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Edmonds Family Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$3.0M
Grant Range
$52K - $3.8M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,030,000
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not specified
  • Grant Range: $52,000 - $3,750,000
  • Geographic Focus: Indiana and Minnesota (primarily South Bend/Granger area)

Contact Details

Address: 52112 Iron Forge Ln, Granger, IN 46530

Note: The foundation does not provide public contact information and does not accept unsolicited funding requests.

Overview

Established in 2016, the Edmonds Family Foundation Inc. is a private independent foundation based in Granger, Indiana, with total assets of approximately $85.86 million as of 2024. Founded by Matthew and Sharon Edmonds, the foundation is connected to the Veldman family, who built Tire Rack into the largest online tire distributor in the United States. The foundation distributes approximately $3 million annually in grants, focusing primarily on education, healthcare, and religious institutions in Indiana and Minnesota. With a concentrated approach to philanthropy, the foundation makes selective large grants to preselected organizations rather than operating an open application process. Their most significant relationship is with the University of Notre Dame, which has received multi-million dollar grants. The foundation operates with minimal overhead, with all leadership serving without compensation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs. Instead, it makes discretionary contributions to preselected organizations.

Recent Grant Examples (2024):

  • University of Notre Dame: $3,750,000 (Educational support)
  • Catholic Relief Services: $400,000 (Charitable programs)
  • Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund: $250,000 (Donor-advised giving)
  • St. Adalbert's Church: $250,000 (Religious institution)
  • Potawatomi Zoological Society: $167,000 (Community organization)

Grant Characteristics:

  • Median grant size: $110,000
  • Total grants awarded in 2024: 11 grants
  • Total distribution: $3,030,000

Priority Areas

Based on their giving patterns, the foundation prioritizes:

  • Education: Particularly higher education institutions, with strong preference for University of Notre Dame
  • Healthcare: Mental health services and community health initiatives, especially in the South Bend area
  • Religious Organizations: Catholic churches and faith-based institutions
  • Community Services: Local cultural and charitable organizations in Indiana and Minnesota
  • Philanthropy Infrastructure: Support for donor-advised funds and grantmaking organizations

Geographic Focus

  • Primary: South Bend/Granger, Indiana area
  • Secondary: Minnesota (likely Rochester area)
  • Limited: Florida (occasional grants to organizations in Coconut Creek)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not publicly specify exclusions, but their giving pattern suggests they focus exclusively on:

  • Organizations with which the family has existing relationships
  • Catholic and faith-aligned institutions
  • Organizations in their geographic areas of interest

They do not fund projects or organizations outside these parameters.

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Matthew Edmonds - President

  • Member of the Veldman family, co-owner of Tire Rack
  • Leads the foundation's strategic direction
  • Serves without compensation

Sharon Edmonds - Treasurer

  • Co-founder with Matthew Edmonds
  • Member of the Veldman family
  • Oversees foundation finances
  • Serves without compensation

Caitlyn Haddenhorst - Secretary

  • Manages foundation administration
  • Serves without compensation

Family Background

The Edmonds family, along with the Joines and Veldman families, built and operated Tire Rack over more than 40 years, growing it from a two-bay Standard Oil service station in South Bend to become the largest online tire distributor in the United States. The family's philanthropic interests reflect their deep roots in the South Bend community and their commitment to education, particularly through their relationship with the University of Notre Dame. The families have collectively made major gifts to Notre Dame, including establishing the Wilma and Peter Veldman Family Psychology Clinic in honor of their parents, representing a significant expansion in mental health care services for the South Bend area.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The foundation explicitly states: "Only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grants are made at the discretion of the foundation's leadership to organizations with which they have pre-existing relationships. Organizations cannot apply for funding through any formal process.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made through trustee discretion on a rolling basis to preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications from new organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, there are no traditional "success factors" for grant applications. However, understanding their giving patterns reveals what motivates their philanthropy:

Relationship-Based Giving: The foundation supports organizations where the family has deep, personal connections. Their largest grants go to institutions where the family has historical ties, particularly the University of Notre Dame and Catholic institutions in the South Bend area.

Geographic Loyalty: The foundation demonstrates strong loyalty to the South Bend/Granger community where the family built their business. Organizations in this area, particularly those serving local needs, receive consistent support.

Significant Impact Focus: With a median grant of $110,000 and grants ranging up to $3.75 million, the foundation prefers to make substantial gifts that can drive meaningful impact rather than distributing many small grants.

Catholic Values: The foundation's support for Catholic Relief Services, St. Adalbert's Church, and Notre Dame (a Catholic university) indicates that Catholic values and institutions align with the family's philanthropic interests.

Education Priority: Higher education, particularly Notre Dame, represents the foundation's single largest funding priority, with multi-million dollar grants supporting educational initiatives.

Healthcare and Mental Health: The family's support for the Veldman Family Psychology Clinic at Notre Dame and other healthcare initiatives shows commitment to expanding mental health services in their community.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation cannot be applied to directly. It only supports preselected organizations with which the family has existing relationships.

  • Relationship-Driven: All funding flows from personal connections and long-standing relationships with the Edmonds family. Organizations without such connections will not receive funding.

  • Local Focus with Major Impact: The foundation makes large, concentrated grants primarily in the South Bend/Granger area, particularly to Notre Dame, rather than distributing many small grants widely.

  • Catholic Alignment Important: Support for Catholic institutions and faith-based organizations is central to the foundation's giving strategy.

  • Education is Top Priority: The University of Notre Dame receives the largest grants, indicating that higher education is the foundation's primary philanthropic interest.

  • Family Legacy Philanthropy: As a private family foundation established recently (2016) after the success of Tire Rack, the giving reflects the family's values, community roots, and desire to give back to the institutions that supported their success.

  • Alternative Strategy: Organizations seeking support would need to build relationships with the Edmonds family through community connections, shared board memberships, or introductions from trusted intermediaries, though success is unlikely without strong personal connections.

References

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