Fleming Foundation

The Fleming Foundation is a family-controlled private foundation with deep roots in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. Founded in 1990 by Richard Fleming — a WWII veteran, chemical engineer, and longtime chairman of the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) Board of Trustees — the foundation reflects one family's three decades of personal philanthropic commitment. Richard Fleming died in 2015 at age 100; between 2015 and 2019 the foundation's assets grew from approximately $8M to $64.5M, likely through a testamentary bequest or estate transfer, permanently transforming it from a modest regional grantmaker into a significant endowed foundation.

The foundation is now stewarded by Kathleen "Trinka" Arnold, Fleming's daughter, who serves as lead trustee alongside Robert L. Gorman and Maryanne Corbett Gorman (each receiving $30,000 annual compensation as trustees). There are no paid staff. The giving philosophy is intensely personal and place-based: priorities track directly to Richard Fleming's life history — his 30-year LVHN board tenure, his wife Peggy's battle with Alzheimer's disease, and the family's affection for animals, veterans' services, and outdoor conservation.

This is not a foundation that solicits applications or maintains an open grantmaking program. No public application portal exists, no grant guidelines are published, and the IRS filing's program description merely states that grants go to "qualifying public charities" — a legal formality, not an open invitation. The foundation operates almost entirely through long-cultivated relationships: of approximately 38 active annual grantees, most have been funded continuously for a decade or more.

For prospective applicants, the most viable entry points are: organizations embedded in the LVHN philanthropic ecosystem (where the Fleming legacy is most legible); Alzheimer's research organizations with institutional affiliation and published research records; animal welfare nonprofits serving the Lehigh Valley and Berks County areas; and the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, which receives donor-advised fund contributions from Fleming and whose program staff may provide introductory pathways. First-time applicants should prioritize relationship cultivation over proposal submission — a personal introduction to Trinka Arnold is worth more than any well-crafted LOI.

The Fleming Foundation's grantmaking exhibits a sharply bifurcated structure: a handful of deep, multi-million-dollar anchor partnerships co-exist with a broad base of smaller annual gifts. Total documented giving across the available sample period reached $12.69M across 116 grants (average $109,409) — but this figure is heavily skewed by three dominant grantees.

Cure Alzheimer's Fund ($5.0M, 4 grants), Lehigh Valley Hospital Network ($3.43M, 4 grants for the Fleming Neuroscience Institute), and Lehigh Valley Community Foundation ($2.52M, 4 grants via donor-advised fund) together account for $10.95M — 86% of all tracked giving. Strip these out and the remaining 113 grants average just $15,600, a more accurate picture of what most grantees experience.

Annual giving has grown dramatically with the endowment: - 2011-2015: $370K-$530K/year (assets $7-9M) - 2019: $3.04M (assets $64.5M) - 2020: $2.43M (COVID reduction; assets $67.5M) - 2021: $3.11M (assets $73.7M — endowment peak) - 2022: $3.85M (highest giving year on record; assets $64.4M) - 2023: $3.59M (assets $64.3M) - 2024: ~$3.3M across 38 grants (assets $66.8M)

The payout rate has ranged from 4.5% to 5.9% of assets — consistently above the 5% IRS minimum. Investment income (dividends plus asset sales) fully funds grantmaking; the foundation has received no outside contributions since 2021.

By focus area: Alzheimer's/neuroscience research commands the largest share, with the Cure Alzheimer's Fund alone receiving $1.25M in FY2024. Animal welfare organizations collectively received approximately $390K in the tracked sample. Human services (Valley Youth House, United Way, Valley Health Partners, Burn Prevention Network) account for over $1M in cumulative giving. Veterans' organizations and conservation/trails groups each represent $50K-$90K cumulatively.

Individual grant sizes for non-anchor grantees range from $1,500 (Flint Hill Farm) to $50,000, with a database median of $7,500. Animal welfare grants typically run $5,000-$22,500; veterans' organizations $5,000-$10,000; community health and human services $10,000-$35,000. Multi-year recurrence is the norm: most top-50 grantees appear with 3-4 grant records, indicating annual renewal rather than one-time awards.

The Fleming Foundation occupies a mid-tier position among Pennsylvania private foundations, with $66.8M in assets and ~$3.3M in annual giving. It is notably more concentrated than peers of comparable size — 86% of tracked giving flows to three grantees, versus typical distributions of 40-80+ organizations for similarly sized foundations. The table below compares Fleming to peer Pennsylvania private foundations (figures approximate from public 990-PF filings):

Fleming stands apart from these peers in two key respects. First, its geographic concentration is extreme: 63% of grants go to Pennsylvania organizations, predominantly within a 30-mile radius of Zionsville. Second, its anchor partnerships (LVHN, Cure Alzheimer's Fund) absorb capital at a scale that leaves limited discretionary capacity — estimated at $500K-$800K annually — for organizations outside the existing portfolio. Foundations like Grundy and Independence offer more accessible entry points for new applicants. Fleming's invitation-only model makes it a secondary prospect for organizations without a pre-existing Lehigh Valley connection.

The Fleming Foundation's most significant recent activities center on Alzheimer's research infrastructure and Lehigh Valley community anchors.

FY2024: Cure Alzheimer's Fund received $1,250,000 — the single largest disclosed grant for the year, continuing a pattern of escalating Alzheimer's research investment. Valley Youth House received $250,000 in continued operational support. Community Bike Works received $35,000. Total giving: approximately $3.3M across 38 grants. The foundation's 990-PF for FY2024 was filed April 25, 2025.

November 2023: A $500,000 contribution to Valley Youth House's endowment fund was publicly announced — a shift from prior annual operating grants to permanent endowment support, representing more than 15 years of cumulative foundation investment in that organization. Trinka Arnold personally pledged the contribution.

June 2022: LVHN opened the Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute, funded by what the foundation described as "the largest single endowment in its 32-year history." The institute expands neurology and neurosurgery research, training, and clinical care. The gift extended a philanthropy relationship dating to 1984, when Richard Fleming launched the Friends of Nursing program at LVHN.

November 2021: A $500,000 four-year grant to United Way of Greater Lehigh Valley funded dementia-friendly community initiatives, serving an estimated 6,000 individuals with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. The grant was made "in loving memory of Peggy Fleming," who had Alzheimer's disease.

Leadership has been entirely stable. Kathleen "Trinka" Arnold continues as lead trustee; Robert L. Gorman and Maryanne Corbett Gorman serve as co-trustees. No leadership changes or new strategic announcements have been identified.

Critical warning: The website https://fleming.foundation/ is NOT the Zionsville PA grantmaking foundation. It is an unrelated cultural commentary organization run by Thomas Fleming. Do not submit inquiries there. The Zionsville PA Fleming Foundation (EIN 23-2585510) has no functional public website. All direct contact is via mail (7953 Crow Rd, Zionsville, PA 18092-2902) or phone (610) 737-0888).

Alignment is non-negotiable. The foundation funds within five clear lanes: (1) Alzheimer's disease and memory care research — preferably with institutional affiliation and published outcomes; (2) Lehigh Valley and Berks County regional nonprofits with multi-year community track records; (3) animal welfare, especially equine rescue, companion animal services, and service dog programs; (4) veterans' services and military family support; and (5) conservation and trail preservation (especially Rails-to-Trails model organizations). Organizations operating outside these lanes should look elsewhere.

Geography is decisive. Pennsylvania organizations — particularly in Lehigh, Berks, and Northampton counties — hold a structural advantage. Of 116 tracked grants, 73 (63%) are PA-based. The 28 out-of-state grants that exist went primarily to national Alzheimer's research organizations (Cure Alzheimer's Fund, Alzheimer's Association) or animal welfare organizations with regional reach. A Lehigh Valley service address or named program is a stronger asset than a generic national footprint.

Relationship cultivation is the only viable path. Introductions through the LVHN development office, Lehigh Valley Community Foundation program staff, or Valley Youth House board members are the most credible entry points to Trinka Arnold. Cold proposals and unsolicited emails are unlikely to succeed. Budget 12-24 months for relationship development before expecting a grant.

Calibrate your ask. The foundation's median individual grant is $7,500, with a typical range of $5,000-$25,000 for smaller nonprofits. A first ask of $5,000-$10,000 signals understanding of the foundation's portfolio dynamics. Anchor-level grants ($250,000+) go exclusively to organizations with decade-long relationships. Coming in with an appropriately modest request builds credibility.

Language that resonates: Reference Richard Fleming's legacy at LVHN, Peggy Fleming's Alzheimer's journey, or the foundation's stated commitment to the Lehigh Valley community. Emphasize longevity, community roots, and specific measurable outcomes — not innovation or national scale.