The Fern Odessa Charitable Trust
The site for Fern Odessa Foundation presents the organization’s mission and supported causes (mental health, trauma recovery, housing, anti-trafficking) and appears to represent the same private foundation operating from the Kansas City area. Public 990-PF filings for THE FERN ODESSA CHARITABLE TRUST (EIN 86-3883161) show substantial recent grantmaking and match the foundation’s leadership and address information. The website uses the Foundation name rather than the exact legal trust name but is consistent in purpose and branding.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Mid‑sized charities working in mental health, trauma recovery, housing, or anti‑trafficking with programs at scale or strong relationships into curated grant networks.
Good Fit
- • Work explicitly aligned with mental health, trauma recovery, affordable housing, or anti‑trafficking.
- • Organizational scale or project scope that justifies six‑ or seven‑figure awards.
- • Established relationships or referrals into the foundation’s network or prior contact with leadership.
- • Geographic presence or program impact beyond a single city (multi‑state reach is visible in the portfolio).
Geography
Observed grants span five states in 2024 and the foundation has funded recipients in multiple other states in prior years, showing a multi‑state footprint despite being based in Kansas.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows six distinct recipients and prior years show six to seven recipients, indicating a moderate spread of independent grantees; however, dollars are financially concentrated in one very large award and the top five recipients together account for nearly all giving.
New Applicants
Direct evidence shows new organizations were funded in 2023 and several new recipients appeared in 2024, but the foundation’s public materials state it funds only preselected applicants and no open submission path is provided, so unsolicited applicants are unlikely to gain entry without outreach or referral.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
