Kentucky · Grantmakers

Foundations That Fund Recreation & Sports in Kentucky

Imperigo has identified 142 funders that made 805 grants totaling $111.1M to 133 recreation & sports organizations in Kentucky, with a median grant of $16K. Every figure below is drawn from IRS Form 990 filings through 2025.

Recreation & Sports Funding in Kentucky

Total granted $111.1M
Funders 142
Grants 805
Organizations funded 133

Top Funders — page 1 of 4

1. The Community Foundation of Louisville Depository Inc
42 grants to 13 organizations · largest $2.5M · through 2024 · 9.8% of their giving
$10.2M
2. The Community Foundation of Louisville Inc
47 grants to 15 organizations · largest $10.0M · through 2024 · 4.7% of their giving
$15.5M
3. National Park Concessions Inc
2 grants to 1 organization · largest $2.4M · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$3.0M
4. The Gibbs Foundation Inc
4 grants to 1 organization · largest $2.0M · through 2023 · 32.1% of their giving
$2.6M
5. Blue Grass Community Foundation Inc
30 grants to 10 organizations · largest $1.5M · through 2024 · 3.2% of their giving
$3.2M
6. Metro United Way Inc
17 grants to 3 organizations · largest $308K · through 2024 · 3.2% of their giving
$1.1M
7. The Community Foundation of Louisville Corporate Depository Inc
33 grants to 14 organizations · largest $750K · through 2024 · 2.3% of their giving
$1.4M
8. Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence Inc
4 grants to 2 organizations · largest $500K · through 2023 · 1.8% of their giving
$1.2M
9. Franklin-Simpson Baseball Boosters Inc
1 grant to 1 organization · largest $90K · through 2019 · 100.0% of their giving
$90K
10. Addie and Baylor Kirchgessner Foundation Inc
4 grants to 1 organization · largest $25K · through 2025 · 22.8% of their giving
$75K
11. Kentucky High School Coaches Charity Association
4 grants to 1 organization · largest $30K · through 2023 · 100.0% of their giving
$71K
12. Thoroughbred Charities of America Inc
14 grants to 2 organizations · largest $30K · through 2025 · 3.5% of their giving
$201K
13. Little League Baseball Inc
1 grant to 1 organization · largest $29K · through 2019 · 100.0% of their giving
$29K
14. Purebred Arabian Trust
1 grant to 1 organization · largest $25K · through 2023 · 25.0% of their giving
$25K
15. The Whas Crusade for Children Inc
16 grants to 5 organizations · largest $50K · through 2024
$304K
16. Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Inc
1 grant to 1 organization · largest $500K · through 2024
$500K
17. Mayfield Graves County Tornado Relief Fund Inc
2 grants to 1 organization · largest $39K · through 2025 · 3.6% of their giving
$64K
18. Ipa Foundation
6 grants to 1 organization · largest $21K · through 2024 · 2.1% of their giving
$75K
19. The Justin Thomas Foundation Inc C/O Helfer and Company LLC
5 grants to 2 organizations · largest $9K · through 2024 · 4.4% of their giving
$33K
20. Cabelas Outdoor Fund
1 grant to 1 organization · largest $50K · through 2019 · 2.7% of their giving
$50K
21. East Kentucky Power Cooperative Inc
1 grant to 1 organization · largest $20K · through 2019 · 6.2% of their giving
$20K
22. Kentucky Elk and Outdoor Fest Ltd
3 grants to 2 organizations · largest $8K · through 2024 · 5.3% of their giving
$21K
23. Shirley's Way Inc
3 grants to 2 organizations · largest $17K · through 2024 · 1.7% of their giving
$33K
24. Kosair Charities Committee Inc
7 grants to 5 organizations · largest $53K · through 2024
$220K
25. Danceusa
1 grant to 1 organization · largest $24K · through 2022 · 2.0% of their giving
$24K

Funders are ordered by how much of their overall giving goes to recreation & sports work in Kentucky, not by dollar totals alone — a foundation that concentrates its giving here is usually a better prospect than a larger one for which this is a rounding error. 12 of the funders counted here are donor-advised fund sponsors, which grant on behalf of individual donors and accept no applications; they are marked and ranked last.

Other Causes Funded in Kentucky

About This Data

A grant appears here when a funder reported it on its IRS Form 990 and the recipient organization is classified under the NTEE group covering recreation & sports work, with an address in Kentucky. Grants are counted from the 2025 filing year backward.

Some 990 grant schedules list a recipient by name and address without an EIN, and those grants cannot be matched to a classification — so the totals above represent identifiable recreation & sports funding in Kentucky, not every dollar that reached the sector. Figures are a floor, not a ceiling.

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