The Jean and Bernas Downing Charitable Trust concentrates its giving in Indiana, prioritizing large, place-based investments in land conservation and emergency food security while also seeding local community foundations across multiple counties. Grants include very large, transformational gifts to a few anchor nonprofits (land trust and food banks) alongside uniform $200,000 awards to county community foundations and occasional support for cultural/educational institutions like Conner Prairie.
A few gifts account for much of the Jean and Bernas Downing Charitable Trust’s recent activity, including a $5,000,000 grant to Central Indiana Land Trust and two $4,050,000 grants to Indiana food banks. Those awards point to a clear pattern: the trust uses large, place-based grants to support land conservation and emergency food distribution in Indiana. The recent record also shows repeated support for the same organizations over multiple years, not just one-time gifts. Beyond the largest awards, the trust has backed county community foundations across the state with matching $200,000 grants, alongside support for local civic and educational institutions such as Conner Prairie. The giving pattern is concentrated in Indiana and is built around a small set of anchor nonprofits, community foundation partners, and regional organizations tied to local residents and local places. The trust’s annual grantmaking is substantial, with $15,970,801 given in the latest year on file and total assets of $14,633,974.
Land conservation is one of the trust’s clearest priorities. In 2025, it gave $5,000,000 to Central Indiana Land Trust for charitable purposes, fitting its emphasis on protecting greenspace in Central Indiana. Food security is another major line of giving. The trust awarded $4,050,000 each to Midwest Food Bank and Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, both in Indianapolis, reflecting sustained support for emergency food distribution and hunger relief. It also invests in local philanthropic infrastructure. Several county community foundations received $200,000 grants, including Washington Co Community Foundation, Orange Co Community Foundation, Miami County Community Foundation, Wabash Valley Community Foundation, Johnson County Community Foundation, and Scott County Community Foundation. That pattern shows support for community-led grantmaking across Indiana. Cultural and educational institutions appear as a smaller but recurring category, including Conner Prairie, which received grants in 2024 and 2025.
Typical grant size is sizable: the p25 is $37,500, the median is $100,000, and the p75 is $200,000. The distribution shows a mix of very large anchor gifts and a cluster of standardized mid-sized awards, especially the $200,000 grants to county community foundations. Recurrence is present: Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Midwest Food Bank, Conner Prairie, Indiana Golf Foundation, and Shepherd Community Center each appear in multiple years. The trust does not fund individuals and is not using program-related investments. The recent grants record suggests a direct grantmaking approach rather than an open application process.
$16.9M
$0
$2.5M
$17.1M
Most grants fall between $38K and $200K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$38K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$200K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of anchor organizations combined with a pattern of equal-sized $200,000 grants to multiple county community foundations; a mix of repeat major gifts and distributed capacity-building awards within one state.
Notable grantees: Central Indiana Land Trust, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Midwest Food Bank, Conner Prairie, Johnson County Community Foundation
The trust gives locally, and Indiana dominates its recent record: 90% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, with all recent grants in the United States. Indianapolis appears frequently through Central Indiana Land Trust, Midwest Food Bank, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Shepherd Community Center, and College Mentors for Kids. Other Indiana cities include Fishers, Greenwood, Salem, Paoli, Peru, Terra Haute, Franklin, Scottsburg, Liberty, and Boonville. One out-of-state recipient appears in New York: Morgan Stanley Gift Inc.
Its recent grants center on land conservation and greenspace protection in Central Indiana, emergency food distribution and hunger relief, and support for county community foundations. It also funds regional cultural and educational institutions such as Conner Prairie and Indiana Golf Foundation.
The grant-size distribution is relatively high: p25 is $37,500, median grant size is $100,000, and p75 is $200,000. Recent grants include both large anchor gifts and repeat mid-sized awards.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Midwest Food Bank, Conner Prairie, Indiana Golf Foundation, and Shepherd Community Center. That indicates recurring support rather than only one-time gifts.
Indiana is the clear center of its grantmaking. The data shows 90% of grants go to recipients in Indiana, and the recent grants list is entirely U.S.-based.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONNER PRAIRIE | FISHERS, IN | $10,500,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $5,000,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CENTRAL INDIANA LAND TRUST | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $1,253,615 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| MIDWEST FOOD BANK | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| GLEANERS FOOD BANK OF INDIANA | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CENTRAL INDIANA LAND TRUST | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $5,000,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| MIDWEST FOOD BANK | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $4,050,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| GLEANERS FOOD BANK OF INDIANA | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $4,050,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CONNER PRAIRIE | FISHERS, IN | $275,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SHEPHERD COMMUNITY CENTER | INDIANAPOLS, IN | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| COLLEGE MENTORS FOR KIDS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $20,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CONNER PRAIRIE | FISHERS, IN | $250,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | FRANKLIN, IN | $200,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| WABASH VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | TERRA HAUTE, IN | $200,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| MORGAN STANLEY GIFT INC | NEW YORK, NY | $150,801 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| MIDWEST FOOD BANK | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| GLEANERS FOOD BANK OF INDIANA | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| INDIANA GOLF FOUNDATION | GREENWOOD, IN | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| SHEPHERD COMMUNITY CENTER | INDIANAPOLS, IN | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| MORGAN STANLEY GIFT INC | NEW YORK, NY | $525,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| WASHINGTON CO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | SALEM, IN | $200,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| SCOTT COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | SCOTTSBURG, IN | $200,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| ORANGE CO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | PAOLI, IN | $200,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| MIAMI COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | PERU, IN | $200,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| UNION COUNTY FOUNDATION | LIBERTY, IN | $100,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| GLEANERS FOOD BANK OF INDIANA | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $50,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| MIDWEST FOOD BANK | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $50,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| GEM MINISTRIES INC | BOONVILLE, IN | $25,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| INDIANA GOLF FOUNDATION | GREENWOOD, IN | $25,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| SHEPHERD COMMUNITY CENTER | INDIANAPOLS, IN | $25,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
CONNER PRAIRIE
$10,500,000CHARITABLE
PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$5,000,000CHARITABLE
CENTRAL INDIANA LAND TRUST
$1,253,615CHARITABLE
MIDWEST FOOD BANK
$50,000CHARITABLE
GLEANERS FOOD BANK OF INDIANA
$50,000CHARITABLE
CENTRAL INDIANA LAND TRUST
$5,000,000CHARITABLE
MIDWEST FOOD BANK
CHARITABLE
GLEANERS FOOD BANK OF INDIANA
$4,050,000CHARITABLE
CONNER PRAIRIE
$275,000CHARITABLE
SHEPHERD COMMUNITY CENTER
$25,000CHARITABLE
COLLEGE MENTORS FOR KIDS
$20,000CHARITABLE
CONNER PRAIRIE
$250,000CHARITABLE
JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$200,000CHARITABLE
WABASH VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$200,000CHARITABLE
MORGAN STANLEY GIFT INC
$150,801CHARITABLE
MIDWEST FOOD BANK
$50,000CHARITABLE
GLEANERS FOOD BANK OF INDIANA
$50,000CHARITABLE
INDIANA GOLF FOUNDATION
$25,000CHARITABLE
SHEPHERD COMMUNITY CENTER
$25,000CHARITABLE
MORGAN STANLEY GIFT INC
$525,000CHARITABLE
WASHINGTON CO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$200,000CHARITABLE
SCOTT COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$200,000CHARITABLE
ORANGE CO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$200,000CHARITABLE
MIAMI COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$200,000CHARITABLE
UNION COUNTY FOUNDATION
$100,000CHARITABLE
GLEANERS FOOD BANK OF INDIANA
$50,000CHARITABLE
MIDWEST FOOD BANK
$50,000CHARITABLE
GEM MINISTRIES INC
$25,000CHARITABLE
INDIANA GOLF FOUNDATION
$25,000CHARITABLE
SHEPHERD COMMUNITY CENTER
$25,000CHARITABLE