Meredith Corporation Foundation
The Meredith Corporation Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) corporate foundation based in Des Moines, Iowa. Established in 1995, the foundation operates as a grantmaking organization with significant assets and a focus on supporting nonprofit organizations across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.2M
+301.2% YoY
Grant Count
22
+633.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$55K
-45.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports organizations involved in:
- Arts and Culture — including visual arts and performing arts
- Education — with emphasis on higher education and graduate/professional education
- Human Services — including family services and child welfare
- Philanthropy and Grantmaking
- Journalism and Communication Media — including news and public information
- Science and STEM Education
The foundation demonstrates particular commitment to serving children and youth, economically disadvantaged people, and people with disabilities.
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds projects across numerous U.S. states and cities, with company operations in:
Arizona, California (multiple locations including Phoenix, Culver City, Irvine, Oceanside, Orange, San Francisco, Torrance), Connecticut, Georgia (Atlanta, Decatur), Illinois, Iowa (Des Moines, Iowa City), Massachusetts (Northampton, Springfield), Michigan (Detroit, Saginaw, Troy), Minnesota, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, and additional states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Current Financial Position (FY 2025):
- Total Assets: $23,647,675
- Total Revenues: $1,597,161
- Total Expenses: $1,386,870
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Number of Employees: 0
Revenue Composition:
- Investment income and dividends: $523,272
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $1,055,112
The foundation maintains a strong financial position with no liabilities and generates revenue primarily through investment returns and asset sales.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
139 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Mell Meredith Frazier — Director
- Edwin T Meredith IV — President
- Stephen Lacy — Treasurer
- Cheri Cipperley — Foundation Manager
All key leaders serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MELL MEREDITH FRAZIER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| EDWIN T MEREDITH IV | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| STEPHEN LACY | TREASURER | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been active in recent grant cycles, awarding approximately $1.2–$1.5 million annually. Recent grant announcements include support for:
Meredith Foundation awards $1.4 million | Wood County MonitorDrake University's journalism building initiative (multi-million dollar commitment from Meredith foundations)
Meredith foundations give $3M for Drake journalism buildingChildServe's Forward Together Campaign ($150,000)
$150,000 to ChildServe\u2019s Forward Together CampaignScience Center of Iowa and Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden (ongoing general support)
The foundation continues to distribute grants across its focus areas with particular emphasis on education and human services organizations in Iowa and beyond.
Meredith Foundation awards almost $1.5 million in grants | Wood County MonitorRelated Funders
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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