Robert W. Plaster Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 43-1369856 · since 1985robertwplasterfoundation.org·United States·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$3.8M
Annual giving, 2023 tax year
From the Form 990-PF filing
$20,000 to $570k
Grant range
From grants in the 990-PF filings
$234k
Typical grant (median)
14 grants in the latest filing
Open to applications
Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

  • The foundation's stated priority is naming gifts for free enterprise centres and schools of business in the Midwest, Heartland and Southern regions, and it usually funds educational institutions, so a project in education or a capital campaign of that kind is the best fit; organisations outside education may also apply where the project matches its mission and the founder's legacy.
  • Most of its grants fall between $20,000 and $570,000, about 8 in 10 of its 29 grants to organisations, but the largest was $1,800,000 and the median was $250,000, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling, and a modest, well-costed request is a sensible starting point.
  • Organisations should create a Temelio account and complete the Grant Interest Form, then submit a Letter of Inquiry if invited, with a Request for Proposal following a merited Letter of Inquiry; applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and a campus site visit may be made at any point.
  • The filing shows that 75% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in the previous filing, so a first approach from a new organisation should expect a competitive field and be prepared for a relationship-led process.
  • Do not apply for endowments, operating budgets or scholarships, which it does not fund.

Overview

Robert W. Plaster Foundation is a US private foundation based in Lebanon, MO.

What they fund

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

Priority Areas

The foundation seeks to expand educational access and promote the virtues of the American free enterprise system through named capital projects. It prioritises naming gifts for free enterprise centres and schools of business at colleges and universities, located primarily in the Midwest, Heartland and Southern regions of the United States. Its funding categories also include buildings reflecting the founder's philosophy, with a strong conservative commitment to Americanism and free enterprise. It usually supports educational institutions and prefers projects with a business and free enterprise focus; organisations outside education may also apply where a project aligns with its mission and the founder's legacy. A limited number of small grants support initiatives consistent with that philosophy in conservative and Christian contexts.

Themes

  • Educational access
  • Free enterprise
  • Capital projects
  • Business education
  • Conservative and Christian causes

Geographic Focus

Priority: Midwest; Heartland; Southern regions.

What They Don't Fund

  • Endowments
  • Operating budgets
  • Scholarships

How to apply

Organisations should create a Temelio account and complete the Grant Interest Form. Those meeting the criteria for further consideration are asked to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI); a merited LOI is followed by a Request for Proposal.

Application success factors

  • Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 75% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
  • Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 29 grants to organisations were $250,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

  • The foundation prioritises naming gifts for free enterprise centres and schools of business at colleges and universities, primarily in the Midwest, Heartland and Southern regions.
  • It prioritises buildings reflecting a strong conservative commitment to Americanism and free enterprise in the name of Robert W. Plaster.
  • A campus site visit may be conducted at any point during the application process.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.

Grant dollars by state

Missouri32%
Ohio25%
Wisconsin10%
Kentucky8%
Iowa7%
Michigan6%

4 other states: 12%

  • The largest single recipient received 25% of grant dollars to organisations.
  • In tax year 2023, 75% of grant dollars went to organisations Robert W. Plaster Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
  • No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.

Grants

14 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $234k

How much do they typically give?

Share of 14 grants in tax year 2023 by size

$10k–$25k21%
$25k–$50k14%
$50k–$100k7%
$100k–$250k7%
$250k–$500k43%
$500k–$1M0%
$1M and over7%

Median $234k (tax year 2023)

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

  • Cedarville University · General Contribution
    $1,800,0002023 tax year
  • Park University RWP Free Enterprise Center · General Contribution
    $312,0002023 tax year
  • Concordia University Wisconsin · General Contribution
    $292,0002023 tax year
  • Thomas More University · General Contribution
    $267,0002023 tax year
  • College of Eastern Idaho Foundation · General Contribution
    $250,0002023 tax year
  • Southwest Baptist University · General Contribution
    $250,0002023 tax year
  • Prager University Foundation · General Contribution
    $250,0002023 tax year
  • North Greenville University · General Contribution
    $218,6452023 tax year

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

Officers and directors

  • Larry Weis — Vice President / Director
  • Stephen R Plaster — Director
  • Peter Desilva — Director
  • Michael Sears — Secretary
  • Nicholas Weis — Treasurer
  • Dolly Clement — President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

2 years of tax filings

YearTotal expensesGrants paidAssetsFiling document
2022 tax year$5,461,233$4,668,645$84,919,088Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year$4,606,917$3,799,645$95,860,575Filing for 2023 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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