The Schmetterling Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send a cold application and should wait to be invited.
- If you are invited, about 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $2,500 and $50,000, and its median grant is $10,000, though its largest grant was $1,000,000, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
- Repeat giving is strong: in the latest filing, 77% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings.
- Its recipients are varied, including schools, a YMCA, zoos and museums, a children's hospital and churches, with general and unrestricted support the most common purpose.
- No geographic focus is stated; the grants in the filing are mainly in Texas, Indiana, Massachusetts and Ohio, but that describes past giving and does not limit who may be invited.
Overview
The Schmetterling Foundation is a US private foundation based in Wilmington, DE.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The filings’ grant record shows support for a varied mix of organisations rather than a stated thematic programme. Recipients include educational institutions and schools, a YMCA, zoos and museums, a children’s hospital, churches and community organisations. Other grants went to public-media, sporting and social-service organisations. General and unrestricted support is the most frequent recorded purpose, alongside grants for education programmes, capital projects, animal exhibits and community activities. The filings do not state a general funding field or geographic eligibility; the grant record shows recipients in multiple states.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Texas, Indiana, Massachusetts and Ohio.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 77% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 105 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 7%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 25% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 77% of grant dollars went to organisations The Schmetterling Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 23 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Young Mens Christian Association · Four Points YMCA Tomorrow Academy$750,0002025 tax year
- Calumet College · Capital campaign$500,0002025 tax year
- Childrens Hospital Medical Center · for the outdoor space$500,0002025 tax year
- Make-A-Wish Foundation of America · The Olivia Colleen Starblazer Award$200,0002025 tax year
- Chicago Zoological Society · General & Unrestricted$50,0002025 tax year
- Indianapolis Zoological Society · Entrance enhancement project$50,0002025 tax year
- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology · General & Unrestricted$50,0002025 tax year
- Ibca Indiana All Stars Inc · General & Unrestricted$40,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Katrina Swartz — Vice President
- Nissa Clark — Vice President
- Nicholaus Clark — Vice President
- James A Clark — Dir, Sec, Co- Pres
- Colleen Clark — Co- Pres, Dir
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $1,789,757 | $1,400,000 | $41,392,917 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,755,079 | $2,208,000 | $48,848,073 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $2,939,682 | $2,330,000 | $53,018,268 | Filing for 2025 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Schmetterling Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Wilmington, DE
Applying to The Schmetterling Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Wilmington, DE