Filkins Family Foundation
Filkins Family Foundation is a private foundation, based in Omaha, NE. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $113.3M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 5 grants totaling $34.6M. Net investment income was $10K.
Filkins Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Filkins Family Foundation gave $34.6M across 5 grants in 2025 (avg $6.9M), mostly in Vermont. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $34,647,213
- +3.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 5
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,929,443
- -17.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,063,280
- Total assets
- $113,334,822
- -17.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Vermont (60% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Filkins Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Himalayan Cataract Project Inc DBA Cure Blindness Project ($20.7M). Together the top 5 received $34.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
26 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 17 grants of 26 (65%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 5 itemized grants.
Cities
How Filkins Family Foundation gives
- Giving grew 33113% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 392% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $78K (2021) to $34.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 5 grants totaling $34.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Himalayan Cataract Project Inc DBA Cure Blindness Project Norwich, VT | Surgeries & Equipment | $20,702,516 |
| Orbis New York, NY | Treatment & Prevention of Blindness | $12,790,068 |
| Nancy LF Davis Family Foundation Lincoln, NE | General Operations | $1,063,280 |
| Westside Foundation Omaha, NE | Cal Bentz Natatorium | $60,000 |
| Metropolitan Omaha Medical Society Omaha, NE | General Operations | $31,349 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $113,334,822 | $10,322 | $34,675,932 | $34,647,213 | 5 | $34,672,969 | $10,322 | $8,840,612 |
| 2024 | $137,551,654 | $162,556,308 | $33,497,815 | $33,439,585 | 4 | $33,497,775 | $99,610 | $8,595,136 |
| 2023 | $418,437 | $3,496 | $132,796 | $128,795 | 6 | $132,756 | $2,856 | $139,027 |
| 2022 | $440,273 | $2,987 | $107,823 | $104,318 | 5 | $107,823 | $2,987 | $132,048 |
| 2021 | $463,586 | — | $83,914 | $78,277 | 6 | $83,127 | — | $110,693 |
| 2020 | $483,306 | $45,880 | $119,301 | $117,836 | 7 | — | $45,880 | $96,748 |
| 2019 | $493,891 | $30,892 | $106,203 | $103,558 | 6 | — | $30,892 | $103,685 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Filkins Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8.8M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Filkins Family Foundation is led by John W. Filkins Sr., Chairman & Treasurer since 2025 (on filings since 2022); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John W. Filkins Sr.
Chairman & Treasurer
Trustee → Chairman & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2022
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cathryn Abernathy
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John W. Filkins Jr.
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Linda Shada (2019–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Richard J. McMullen (2019–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: John C. Filkins Partial Year (2023) — Trustee
- Former: John C. Filkins (2019–2022) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Filkins Family Foundation
How much does Filkins Family Foundation give each year?
Filkins Family Foundation gave $34.6M across 5 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $33.4M across 4 grants.
What is Filkins Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Filkins Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,063,280, and its average grant was $6,929,443, across 5 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Filkins Family Foundation give grants?
Filkins Family Foundation gives mostly in Vermont: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (37%). The most frequent recipient cities were Omaha, NE (2 grants).
Does Filkins Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 40% of Filkins Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 5) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Filkins Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Filkins Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Himalayan Cataract Project Inc DBA Cure Blindness Project ($20,702,516), Orbis ($12,790,068) and Nancy LF Davis Family Foundation ($1,063,280), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
How large is Filkins Family Foundation?
Filkins Family Foundation reported $113.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $34.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $8.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Filkins Family Foundation's EIN?
Filkins Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-6559796. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Filkins Family Foundation funds
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