Cooper Foundation
The Cooper Foundation is a private foundation based in Lincoln, Nebraska, founded in 1934 by Joseph H. Cooper, owner of the Cooper Theatres chain of movie theatres. The foundation supports the operations and core programs of strong, well-managed, and effective nonprofit organizations located in and working in Nebraska.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$698K
+6.0% YoY
Grant Count
54
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
+6.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Cooper Foundation supports strong, sustainable organizations and innovative ideas of significant promise. The foundation funds programs and operations in the following areas:
- Arts
- Civic and community engagement
- Education
- Environment
- Human services
- Humanities
Grantmaking
The foundation accepts applications for:
Review Cycle
per year.
Grant Types
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Cooper Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The highest priority is for organizations based in and serving Lincoln and Lancaster County, Nebraska. Requests from outside this area must serve a regional or statewide area and meet the foundation's funding priorities.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $27,569,201
- Total Annual Giving: $698,157
- Annual Revenue: $10,275,676
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Cooper Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Victoria Grasso — President
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| E ARTHUR THOMPSON | CHAIR | 2 | $17,677 |
| KIM ROBAK | TRUSTEE | 2 | $1,600 |
| BRAD KORELL | TREASURER | 2 | $1,700 |
| JACK D CAMPBELL | TRUSTEE | 2 | $1,550 |
| CONNIE DUNCAN | VICE CHAIR | 2 | $1,700 |
| TYRE J MCDOWELL | TRUSTEE | 2 | $1,600 |
| MICHELLE SUAREZ | TRUSTEE | 2 | $1,650 |
| RICHARD J VIERK | TRUSTEE | 2 | $1,750 |
| VICTORIA GRASSO | PRESIDENT | 40 | $138,712 |
| JASMINE KINGSLEY | TRUSTEE | 2 | $1,650 |
Contact Information
Address: 1248 O Street, Suite 870, Lincoln, NE 68508-1486
Phone: 402-476-7571
Website: www.cooperfoundation.org
Email: info@cooperfoundation.org
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Bryan Hospital Kearney
KEARNEY, NE
Assets
$384.9M
Grants
2
Total Given
$11K
Johnson Student Scholarship & Loan
ORD, NE
Assets
—
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center
LINCOLN, NE
Assets
$483.9M
Grants
6
Total Given
$546K
John K & Lynne D Boyer Foundation
OMAHA, NE
Assets
—
Grants
45
Total Given
$1.2M
Fraternal Ord of Eagles Aerie 592
HASTINGS, NE
Assets
$134K
Grants
1
Total Given
$8K
Edgar & Frances Reynolds
GRAND ISLAND, NE
Assets
—
Grants
33
Total Given
$230K
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Cooper Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities