Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc
The Charles E. Lakin Foundation Inc. is a private family foundation based in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Founded in 1983 by Charles E. Lakin and restructured in 2016 following his death, the foundation operates with a mission to support communities through philanthropic grantmaking. The foundation is governed by a six-member Board of Directors composed of four family members and two local community champions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$134.9M
-11.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$26.6M
+143.5% YoY
Grant Count
73
-9.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$365K
+170.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $9.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to fund programs and organizations that help people in need overcome adversity, restore dignity, and ultimately transform their lives. Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Human Services
- Community Development
- Housing
- Childcare
- Community Resilience
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with two grant cycles annually.
Grant Range
$500 to $1,700,000
Review Cycle
annually.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's primary geographic focus areas include:
- Southwest Iowa: Pottawattamie, Cass, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont, and Page counties
- Greater Omaha area: Douglas and Sarpy counties, Nebraska
- Secondary funding in California and Texas
The foundation has a particular emphasis on rural communities experiencing population and economic decline in southwest Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $134,912,171 (2024)
- Total giving: $26,638,028 (2024)
- Total revenues: $14,481,125 (2024)
- Total expenses: $32,170,985 (2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $134,912,171 | $152,016,678 | $183,884,039 |
| Revenue | $14,481,125 | $18,538,112 | $14,726,348 |
| Expenses | $32,170,985 | $16,992,983 | $12,658,139 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $27,657,550 | $11,919,800 | $8,937,998 |
| Net Investment Income | $11,901,260 | $15,529,999 | $5,601,198 |
| Distributable Amount | $9,836,910 | $9,005,931 | $8,535,051 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Community Foundation for Western Iowa ($10,677,226), Charles E Lakin Human Service Campus Foundation ($6,014,500), Avenue Scholars Foundation ($1,922,403).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 100 BLACK MEN OF OMAHA INC OMAHA, NE | CONTRIBUTION FOR GENERAL PURPOSES | $75,000 |
| 4-H CLUBS & AFFILIATED 4-H ORGANIZATIONS MALVERN, IA | CONTRIBUTION FOR GENERAL PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| ADVANCE SOUTHWEST IOWA - KITCHEN COUNCIL COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA | CONTRIBUTION FOR GENERAL PURPOSES | $25,000 |
| AFRICAN AMERICAN EMPOWERMENT NETWORK INC OMAHA, NE | CONTRIBUTION FOR GENERAL PURPOSES | $536,144 |
| AMERICAN LEGION POST 0575 EMERSON, IA | CONTRIBUTION FOR GENERAL PURPOSES | $3,500 |
| APPLIED INFORMATION MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE OMAHA, NE | CONTRIBUTION FOR GENERAL PURPOSES | $100,000 |
| ASSURE WOMENS CENTER OMAHA, NE | CONTRIBUTION FOR GENERAL PURPOSES | $500 |
| AVENUE SCHOLARS FOUNDATION OMAHA, NE | CONTRIBUTION FOR GENERAL PURPOSES | $1,922,403 |
| BAGS OF FUN ELKHORN, NE | CONTRIBUTION FOR GENERAL PURPOSES | $43,000 |
| BETHESDA URBAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION INC OMAHA, NE | CONTRIBUTION FOR GENERAL PURPOSES | $266,590 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Charles E. Lakin III — Director and Manager
- Stephen Wild — President
- John L. Hoich — Director and Vice President
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHARLES E LAKIN III | DIRECTOR/MANAGER | 18 | $212,628 |
| DEBORAH L JOHNSON | DIRECTOR THRU AUGUST | 18 | $114,605 |
| STEPHEN WILD | DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT | 40 | $416,453 |
| JOHN L HOICH | DIRECTOR/VICE PRESIDENT | 40 | $416,453 |
| ROBYN RITSCH | DIRECTOR | 1 | $66,185 |
| CLIFF ROBERTS | DIRECTOR | 1 | $66,185 |
| TINA GARLAND | TREASURER | 8 | $58,644 |
| JENNIFER GREEN | SECRETARY | 8 | $132,757 |
| DAVID GORGANI | DIRECTOR AS OF SEPTEMBER | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In October 2024, the Charles E. Lakin Foundation announced a landmark $165 million initiative to revitalize southwest Iowa. The funding, directed through the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, targets 51 small towns across six counties in southwest Iowa. The initiative addresses a significant regional challenge: since 1900, southwest Iowa's population has declined by 17 percent, while neighboring east central Nebraska's population has grown by 380 percent. The foundation's analysis found that the peak population in southwest Iowa occurred in 1930, with a subsequent decline of 26,000 people (12.5 percent) between 1930 and 2000.
Charles E. Lakin Foundation Gives $165 Million for Community Revitalization\The revitalization initiative prioritizes investments in housing, childcare, education, and community development to reverse population and economic decline in rural communities facing what foundation leadership describes as "a stark reality of depopulation, economic stagnation and the looming threat of extinction."
Charles E. Lakin Foundation Gives $165 Million for Community Revitalization\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's mission is to fund programs and organizations that help people in need overcome adversity, restore dignity, and ultimately transform their lives. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Human Services • Community Development • Housing • Childcare • Community Resilience
How do I apply for a grant from Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $500 to $1,700,000 • Median grant size: $25,000 • Typical annual grants: Approximately 81 grants • Annual giving: $10.9 million (typical year); $27.7 million in 2024 with major initiative **Application Process:** The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with two grant cycles annually. **Recent Grant Activity:** From 1995 to 2022, the foundation awarded $70 million across 130 grants to 71 nonprofit organizations. In 2024, the foundation made a…
Where does Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation's primary geographic focus areas include: • **Southwest Iowa:** Pottawattamie, Cass, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont, and Page counties • **Greater Omaha area:** Douglas and Sarpy counties, Nebraska • Secondary funding in California and Texas The foundation has a particular emphasis on rural communities experiencing population and economic decline in southwest Iowa.
What size grants does Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc awarded 73 grants totaling $26.6M — an average of about $365K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $9.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc's EIN?
Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0751233. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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