Donald and Lorena Meier Fdn
The Donald and Lorena Meier Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation founded in 1971. The foundation was established by Donald "Don" Meier, a renowned television producer and director, and his wife Lorena "Lorie" Meier. The foundation carries forward their legacy of philanthropy and advocacy, supporting organizations and programs that create positive impact across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.9M
-3.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$490K
-6.5% YoY
Grant Count
8
-20.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$61K
+16.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Donald and Lorena Meier Fdn reported a distributable amount of $516K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports funding of organizations and programs that focus on:
- Education
- Animal and wildlife preservation
- Conservation
- Other charitable initiatives that seek to make a positive impact
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Pennington, New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Recent giving data indicates the foundation distributed $524,176 in grants.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,908,298 | $10,255,683 | $10,769,228 |
| Revenue | $-146,629 | $425,902 | $-174,225 |
| Expenses | $549,975 | $580,630 | $615,332 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $509,895 | $545,368 | $581,645 |
| Net Investment Income | $251,055 | $393,877 | $211,390 |
| Distributable Amount | $516,109 | $478,645 | $476,461 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
34 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include University of Nebraska Foundation ($305,611), Colorado State University Foundation ($80,000), Kearney Area Community Foundation ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ROYALSTON ROYALSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $20,000 |
| COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FORT COLLINS, CO | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $80,000 |
| HAVE DREAMS PARK RIDGE, IL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $14,291 |
| MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY MILWAUKEE, WI | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $15,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION LINCOLN, NE | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $305,611 |
| KEARNEY AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION KEARNEY, NE | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $25,000 |
| MISSION COMPASSION PAW INC CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $15,000 |
| LITTLE HEROES LEAGUE CHICAGO, IL | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANTHONY MADONIA | PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 3 | — |
| GENE HENRY KOEPKE | VICE PRESIDENT & TREASURER | 1 | — |
| ROBERT J BENNETT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STEPHEN C HOMAN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| BENJAMIN G HIRSCHFELD | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| DAVID SHOUB | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Meier Foundation announced a multimillion-dollar gift to support scholarships within the University of Nebraska system, demonstrating continued commitment to education funding.
Donor Spotlight: the Donald and Lorena Meier Foundation | Audubon GreatFrequently Asked Questions
What does Donald and Lorena Meier Fdn fund?
The foundation supports funding of organizations and programs that focus on: • Education • Animal and wildlife preservation • Conservation • Other charitable initiatives that seek to make a positive impact
Where does Donald and Lorena Meier Fdn make grants?
The foundation is based in Pennington, New Jersey.
What size grants does Donald and Lorena Meier Fdn award?
In 2025, Donald and Lorena Meier Fdn awarded 8 grants totaling $490K — an average of about $61K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Donald and Lorena Meier Fdn required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Donald and Lorena Meier Fdn reported a distributable amount of $516K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Donald and Lorena Meier Fdn's EIN?
Donald and Lorena Meier Fdn's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2946730. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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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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