Foellinger Foundation Inc.

## Approach Strategy

The Foellinger Foundation, established in 1958 by Helene and Esther Foellinger, is one of Allen County, Indiana's most significant private foundations. With approximately $252 million in assets, the Foundation operates with a distinctive dual mandate: direct grantmaking to community nonprofits and a parallel investment in nonprofit leadership development. Its tagline — "We Champion Opportunity" — captures a philosophy centered on empowerment and self-reliance rather than dependency.

Geographic Exclusivity. The Foundation's geographic scope is unusually narrow for its asset size: Allen County, Indiana (Fort Wayne and surrounding communities). This hyperlocal focus means every dollar stays within a single county, creating outsized impact in a mid-sized metropolitan area. For organizations outside Allen County, this Foundation is not an option. For those within it, the Foundation is among the most important funding sources in the region.

Three Grantmaking Categories. The Foundation organizes its grantmaking around three developmental stages: 1. Early Childhood: Helping children achieve developmental milestones and enabling parents and providers to support children's health and well-being 2. Youth Development: Empowering positive social, emotional, and academic youth development to facilitate successful transitions to adulthood 3. Family Development: Helping adults engage in behaviors that support families moving from dependence to independence

A fourth category, Community Interests and Capacity Building, rounds out the portfolio.

Leadership as a Core Investment. What truly distinguishes Foellinger from other community foundations is its deep investment in nonprofit leadership. The Foundation operates the Helene Foellinger Leadership Development Initiative, including the Leadership Lab (executive and rising leader programs), the Barbara Burt Innovative Leader Fund (board member development), the David A. Bobilya Excellence Award ($25,000 to winning organization), and curated workshops and networking events. This infrastructure signals a belief that organizational capacity — not just programmatic funding — drives community outcomes.

Evaluation-Driven Culture. The Foundation requires evaluation plans as part of the application process and annual reporting from grantees. Templates, PowerPoint frameworks, and example plans are publicly available on the website. This emphasis on measurement and accountability is more rigorous than typical community foundations and reflects the Foundation's results-oriented philosophy.

Physical Infrastructure. The Foundation maintains a building at 520 East Berry Street, Fort Wayne, with four rooms available free of charge to Allen County 501(c)(3) nonprofits. This physical space creates a hub for nonprofit collaboration and capacity building beyond the grant dollars themselves.

## Funding Patterns

Scale and Aggregate Data. Based on available IRS 990-PF filings, the Foundation reported total grant disbursements in the range of $7–8.4 million per year. The Foundation's 990 filings list grants in an aggregated "See Attachment" format rather than itemized individual grants, which limits granular analysis of individual award sizes and recipients from public filings alone.

Estimated Grant Parameters. Based on the Foundation's programs and policies: - Leadership Lab Programs: Approximately $319K in annual expenses for the executive and rising leader programs - Bobilya Excellence Award: $25,000 operating grant to the recipient's nominating organization - Barbara Burt Leader Fund: Individual grants for board member conference/workshop attendance - Effective Compassion Training: $75K engagement with the Freedom & Virtue Institute

Annual Grantmaking Volume. The Foundation's three-cycle-per-year model (February, May, November board reviews) suggests a steady flow of grants throughout the year. The Foundation considers grant proposals at each board meeting across its categories of Early Childhood, Youth, Family Development, and Community Interests.

Spending Pattern. With $252 million in assets and $7–8.4 million in annual grants, the Foundation maintains a payout rate of approximately 2.8–3.3% — slightly below the IRS-required 5% minimum distribution for private foundations when accounting for operating expenses and leadership programming costs. The leadership development programs (Leadership Lab at $319K, Effective Compassion Training at $75K, Bobilya Award at $42K+) represent significant direct charitable activity that likely counts toward the distribution requirement.

## Peer Comparison

The Foellinger Foundation is a large foundation operating in a state dominated by philanthropic giants. Indiana is home to the Lilly Endowment, the second-largest private foundation in the United States, which shapes the philanthropic landscape in ways that affect every other funder in the state.

Distinctive Positioning: - Only major Fort Wayne-based foundation: Nearly all of Indiana's largest foundations are headquartered in Indianapolis. Foellinger is the dominant philanthropic institution in northeast Indiana and is often the single largest private funder for Allen County nonprofits. - Hyperlocal geographic focus: While peer foundations like Lilly Endowment and Lumina operate statewide or nationally, Foellinger concentrates exclusively on Allen County. This creates unmatched density of impact per capita. - Leadership development infrastructure: No other Indiana foundation of comparable size operates its own nonprofit leadership training academy. The Leadership Lab, Barbara Burt Fund, and Bobilya Award constitute a unique ecosystem for building organizational capacity. - Evaluation rigor: The Foundation's requirement for formal evaluation plans (with templates and examples) exceeds the norm for community-focused foundations. This positions Foellinger as a capacity-building funder, not merely a check-writer. - Three-cycle annual cadence: While many foundations review grants once or twice annually, Foellinger's February/May/November cycle with preceding Q&A workshops creates more access points for applicants.

For grantseekers, the key competitive insight is that Foellinger occupies a unique niche: it is both a grantmaker and a nonprofit ecosystem builder. Organizations that engage with both dimensions — seeking grants AND participating in leadership development — are better positioned than those that view the Foundation solely as a funding source.

## Recent Activity

2025-2026 Grant Cycle Continuity. The Foundation continues its three-cycle annual grantmaking with upcoming deadlines in 2026. The application timeline shows Q&A workshops and deadlines scheduled for June 8, September 23, and October 6, 2026, indicating active grantmaking operations. The Foundation continues to host preparatory workshops before each grant round — a practice that demonstrates commitment to helping applicants succeed.

Board Updates. The Foundation announced 2026 board updates, signaling governance transitions that may bring fresh perspectives to grantmaking priorities. Board composition changes are worth monitoring for shifts in focus areas or geographic emphasis within Allen County.

Leadership Awards Expansion. The Foundation continues to evolve its Leadership Awards program, recognizing nonprofit board and staff members who champion opportunities for Allen County residents. The 2026 Leadership Award recipients were recently announced, maintaining the Foundation's investment in nonprofit human capital.

2025 Annual Report. The Foundation published its 2025 annual report, providing transparency on grantmaking outcomes, leadership development programming, and community impact. The publication of an annual report (accessible via the blog) demonstrates a higher standard of transparency than many private foundations.

Grantee Stories and Legacy Series. The Foundation has launched a "Legacy and Beyond" storytelling series profiling long-term grantees including: - Alive Community Outreach — community service organization - Lutheran Social Services of Indiana — human services provider - The History Center — cultural institution - Turnstone — disability services organization

This storytelling initiative reveals both the Foundation's current grantee portfolio and its emphasis on long-term organizational partnerships.

Evaluation Planning Initiative. The Foundation has been strengthening its emphasis on organizational impact through evaluation planning, providing grantees with enhanced templates, PowerPoint frameworks, and example plans. This operational investment suggests the Foundation is raising the bar on grantee accountability.

Physical Space Utilization. The Foundation's building at 520 East Berry Street continues to serve as a free-of-charge meeting and collaboration space for Allen County nonprofits, with four bookable rooms. The 2026 website prominently features a virtual tour, suggesting ongoing investment in this shared resource.

## Application Tips

1. You Must Be in Allen County — No Exceptions. Foellinger Foundation exclusively funds 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in Allen County, Indiana. This is not a preference; it is an absolute requirement. If your organization is not based in Allen County, do not apply. If you serve Allen County but are headquartered elsewhere, contact the Foundation to clarify eligibility before investing time in an application.

2. Attend the Q&A Workshops. The Foundation hosts preparatory Q&A workshops before each grant deadline (February, May, November cycles). Attending these workshops serves multiple purposes: you'll learn what the Foundation is prioritizing, get questions answered by grants staff, and demonstrate organizational seriousness. The next workshops align with the June 8 and September 23, 2026 deadlines.

3. Match Your Work to a Developmental Category. Frame your proposal within one of the Foundation's four categories: Early Childhood, Youth Development, Family Development, or Community Interests/Capacity Building. The categories are organized around a developmental continuum — show how your work fits within the specific life stage the Foundation has identified. If your organization spans multiple categories, choose the primary one and articulate secondary connections.

4. Build Your Evaluation Plan from Day One. The Foundation requires a formal evaluation plan as part of your application and annual reporting as a grantee. Use the Foundation's own templates and example plans (available on their website under Evaluation) to structure your proposal. Organizations that demonstrate a clear theory of change with measurable outcomes aligned to the Foundation's goals will be more competitive. The Foundation has invested in evaluation capacity for a reason — lean into it.

5. Emphasize Self-Reliance and Independence. The Foundation's philosophy centers on "championing opportunity" and moving individuals and families from dependence to independence. Frame your organization's impact in these terms — not as delivering services to passive recipients, but as empowering people to achieve self-sufficiency. This philosophical alignment is critical.

6. Engage with the Leadership Development Programs. Foellinger is not just a grantmaker — it is an ecosystem builder for nonprofits. Participating in the Barbara Burt Innovative Leader Fund (for board members), attending Foundation-curated workshops, or applying for the Leadership Awards builds your organization's relationship with the Foundation. Organizations that engage with the leadership infrastructure are more visible and more competitive for grants.

7. Use the Foundation's Physical Space. The Foundation's building at 520 East Berry Street offers four free-of-charge meeting rooms for Allen County nonprofits. Using this space for board meetings, planning sessions, or collaborative events creates organic touchpoints with Foundation staff and demonstrates engagement with the nonprofit community.

8. Plan for Multi-Cycle Engagement. With three grant cycles per year, you have multiple opportunities to engage. If your proposal is not funded in the February cycle, seek feedback, refine, and resubmit for May or November. The Foundation's cadence is designed to accommodate ongoing dialogue with the nonprofit community.

9. Demonstrate Collaborative Capacity. The Foundation values organizations that are "effective, collaborative and adaptive." Show partnerships with other Allen County nonprofits, highlight shared initiatives, and demonstrate that your organization contributes to the broader nonprofit ecosystem rather than operating in isolation.