000 |
| Josiah White's Wabash, IN | Support | $300,000 |
| Community Harvest Food Bank Fort Wayne, IN | Support | $250,000 |
| Fort Wayne Rescue Mission Fort Wayne, IN | B | $200,000 |
| Fort Wayne Zoo Fort Wayne, IN | Support | $100,000 |
| Girl Scouts of Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN | Support | $75,000 |
| Purdue Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN | Support | $62,900 |
| Boy Scouts of America Fort Wayne, IN | Support | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with William J & Bonnie L Hefner?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $20,349,512 | $1,554,580 | $2,734,786 | $2,524,900 | 28 | $2,524,910 | $724,661 | $1,574,321 |
| 2023 | $21,584,803 | $749,824 | $1,663,345 | $1,456,550 | 24 | $1,469,417 | $622,704 | $1,491,007 |
| 2022 | $21,450,727 | $641,415 | $983,481 | $796,300 | 23 | $804,639 | $580,006 | $1,399,503 |
| 2021 | $23,043,469 | $1,031,273 | $820,410 | $622,000 | 19 | $632,320 | $601,288 | $1,008,655 |
| 2020 | $16,156,000 | $893,795 | $833,595 | $625,148 | 17 | — | $492,815 | $1,048,055 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William J & Bonnie L Hefner reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Grantees’ stated missions illustrate the kinds of work among its recipients: Historic Fort Wayne works to establish the Old Fort as an education center focused on regional history; Fort Wayne Rescue Mission provides housing, food, and hope for people in need; and Science Central provides hands-on science education. Kate’s Kart describes its work as giving books to hospitalized children and encouraging literacy, while Homebound Meals assists shut-ins, usually older adults, with low-cost meals.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $2,524,900. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $500,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest awards included $500,000 to Historic Fort Wayne, $400,000 to FW YWCA, $325,000 to Charis House, $300,000 to Josiah White’s, and $250,000 to Community Harvest Food Bank. Other notable grants included $200,000 to Fort Wayne Rescue Mission, $100,000 to Fort Wayne Zoo, and $62,900 to Purdue Fort Wayne.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Thomas J Grant as Treasurer, Robert Doelling and Angela Grant as Co-Trustees, and Aimee Myers as Executive DI.
William J & Bonnie L Hefner's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert Doelling
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Angela Grant
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Aimee Myers
Executive Di
On filings since 2020
$60K (2020) → $65K (2024)
Thomas J. Grant
Treasurer
Co-Trustee → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Orrin Sessions (2020–2022) — Co-Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $65K, to Aimee Myers (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about William J & Bonnie L Hefner
How much does William J & Bonnie L Hefner give each year?
William J & Bonnie L Hefner gave $2.5M across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.5M across 24 grants.
What is William J & Bonnie L Hefner's typical grant size?
William J & Bonnie L Hefner's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $90,175, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from William J & Bonnie L Hefner that year got $94K on average.
Where does William J & Bonnie L Hefner give grants?
William J & Bonnie L Hefner gives mostly in Indiana: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Wayne, IN (25 grants).
Does William J & Bonnie L Hefner give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on William J & Bonnie L Hefner's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support" (27 grants).
Who are William J & Bonnie L Hefner's largest grantees?
William J & Bonnie L Hefner's largest 2024 grantees include Historic Fort Wayne ($500,000), FW YWCA ($400,000) and Charis House ($325,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is William J & Bonnie L Hefner?
William J & Bonnie L Hefner reported $20.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does William J & Bonnie L Hefner fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William J & Bonnie L Hefner?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is William J & Bonnie L Hefner's EIN?
William J & Bonnie L Hefner's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0914351. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does William J & Bonnie L Hefner 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). William J & Bonnie L Hefner funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/william-j-and-bonnie-l-hefner-morg_0f7d819f2cb24712af768684f33034b6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300914351_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{William J \& Bonnie L Hefner funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/william-j-and-bonnie-l-hefner-morg_0f7d819f2cb24712af768684f33034b6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 William J & Bonnie L Hefner'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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