Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation
The Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation is a private foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska. Its 2024 filing reports 16 grants totaling $1,591,000 to organizations in several states, including organizations involved in equine activities, therapeutic outdoor education, medical needs, food access, and environmental education.
Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation at a glance
In short: Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation gave $1.6M across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $99K), mostly in Colorado. 13% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,591,000
- -3.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $99,438
- -3.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $22,113,135
- +23.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (2 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (66% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing names Frederick S. Bucholz as the contact. It specifies no application form or materials, and lists no award restrictions.
- Contact
Application contact: Frederick S Bucholz
Mailing address: 4935 Battlefield Drive, Omaha, NE 68152
Phone: (402) 453-7500
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Colorado State Univ Foundation ($800K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
78 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 78 (72%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. Colorado accounted for 66% of grant dollars, Wyoming 17%, Nebraska 6%, Illinois 3%, and Texas 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 16 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $113K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 88% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 88% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2020) to $1.8M (2022). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado State Univ Foundation Fort Collins, CO | Equine Outreach & Industry Relations | $800,000 |
| Corbett Medical Foundation Saratoga, WY | General Operating Fund | $275,000 |
| Breckenridge Outdoor Education Breckenridge, CO | General Operating - Therapeutic | $250,000 |
| Food Bank for the Heartland Omaha, NE | Unrestricted -General Operating Prog | $51,000 |
| National Snaffle Bit Foundation Gurnee, IL | General Fund | $40,000 |
| Omaha Equistrian Foundation Omaha, NE | Unrestricted -General Operating Fund | $25,000 |
| Palomino Horse Breeders Tulsa, OK | Unrestricted -General Operating Fund | $25,000 |
| Ranching Heritage Association Lubbock, TX | General Operating | $25,000 |
| Reef Environmental Education Key Largo, FL | General Fund | $25,000 |
| American Quarter Hourse Foundation Amarillo, TX | Unrestricted -General Operating Prog | $20,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $22,113,135 | $6,365,504 | $1,902,354 | $1,591,000 | 16 | $1,611,000 | $6,030,151 | $1,832,071 |
| 2023 | $17,868,615 | $2,088,290 | $1,896,670 | $1,650,000 | 16 | $1,670,000 | $1,822,394 | $1,618,803 |
| 2022 | $17,701,337 | $2,192,084 | $2,124,295 | $1,797,500 | 17 | $1,817,500 | $1,855,745 | $1,663,720 |
| 2021 | $17,717,345 | $5,226,174 | $1,832,157 | $1,532,500 | 14 | $1,552,500 | $4,928,919 | $1,836,732 |
| 2020 | $14,341,308 | $1,560,505 | $1,595,790 | $1,380,000 | 15 | — | $1,363,965 | $1,535,458 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for equine outreach and industry relations, therapeutic outdoor education, general operating costs, a fire department, and other purposes.
The grantees’ own mission statements illustrate the work of some organizations it supported: Corbett Medical Foundation says it responds to critical medical needs in its Wyoming service area; Food Bank for the Heartland says it works to eliminate hunger by ensuring access to healthy foods; REEF Environmental Education says it works to protect biodiversity and ocean life through citizen science, education, and partnerships; and Ranching Heritage Association says it preserves and interprets the history of ranching and the livestock industry.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $1,591,000. Awards ranged from $5,000 to $800,000, with a median grant of $25,000. The largest grants included $800,000 to Colorado State University Foundation for equine outreach and industry relations, $275,000 to Corbett Medical Foundation for its general operating fund, and $250,000 to Breckenridge Outdoor Education for therapeutic general operating support. Other reported grants included $51,000 to Food Bank for the Heartland and $40,000 to National Snaffle Bit Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Frederick S. Bucholz as president and director; Lawrence K. Sheehan as secretary; Jonathan P. Ehly as treasurer and director; and Lori S. Bucholz and Edward J. Fitzpatrick as directors.
Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation is led by Frederick S. Bucholz, President & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Frederick S. Bucholz
President & Director
President → President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edward J. Fitzpatrick
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lori S. Bucholz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan P. Ehly
Treasurer & Director
Treasurer → Treasurer & Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lawrence K. Sheehan
Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Michael Jones (2020) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation
How much does Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation give each year?
Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation gave $1.6M across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.6M across 16 grants.
What is Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation's typical grant size?
Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $99,438, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation give grants?
Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wyoming (17%) and Nebraska (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Omaha, NE (2 grants).
Does Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 94% of Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation's largest grantees?
Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Colorado State Univ Foundation ($800,000), Corbett Medical Foundation ($275,000) and Breckenridge Outdoor Education ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 83% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation?
Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation reported $22.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for equine outreach and industry relations, therapeutic outdoor education, general operating costs, a fire department, and other purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation?
The filing names Frederick S. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation's EIN?
Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-6024644. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/carl-and-caroline-swanson-foundation-morg_55ded2c59e7c4b6ca99b9c51b5e52790
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_476024644_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Carl \& Caroline Swanson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/carl-and-caroline-swanson-foundation-morg_55ded2c59e7c4b6ca99b9c51b5e52790},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Carl & Caroline Swanson Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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