Foundations that fund organizations in Columbia, Illinois
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for Columbia nonprofits
22 private foundations gave $283K to Columbia organizations in their latest filings; 4 of the 22 that say either way accept applications.
31 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to Columbia around $2,250. 6 of these funders are based in Illinois; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 22
- Accept applications
- 4
- of 22 that state a policy
- Dollars to Columbia
- $283K
- latest filings
- Grants
- 31
- Typical median grant
- $2,250
- Based in IL
- 27%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to Columbia organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sophia and Elmer Oerter Charitable Foundation | Columbia, IL | 3 | $120K | $26K | Yes | Parking lot paving; Parking lot and pavilion; Capital projects grant |
| Adelheid & Eugene Luhr Charitable Tr | St Louis, MO | 2 | $62K | $31K | Preselected only | Program support |
| Frieda Schrader Charitable Trust | Birmingham, AL | 1 | $19K | $19K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Seiler Family Foundation | Lake St Louis, MO | 1 | $16K | $16K | Preselected only | Care for horses in life threatening situations |
| Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard Charitable Foundation Inc | St Louis, MO | 1 | $15K | $15K | Preselected only | General Operating Support |
| Crowder Family Foundation | Columbia, IL | 3 | $14K | $2,000 | Yes | Food pantry; One life/foster kids program; Support various needs of local veterans |
| Harold Lindbergh Zaring Charitable Trust C/O Jeff Heet | Columbia, IL | 1 | $7,000 | $7,000 | Preselected only | Provide funds for educational programs |
| World Wide Technology Foundation | St Louis, MO | 1 | $6,000 | $6,000 | Preselected only | To further the exempt purpose of the recipient organization |
| The Bramlage and Willcoxon Foundation | Joplin, MO | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Preselected only | Unrestricted |
| Bk Bryant Foundation | Columbia, IL | 2 | $4,500 | $2,250 | Yes | Support for General Operations |
| Contegra Cares | Edwardsville, IL | 1 | $4,000 | $4,000 | Preselected only | Further organization's objectives |
| American Water Charitable Foundationinc | Camden, NJ | 1 | $2,300 | $2,300 | Yes | General purpose |
| Edison Family Foundation | St Louis, MO | 1 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Preselected only | Annual gift |
| William Zimmer Fmly Foundation 480003001 | St Louis, MO | 1 | $1,866 | $1,866 | Preselected only | General support |
| Edward Jones Foundation | St Louis, MO | 4 | $1,412 | $431 | Preselected only | Philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking foundations; Community improvement, capacity building; Animal-related |
| Irving & Beatrice C Edison Foundation | St Louis, MO | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | Annual gift |
| The Alro Steel Foundation | Jackson, MI | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | General operating |
| The Neeb Family Foundation | Pelham, AL | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | General purpose |
| The David and Barbara Mungenast Foundation Inc | St Louis, MO | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | Conservation |
| Craftsmen Cares Foundation | St Charles, MO | 1 | $100 | $100 | Preselected only | To support the education of students in monroe county |
| The Pfizer Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $60 | $60 | Preselected only | Matching gifts |
| George and Noreen Ziebold Foundation | Waterloo, IL | 1 | $20 | $20 | Preselected only | Charitable donation |
Source: IRS Form 990-PF Part XV, latest electronic return per foundation (2026-10-28). "Accepts applications" reflects the foundation's own checkbox on Part XV line 2. Grants to individuals excluded.
Common questions
Which foundations give to nonprofits in Columbia, Illinois?
Sophia and Elmer Oerter Charitable Foundation, Adelheid & Eugene Luhr Charitable Tr, Frieda Schrader Charitable Trust, Seiler Family Foundation, Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard Charitable Foundation Inc and 17 others reported grants to Columbia organizations on their latest Form 990-PF.
How do I approach a foundation that doesn't accept applications?
A foundation that checks "contributes only to preselected organizations" on its 990-PF won't review a cold proposal. Look at who it funds, find a shared board member, grantee or advisor, and ask for an introduction. Foundations that accept applications usually list a contact and deadlines in Part XV; we show that text on each foundation's page.
Is this list complete?
No. It covers private foundations (Form 990-PF filers) whose latest electronic return lists at least one grant to an organization in Columbia. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.