John Deere Foundation

John Deere Foundation

The John Deere Foundation was created in 1948 as the grant-making vehicle for Deere & Company, the agricultural and construction equipment manufacturer founded in 1837. John Deere originated the underlying industrial fortune through invention of the steel plow. The foundation operates separately from the parent corporation while sharing headquarters in Moline, Illinois. Grant activity centers on education, community improvement, and food security programs. Confirmed 2023 distributions included support for One Acre Fund and The Nature Conservancy. The foundation also holds public equities such as Apple, Qualcomm, Walmart, Target, Amgen, and Gilead Sciences as reported on Form 990-PF filings. Geographic reach spans the United States, Canada, and select international markets aligned with Deere operations. A separate Canadian entity addresses local community needs. The foundation participates in the Advantage Capital Empower the Change Fund as a limited partner. It maintains an art collection of roughly 1,400 works housed at the Figge Art Museum and supports the John Deere Historic Site in Grand Detour, Illinois. Taryn Edgin assumes the presidency in May 2025. The organization belongs to The Civic 50 and maintains a long-term partnership with United Way Quad Cities. Governance ties the foundation directly to Deere & Company leadership, with John C. May serving as chairman of the parent board. This structure channels corporate resources into sustained philanthropic deployment without independent endowment disclosure.