The Forest Fund Inc
Indianapolis, IN · EIN 26-3922724. Reported 130 grants totalling $1,397,611 to 65 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Forest Fund Inc did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $5,000 and $15,000; the smallest was $250 and the largest $50,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Tudor Foundation | Indianapolis, IN | $100,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| The Salvation Army | Indianapolis, IN | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Midwest Food Bank | Normal, IN | $75,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Roaring Fork Conservancy | Basalt, CO | $70,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Second Presbyterian Church | Indianapolis, IN | $70,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| First Baptist Church of Indianapolis | Indianapolis, IN | $56,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Fund Inc | Culver, IN | $56,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Center for Disaster Philanthropy Inc | Washington, DC | $55,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| First Principles Forum | Indianapolis, IN | $55,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Gastro-Intestinal Research Foundation Inc | Highland Park, IL | $53,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Sam's Wish Inc | Carmel, IN | $45,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| St Mary's Child Center | Indianapolis, IN | $45,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Coburn Place Safehaven II Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Dyslexia Institute of Indiana Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $40,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Second Helpings Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $35,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Fair Foundation Against Intolerance | New York City, NY | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Samaritan's Purse | Boone, NC | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Citizen Warm Heart Warm Home Fdn | Indianapolis, IN | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Community Foundation of Western North Carolina Inc | Asheville, NC | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Random Acts of Flowers Indianapolis Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Grit & Grace Girls | Acworth, GA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| James Whitcomb Riley Memorial Association (dba Riley Children's Endowment) | Indianapolis, IN | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| New Hope of Indiana | Indianapolis, IN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Wine to Water | Boone, NC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Brooke's Place for Grieving Young People Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $17,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Town of Culver | Culver, IN | $16,361 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Inc | New York, NY | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Culver Community Christmas Basket Inc | Culver, IN | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| English in Action | Basalt, CO | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Ascension St Vincent Foundation | Indianapolis, IN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Grit & Grace Nation | Fishers, IN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Indianapolis Humane Society | Indianapolis, IN | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Nehemiah Group (dba Chicago Eco House) | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Pennsylvania 30 Day Fund Inc | Merion Station, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Sojourner Truth House Inc | Hobart, IN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| St Vincent Hospital Foundation Inc (dba Ascension St Vincent Foundation) | St Louis, MO | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Step Up | Indianapolis, IN | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Broad Ripple Village Association Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Brookes Place for Grieving Young People Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Girls Inc of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Horizon House Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Humane Society of Indianapolis Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence | Springfield, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Minnies Food Pantry Inc | Plano, TX | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Patriotic Kenny Foundation | Willernie, MN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Planned Parenthood of Illinois | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation | Staten Island, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Family Place | Dallas, TX | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dignity Diner Foundation | Chicago, IL | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Forever Fortunate Felines | Palatine, IL | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Nourishing Hope | Chicago, IL | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Culver Community Youth Center Foundaiton Dba Culver Youth Club | Culver, IN | $3,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly Inc (home) | Chicago, IL | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Sarahs Circle | Chicago, IL | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Aspen Youth Center | Aspen, CO | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Culver Educational Foundation | Culver, IN | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation | Barrington, IL | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Aspen High School | Aspen, CO | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School | Indianapolis, IN | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Mountain Rescue Aspen Inc | Aspen, CO | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Hundred Club of Indianapolis Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Indiana Golf Foundation | Indianapolis, IN | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Wheeler Mission Ministries Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation | Syracuse, IN | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
26 of 65 (40%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 60%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- First Baptist Church of Indianapolis
FIRST BAPTIST ATHLETICS, SUPPORTING YOUTH SPORTS - Center for Disaster Philanthropy Inc
$25,000 FOR TURKEY/SYRIA EARTHQUAKE RECOVERY, AND $20,000 FOR MISSISSIPPI TORNADO RECOVERY EFFORTS - Community Foundation of Western North Carolina Inc
EMERGENCY AND DISASTER RESPONSE FUND - HURRICANE RELIEF - Park Tudor Foundation
BUILD POSSIBILITY CAMPAIGN - New Hope of Indiana
SERVICES FOR DISABLED PERSONS AND THEIR FAMILIES - Town of Culver
REPLACEMENT OF PUBLIC PIER
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 90 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26 | $209,500 | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 25 | $307,250 | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 23 | $290,500 | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 28 | $309,861 | $10,000 |
| 2025 | 28 | $280,500 | $10,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Already committed for future years
Form 990-PF has a separate schedule for grants approved but not yet paid. The Forest Fund Inc has 1 of them, worth $80,000. This is the one part of the filing that looks forward rather than back.
| Organization | Location | Approved |
|---|---|---|
| Park Tudor Foundation | Indianapolis, IN | $80,000 |
Where its money goes
70% of its giving went to organizations in Indiana. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $10,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Indiana.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Forest Fund Inc's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 320 N Meridian Street 700, Indianapolis, IN, 46204. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 26-3922724 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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