Bill Simpson Foundation

The Bill Simpson Foundation is a young, family-led private foundation established in May 2021 to honor the legacy of Bill Simpson — a pioneering figure in motorsport safety equipment who invented fire suits, helmets, and harnesses that saved countless lives in racing. Operating from Brownsburg, Indiana (the heart of IndyCar country), the foundation channels approximately $18M in assets into nonprofits it describes as "innovative organizations driving solutions to complex challenges and creating a better, more sustainable world."

The foundation's five stated focus areas are animal welfare, environmental change, substance abuse prevention, cultural educational opportunities, and sports/recreation/safety pathways. The grantee portfolio reflects genuine pluralism across these categories: animal rescue organizations (Bullies 2 The Rescue, Guide Dogs of the Desert, Heaven After Hell Rescue, Rosie's Southside Animal Shelter) share space with environmental groups (American Friends of the Ocean Cleanup, Reef Relief, Bald Head Island Conservancy), motorsport institutions (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation, Don Garlitis Museum of Drag Racing), youth sports programs (Carving the Future, US Snowboard & Freeski Association, Teton Adaptive), and health causes (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, Dilworth Center for Chemical Dependency).

The board is composed of five directors — Sabrina Simpson, Dillon Simpson, Jesse Horn, Michael Mock, and Michael Cordesius — who each receive $50,000 annually in the most recent filings. The Simpson family presence (Sabrina and Dillon) underscores that this is fundamentally a family philanthropy. Decisions are shaped by personal values and relationships, not a formal program staff. First-time applicants should expect a lighter institutional process than larger foundations: no online grant portal, no published RFP calendar, and no LOI requirement mentioned publicly.

The application process is electronic — submit inquiries to info@billsimpsonfoundation.org during the January through March 1 window. Grants are awarded on a rolling basis thereafter. The foundation's explicit restriction — "all grants will align with the mission" — signals that a clear, direct mission match is the primary filter. Organizations with connections to motorsport heritage, safety innovation, or inclusive recreation may find natural alignment with the Simpson family's values. Typical first grants appear to be in the $5,000–$20,000 range for new relationships, with larger grants ($30,000+) reserved for organizations with demonstrated track records or deeper institutional ties.

The Bill Simpson Foundation's documented FY2023 grant activity reveals 36 awards totaling $579,000, with an average grant of $16,083 and a median of $10,000. The modal grant is exactly $10,000 — roughly 18 of 36 grantees (50%) received this amount, confirming it as the foundation's default starting-point grant size for both new and ongoing relationships.

The range is unusually wide: from $2,000 (Breast Friends, a breast cancer fundraiser) to $170,000 (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation Inc., for the Oldtimers Club and general support). Only two grants exceeded $20,000: the IMS Foundation at $170,000 and Guide Dogs of the Desert at $30,000. One additional grant came in at $24,500 (Gamers Outreach Foundation, for 7 gaming consoles). The $170,000 IMS anchor grant alone represents 29.4% of the total documented grant pool — a striking concentration reflecting the foundation's motorsport heritage rather than typical program grant-making.

Geographically, North Carolina dominates: 12 of 36 grantees (33%) are NC-based, including Charlotte Hornets Foundation, Dilworth Center, Charlotte Rescue Mission, Bullies 2 the Rescue, Heaven After Hell Rescue, Humane Society of Charlotte, Rosie's Southside Animal Shelter, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. Indiana accounts for 5 grantees (14%). Wyoming, New York, and Florida each contribute 3 grantees (8% each).

Animal welfare organizations received 9 of 36 grants (25% by count): Guide Dogs of the Desert ($30,000), Fido Inc ($10,000), Bullies 2 the Rescue ($10,000), Heaven After Hell Rescue ($10,000), Humane Society of Charlotte ($10,000), Humane Society of Lincoln County ($10,000), Rosie's Southside Animal Shelter ($10,000), Billies Buddies ($5,000), and Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County ($2,500).

Total foundation giving has accelerated sharply: from $19,522 in FY2021 to $1,582,039 in FY2022 and $2,331,119 in FY2023 (total disbursements including operations). Net investment income was $515,234 in FY2023, against an asset base declining from $19.4M (FY2022) to $18.0M (FY2025) — a modest spend-down as grants outpace returns. Officer compensation reached $250,000 in FY2023 (five directors at $50,000 each), up from $125,000 in FY2022 and $0 in FY2021, consistent with a foundation scaling its operational capacity.

The Bill Simpson Foundation occupies a distinctive niche within the midsized, privately held Animal-category foundation cohort with assets in the $15–20M range. None of its five IRS-matched peers maintain public websites or documented application processes, making the Bill Simpson Foundation the most accessible funder in its asset tier by a significant margin.

Bill Simpson Foundation distinguishes itself in two critical ways. First, it is the only peer with a public-facing website, documented contact information, and an explicitly open application process — making it genuinely accessible to organizations that cannot rely on insider relationships. Second, its giving spans well beyond animal welfare into environmental conservation, motorsport heritage, and substance abuse prevention, creating multiple programmatic entry points for applicants whose work touches more than one focus area. Animal welfare applicants should note that while 25% of documented grants go to animal organizations, those grants cluster at $10,000 — positioning the foundation as a reliable but modest source of animal sector support rather than a transformative funder.

The Bill Simpson Foundation launched meaningful external grant-making in 2022, with FY2023 representing its most documented active year: 36 grants totaling $579,000 across 10 states. Prior to FY2022, the foundation had essentially no external grant activity (FY2021 total giving: $19,522), meaning 2022–2023 marks the formal ramp-up of its philanthropic program after its May 2021 IRS ruling date.

The foundation's website highlights several signature partnerships without publishing specific grant dates or amounts. These include funding a guide dog named "Bill" through Guide Dogs of the Desert; donating a UTV to Bald Head Island Conservancy for its sea turtle protection program; contributing to the $60 million Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum renovation; sponsoring a Special Olympics Regatta through CRAB (Chesapeake Regional Accessible Boating) in Annapolis, MD; and supporting Carving the Future's youth snowboarding and skateboarding empowerment programs.

No press releases, new program announcements, or leadership changes were found in web searches covering 2025–2026. The foundation does not appear to maintain active social media accounts or issue public grant announcements. ProPublica's most recent data (FY2025) shows $961,294 in charitable disbursements and total assets of $18,008,634 — suggesting grant-making has grown since FY2023, though the precise FY2024–2025 grantee list is not yet available via public 990 filings.

The Simpson family remains the core of the board, with Michael Cordesius serving as Treasurer across multiple filings. The foundation's Brownsburg, Indiana address and its strong motorsport legacy orientation — anchored by the $170,000 IMS grant — confirm the board remains embedded in the Indiana racing industry community.

The Bill Simpson Foundation's narrow application window and email-only process demand precise preparation. Here is what grant seekers need to know to approach this funder effectively.

Timing is the first filter. The application window opens in January and closes March 1 — a hard deadline the foundation explicitly enforces. Plan to submit by February 15 to allow buffer for any follow-up. Grants are awarded on a rolling basis after review, with decisions likely communicated in spring or early summer.

Make contact before January. With no formal grant portal and no published submission guidelines, emailing info@billsimpsonfoundation.org in November or December with a brief introduction is advisable. A 150-word paragraph describing your mission, your alignment with their focus areas, and a request for any submission preferences will establish a prior touchpoint and demonstrate professional courtesy — important for a family-run board that values relationships.

Anchor your narrative in the Simpson legacy. Bill Simpson advanced safety technology in motorsport at scale, democratizing equipment that protected drivers at all levels. Proposals that echo themes of innovation, inclusive access, and practical problem-solving will resonate. Phrases like "creating safer environments," "expanding opportunity," and "sustainable impact" directly mirror the foundation's own language.

Animal welfare applicants: lead with measurable outcomes. Of 9 documented animal welfare grants, 8 came in at $10,000 or less. To position for a larger ask — or to stand out at the $10,000 tier — quantify animals served, adoption or placement rates, return-to-owner outcomes, or medical case volume. Specific program budgets with concrete deliverables outperform general support requests.

NC-based organizations should reference community ties. With 33% of documented grantees in North Carolina (especially the Charlotte metro), NC organizations should acknowledge any community connections or shared networks with the board. This geographic concentration is unlikely to be coincidental.

Calibrate the first ask conservatively. Request $5,000–$15,000 for a first-time application. The $170,000 IMS grant reflects a deep pre-existing institutional relationship. Build trust over one or two grant cycles before seeking larger commitments.