Olive B. Cole Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 35-6040491 · since 1958obcole.org·DeKalb County, LaGrange County, Noble County, Steuben County·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$1.3M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$2,500 to $50,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$10,000

Typical grant (median)

62 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

The Foundation's stated interests include economic development, job creation, education, youth development and parks, conservation and recreation, and it prioritises job creation and economic development, so a project that serves residents of DeKalb, LaGrange, Noble or Steuben counties and fits those areas is the best match, with the Foundation favouring innovative projects that are broadly supported, contribute to their own funding and have a plan to become self-sustaining.
Typical grants fall between $2,500 and $50,000, with a median of $13,000 across its 144 grants to organisations and a largest grant of $150,000, so a modest request in that range fits its usual giving.
Start with a preliminary proposal letter, since only an approved letter leads to a link to the full application, which the Foundation considers quarterly; call if you have not heard back within two weeks.
Because 63% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had funded in earlier filings, a first request is best treated as the start of a longer relationship.
Do not apply if your organisation is not a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organisation qualifying as a 509(a) public charity, or if you are seeking loans or cash grants to private individuals, funds for legislation or elections, endowment support, national funding campaigns, or funding for a local government or K-12 public school.

Overview

Olive B. Cole Foundation is a US private foundation based in Fort Wayne, IN.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Foundation aims to improve quality of life for Northeast Indiana residents, with special emphasis on Noble, DeKalb, LaGrange and Steuben counties. It primarily funds organisations serving residents of those four counties, but considers organisations based outside them when they serve those residents. Its stated interests include economic development, job creation and entrepreneurism, talent retention, education, youth development, parks, conservation and public recreation, and art and culture presentations. It prioritises job creation and economic development. Applicants must be organisations tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) and qualify as 509(a) public charities. It favours innovative, broadly supported projects that contribute to their own funding and have a plan to become self-sustaining if ongoing.

Themes

Economic development
Job creation and entrepreneurism
Talent retention
Education
Youth development
Parks, conservation and recreation
Art and culture presentations

Geographic Focus

DeKalb; LaGrange; Noble; Steuben.

What They Don't Fund

Grants to or for the influencing of legislation or elections
Loans or cash grants to private individuals
Individuals with personal or business-related finances
Normally, grants to religious organizations
Normally, grants to endowments
Normally, grants to national fund drives
Local governments or K-12 public schools
Religious organizations, except for the efforts to support the broader community
National funding campaigns
Endowments

How to apply

Organisations submit a preliminary proposal letter first; if it is approved, the Foundation sends a link to the full application. It confirms receipt, asks applicants to call if they have not heard back within two weeks, and may seek further information. Applications are considered quarterly.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 63% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 144 grants to organisations were $13,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The Foundation has strategically prioritised economic development and job creation.
The project should offer an innovative approach to a community challenge or problem.
The grantee should contribute substantially through other fundraising and/or sweat equity.
For ongoing projects, the grantee should have a long-term plan to be self-sustaining.
The project should be broadly supported by local investors or foundations, or Cole can help build a coalition.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Indiana99%

Michigan<1%

The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 63% of grant dollars went to organisations Olive B. Cole 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

62 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $10,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 62 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k2%

$1k–$2.5k6%

$2.5k–$5k10%

$5k–$10k26%

$10k–$25k32%

$25k–$50k16%

$50k–$100k6%

$100k–$250k2%

Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Impact Institute · Machine and welding programs
$100,0002024 tax year
Trine University · Best Hall Renovations
$70,0002024 tax year
Questa Education Foundation · County scholars
$60,5002024 tax year
St Martins Healthcare Inc · Mobile Unit
$55,0002024 tax year
Cameron Hospital Foundation · New education center
$50,0002024 tax year
Nature Conservancy · Salary support for stewardship position
$37,5002024 tax year
Ivy Tech Foundation · Scholarships
$34,4182024 tax year
Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana · Programming
$33,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Larry Clemens — Director
Michael Barranda — Director
J Tracy Tipton — Director
John Riemke — Director
Jack Hunter — Director
Kristi Parker Celico — Secretary / Treasurer
Gwen Tipton — Scholarship Director
Emily Pichon — President
Maclyn T Parker — Chairman

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$1,977,582	$1,487,770	$31,676,878	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$1,735,779	$1,246,795	$35,848,951	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$1,747,061	$1,260,301	$36,156,113	Filing for 2024 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.