George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation
The George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Idaho City, Idaho. Its 2024 filing says it supports the Gaukler family’s charitable, educational, scientific, and religious interests, primarily in North Dakota and Minnesota.
George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation at a glance
In short: George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation gave $340K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $26K), mostly in North Dakota. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $339,700
- +192.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- +225.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $26,131
- -9.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,819,490
- -0.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- North Dakota (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing lists Geoff Gaukler as the contact and states that there is no formerly defined application process. It says there are no submission deadlines and that awards support the Gaukler family’s charitable, educational, scientific, and religious interests, primarily in North Dakota and Minnesota.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing states that there are no submission deadlines.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing states that there are no submission deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Geoff Gaukler
Mailing address: PO Box 12, Idaho City, ID 83631
Phone: (952) 835-3800
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Valley City Park District ($300K). Together the top 10 received $340K.
Grant Size Distribution
21 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 18 grants of 21 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing states that the foundation’s giving is primarily focused on North Dakota and Minnesota. In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Dakota, 1% to recipients in New York, and less than 1% to recipients in Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
How George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation gives
- 15% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 1259% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $20K (2023) to $500K (2021). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $340K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Valley City Park District Valley City, ND | General Charitable | $300,000 |
| Bridges Art Council Valley City, ND | General Charitable | $15,000 |
| Valley City Bares County Library Valley City, ND | General Charitable | $10,000 |
| Sheynne Valley Friends of Animals Valley City, ND | General Charitable | $5,000 |
| Sheyenne Valley Community Foundatio Valley City, ND | General Charitable | $5,000 |
| Barnes County Historical Society Valley City, ND | General Charitable | $1,000 |
| Village Family Service Center Fargo, ND | General Charitable | $1,000 |
| United Nations Childrens Fund New York, NY | General Charitable | $1,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | General Charitable | $1,000 |
| The Salvation Army Alexandria, VA | General Charitable | $500 |
Ready to take the next step with George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation?
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 | $1,819,490 | $342,722 | $347,330 | $339,700 | 13 | $339,700 | $38,455 | $9,470 |
| 2024 | $1,824,098 | $39,808 | $125,012 | $116,000 | 4 | $116,000 | $34,435 | $11,350 |
| 2023 | $1,909,301 | $547,440 | $41,446 | $20,100 | 2 | $20,100 | $24,755 | $7,501 |
| 2022 | $1,403,307 | $1,416,268 | $36,159 | $25,000 | 1 | $25,000 | $28,949 | $2,687 |
| 2021 | $23,198 | $5,486 | $501,039 | $500,000 | 1 | — | $5,486 | $977 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated giving restriction is to support the Gaukler family’s charitable, educational, scientific, and religious interests. Its 2025 grants included support for a park district, an arts council, a library, animal welfare, and health-related organizations.
Among its grantees, Village Family Service Center describes its mission as improving quality of life through services that strengthen individuals, families, and organizations. Open Door Center describes its work as serving people with disabilities by respecting their dignity and rights, providing opportunities for growth, and fostering independence.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $339,700. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $300,000, with a median of $1,000. The largest grants were $300,000 to Valley City Park District, $15,000 to Bridges Art Council, and $10,000 to Valley City Bares County Library, all in Valley City, North Dakota. Other reported recipients included Sheynne Valley Friends of Animals ($5,000), Sheyenne Valley Community Foundatio ($5,000), and Village Family Service Center ($1,000). Open Door Center received $50.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Geoffrey Gaukler as president, Michael Smith as secretary treasurer, and Tracy Smith as director.
George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation is led by Geoffrey Gaukler, President since 2025 (on filings since 2021); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Geoffrey Gaukler
President
Director → President, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Smith
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Smith
Secretary Treasurer
Secretary → Secretary Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: George Gaukler (2021–2024) — President & Treasurer
- Former: Audrey Gaukler (2021–2023) — Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation
How much does George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation give each year?
George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation gave $340K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $116K across 4 grants.
What is George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation's typical grant size?
George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $26,131, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation give grants?
George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation gives mostly in North Dakota: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Valley City, ND (9 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation's largest grantees?
George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Valley City Park District ($300,000), Bridges Art Council ($15,000) and Valley City Bares County Library ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 96% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation?
George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $340K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $9K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated giving restriction is to support the Gaukler family’s charitable, educational, scientific, and religious interests. Its 2025 grants included support for a park district, an arts council, a library, animal welfare, and health-related organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation?
The 2024 filing lists Geoff Gaukler as the contact and states that there is no formerly defined application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation's EIN?
George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4340990. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/george-and-audrey-gaukler-family-foundation-morg_8cf2784896d84c82bf756ad78c3bde99
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_464340990_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{George and Audrey Gaukler Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/george-and-audrey-gaukler-family-foundation-morg_8cf2784896d84c82bf756ad78c3bde99},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 George and Audrey Gaukler Family 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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