Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc.

## Approach Strategy

The Josephine Ardery Foundation Inc. is a private, family-operated grantmaking foundation based in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 2007 and administered under the care of Ben B. Ardery, this is a relatively small foundation with approximately $1.54 million in total assets as of 2025. It operates as a non-operating private foundation (IRS foundation code 4), meaning its primary activity is making grants to external organizations rather than running its own programs.

Primary Focus Areas: Based on IRS filings and the foundation's location and character, grantmaking centers on arts, culture, education, and community organizations in the greater Lexington, Kentucky area. The foundation has strong ties to the local Lexington philanthropic community.

Decision-Making Structure: As a family foundation c/o Ben B. Ardery, decisions are likely made by family members rather than a professional grants staff. This means relationships, personal introductions, and alignment with family values are critical. Unsolicited proposals from unknown organizations face significant headwinds.

Strategic Approach: - Prioritize building a personal relationship with Ben B. Ardery or family members before submitting any formal request - Align proposals explicitly with Lexington, KY community impact - Keep requests modest ($5,000–$20,000 range) and focused on specific, tangible outcomes - Emphasize local organizational credibility and community ties - Demonstrate long-term sustainability rather than one-time project dependency

## Funding Patterns

The foundation maintains consistent annual grantmaking, distributing approximately $80,000–$100,000 in grants each year — a pattern that has held steady since at least 2015 when the foundation received a significant asset infusion (assets jumped from ~$24K to $1.52M).

Annual Grant Distribution (990-PF data): - 2023: $80,000 in grants distributed - 2022: $87,570 in grants distributed - 2021: ~$112,000 total expenses (grants + admin); estimated $90K–$95K in grants - 2020: ~$100,000 total expenses; estimated $82K–$86K in grants

Funding Sources: The foundation is investment-driven, with no significant external donations. Revenue comes primarily from: - Dividends (~$38K–$41K/year) - Capital gains (~$30K–$34K/year) - Minimal interest income (~$11/year)

Typical Grant Characteristics: - Grant size range: $5,000–$20,000 per organization - Estimated 5–15 grants made annually - No publicly disclosed application deadline or open RFP process - Grants appear to be discretionary and relationship-based - The minimum investment return requirement (IRS 5% payout rule) is approximately $76K–$83K/year, which closely tracks actual distributions

Sector Signals: NTEE code T20 (Private Grantmaking Foundation) with no specific sub-sector disclosed, but the Lexington, KY location and family nature strongly suggest arts/culture, education, and community service organizations are primary beneficiaries.

## Peer Comparison

The following table compares the Josephine Ardery Foundation to similar-sized private foundations in Kentucky:

Key Positioning Insights: - At $1.54M in assets, the Josephine Ardery Foundation is significantly smaller than most comparable Kentucky private foundations, which cluster around $4–5M in assets - Its grantmaking is proportionally on-target for its asset size (5%+ payout rule) - The Copia Foundation in Lexington is a particularly relevant peer — same city, similar grant range ($1K–$27K), and an active local grantmaker - Unlike the Budig Family Foundation (226 grants/yr at median $500), Ardery is likely making fewer, larger individual grants - Comparable to the Phillips Family Foundation in grant size philosophy ($10K median) but at roughly one-third the asset base

## Recent Activity

The foundation has maintained stable financial activity through 2023–2025 based on the most recent IRS Form 990-PF filings:

2025 (most recent filing): - Total revenue: $144,947 - Total expenses: $116,104 - Total assets: $1,537,266 (up from $1,508,423 in 2024) - Asset growth year-over-year: +$28,843 (+1.9%)

2024: - Total revenue: $109,735 - Total expenses: $94,447 - Total assets: $1,508,423

2023: - Total revenue: $74,838 - Total expenses: $97,613 (including $80,000 in grants) - Net investment income: $59,140 - Investment excise tax paid: $822

Asset Trajectory (2015–2025): The foundation received a significant one-time asset infusion around 2015 (assets grew from ~$24K to $1.52M), and has maintained a stable $1.49M–$1.54M asset range since then. This consistency suggests prudent investment management with portfolio diversification across corporate stocks ($68K–$73K book value) and "other investments" (~$1.29M–$1.34M).

Website Status: The foundation's website (josephinearderyfoundation.org) is live but appears to be a simple builder site with limited substantive content — no open grants portal, application guidelines, or current opportunities are publicly listed.

Operational Notes: No compensation was paid to officers in the most recent filings. Administrative expenses run approximately $15K–$18K/year, suggesting minimal outside professional management costs.

## Application Tips

Given the private, family-operated nature of the Josephine Ardery Foundation, the application approach requires a highly personalized strategy:

1. Relationship-First Approach This foundation almost certainly does not accept unsolicited proposals from unknown organizations. Before any formal outreach, invest in building a connection through: - The Lexington philanthropy community (Community Foundation of the Bluegrass, Greater Lexington Foundation) - Local arts and cultural organizations that may already be grantees - Identifying mutual contacts or board members who know Ben B. Ardery

2. Letter of Inquiry First If direct contact is established, lead with a concise (1–2 page) letter of inquiry rather than a full proposal. Cover: - Your organization's Lexington/Kentucky impact - The specific project and dollar amount requested - Measurable outcomes you will deliver - Why this aligns with the foundation's charitable mission

3. Right-Size Your Ask Based on grantmaking history ($80K–$90K annually, estimated 5–15 recipients), a realistic request is $5,000–$20,000. Requests over $25,000 are unlikely to be funded given the foundation's annual distribution level.

4. Emphasize Local Impact Every application element should reinforce Lexington, KY community connection. Statewide or national organizations without a strong local presence are unlikely to receive funding.

5. Timing Without a disclosed application deadline, the funding cycle appears to be internal and calendar-year aligned. Reach out in Q3 (July–September) to position for year-end grantmaking decisions.

6. Compliance Checklist - [ ] 501(c)(3) determination letter ready - [ ] Most recent IRS Form 990 available - [ ] Board list and leadership bios prepared - [ ] Project budget with specific line items - [ ] Impact metrics and evaluation methodology defined - [ ] Letters of community support or partnership (if available)