About Samerian Foundation
The Samerian Foundation concentrates very large, unrestricted gifts to two institutional priorities: major higher-education support in Indiana and national Holocaust remembrance and education. Its giving is highly targeted and institutional (general fund donations rather than project-specific grants), indicating a preference for core support to stable, established organizations.
Focus Areas
General operating support for Indiana University (campus-wide priorities/endowment)Funding for Holocaust remembrance, museum operations, and public education (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum)Major institutional philanthropy rather than small or program-specific grants
Who They Fund
children and youth (including students and program participants)low-income families and food-insecure householdspeople experiencing homelessness / residents of transitional housingcancer patients and their familiesreligious / Jewish community organizations
About Samerian Foundation
SAMERIAN FOUNDATION INC is based in Carmel, Indiana, and reported $14,649,397 in annual grants with $69,293,425 in total assets on its latest 990 for 2025. Its grantmaking is concentrated in Indiana and is primarily institutional, with large general fund gifts and scholarship support. The foundation’s recurring priorities include higher education through Indiana University, Holocaust remembrance and education, and selected community and health-related institutions in central Indiana. Recent grants show this pattern clearly: $2,000,000 to INDIANA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION (BLOOMINGTON, IN) for general fund support in 2023, 2024, and 2025; $1,000,000 to UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM (WASHINGTON, DC) for general fund support in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and $356,264 to RILEY CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION (INDIANAPOLIS, IN) in 2023 and 2024, followed by $250,000 in 2025. Other sizable awards include $312,500 to HUMANE SOCIETY OF HAMILTON COUNTY (NOBLESVILLE, IN) and $200,000 to HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST (NEW YORK, NY). The foundation also supports named scholarship programs for Indiana high school seniors attending Indiana University, including scholarships tied to business, media studies, technology, and global studies. Overall, the record points to targeted, mostly unrestricted support for established institutions, with repeated gifts to a small set of grantees.
What Samerian Foundation Funds
Recent grantmaking spans higher education, Holocaust remembrance and human rights programming, and health and community support. Notable grants include $2,000,000 to INDIANA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION (BLOOMINGTON, IN) for general fund support, $1,000,000 to UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM (WASHINGTON, DC) for general fund support, and $200,000 to HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST (NEW YORK, NY) for human rights support. The foundation also gave $140,000 to INDIANA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION (INDIANAPOLIS, IN) for Simon Cancer Center support, $356,264 and $250,000 to RILEY CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION (INDIANAPOLIS, IN), and $250,000 to CENTRAL INDIANA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (INDIANAPOLIS, IN) for the Housing Recovery Fund. Recent grant purposes also include the Jewish Fellowship at Indiana University and the Jewish Studies Program at IU.
How Samerian Foundation Gives
SAMERIAN FOUNDATION INC typically makes grants in a modest-to-large range, with reported grant size percentiles of $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grant list also shows several much larger institutional gifts, including $2,000,000 and $1,000,000 awards. Its active programs indicate that it funds both competitive scholarships and a general grant program. The general grant program supports charitable organizations, primarily in Central Indiana, and accepts unsolicited applications. The foundation’s recent record suggests a preference for established organizations, scholarships for Indiana students, and unrestricted or general fund support.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$4.9M
Total Assets
$69.3M
Total Revenue
$8.2M
Total Expenses
$5.6M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $5K and $30K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$30K
Geographic Reach
Local9 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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