Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation
The Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation is a private foundation based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Established in 1968, it supports charitable, educational, literary, religious, and scientific purposes, as well as efforts to prevent cruelty to children. By its stated policy, it limits grants to nonprofit organizations in Tulsa.
Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation at a glance
In short: Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation gave $1.8M across 68 grants in 2025 (avg $27K), mostly in Oklahoma. 40% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,806,846
- +26.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 68
- +21.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $26,571
- +4.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $24,934,811
- +1.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (27 of 67, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Oklahoma (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website directs organizations to submit an abstract first; organizations whose abstracts are deemed eligible are invited to submit a full proposal. Applicants must have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Requests should explain the need and defined benefit, population served, service location and approach, cost, and evaluation plan. The guidelines discourage requests from individuals and for debt reduction; general operating support and requests for previously supported programs are also discouraged. Applicants are limited to one request in any 12-month period, and recipients with a multi-year grant must wait until it is fully satisfied before submitting another request. Multi-year commitments for significant projects are possible at the trustees’ discretion.
- Review Cycle
- The foundation’s 2024 filing states that there are no submission deadlines and that applications are considered on the 12th day of each month. Its website says abstracts are reviewed and the listed contact person is contacted within 45 days; organizations are notified of approval within 60 days of submitting a completed proposal.
- Deadline
- The foundation’s 2024 filing states that there are no submission deadlines and that applications are considered on the…
- Contact
Application contact: Trustees Of The Bernsen Foundation
Mailing address: 15 W 6Th Street Suite 1308, Tulsa, OK 74119-5407
Phone: (918) 584-4711
Website: https://bernsen.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation
Who Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Bethany Children's Health Center ($100K). Together the top 10 received $715K.
Grant Size Distribution
280 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 244 grants of 280 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that its grants are limited by policy to nonprofit organizations in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Its grant guidelines describe support as limited to organizations serving the metropolitan Tulsa community. All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Oklahoma.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 68 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 27 of 67 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $31K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 40% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 115% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2023) to $1.8M (2025). In 2025 it made 68 grants totaling $1.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bethany Children's Health Center Bethany, OK | Expension Project | $100,000 |
| City Lights Foundation of OK Tulsa, OK | City Lights Village Campaign | $100,000 |
| Commnity Health Connection Tulsa, OK | Maternal and Child Health Ad Support | $100,000 |
| Tulsa Zoo Management Tulsa, OK | African Wilds 2 of 5 | $100,000 |
| Pathways Adult Learning Center Tulsa, OK | Capital Campaign Support | $75,000 |
| Grand Mental Health Tulsa, OK | Feel Well Campaign | $50,000 |
| St John Health System Foundation Tulsa, OK | Nicu Monitor Upgrade | $50,000 |
| Tulsa Botancial Garden Tulsa, OK | Teaching Garden Construction | $50,000 |
| Tulsa Opera Tulsa, OK | Youth Education Support | $50,000 |
| Community Food Bank Tulsa, OK | Program Support | $35,584 |
Ready to take the next step with Grace & Franklin Bernsen 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 | $24,934,811 | $2,235,183 | $2,213,163 | $1,806,846 | 68 | $2,138,052 | $2,100,727 | $1,856,353 |
| 2024 | $24,650,429 | $2,590,761 | $1,893,183 | $1,428,622 | 56 | $1,802,134 | $2,346,810 | $1,718,569 |
| 2023 | $24,115,996 | $3,700,444 | $1,615,221 | $1,180,080 | 51 | $1,537,762 | $3,547,108 | $1,490,316 |
| 2022 | $21,937,084 | $2,038,416 | $1,712,488 | $1,292,595 | 52 | $1,633,010 | $1,907,952 | $1,658,538 |
| 2020 | $21,707,178 | $1,336,381 | $1,865,389 | $1,478,817 | 53 | — | $1,236,802 | $1,522,327 |
| 2019 | $22,318,062 | $1,544,422 | $1,911,684 | $1,527,587 | 60 | — | $1,445,432 | $1,512,998 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purpose is to provide grants for charitable, educational, literary, religious, and scientific purposes and for the prevention of cruelty to children. Its guidelines identify capital, building, and program funding as eligible; ongoing operational requests are considered occasionally. The foundation generally considers requests from Tulsa-area charitable organizations for projects or programs with a defined benefit.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. Community Health Connection describes its mission as providing accessible health care across all life cycles, regardless of ability to pay. City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma says it works through relationships and dignified housing solutions to help people move from surviving to thriving. Tulsa Zoo Management describes its mission as connecting, caring, and advocating for wildlife, people, and wild places. Other grantees include Pathways Adult Learning Center, which serves adults with intellectual disabilities, and Tulsa Opera, which furthers public appreciation of music and opera and conducts educational programs.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 68 grants totaling $1,806,846. Grant amounts ranged from $1,762 to $100,000, with a median grant of $20,000. Among the largest awards were $100,000 to Bethany Children’s Health Center for an expansion project, $100,000 to City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma for its village campaign, $100,000 to Community Health Connection for maternal and child health support, and $100,000 to Tulsa Zoo Management for African Wilds. Other notable awards included $75,000 to Pathways Adult Learning Center for capital campaign support, $50,000 to Tulsa Opera for youth education support, and $35,000 to Crosstown Learning Center for program support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Donald E Pray, Melissa Easterling, W Bland Williamson, Barbara Pray, and Susan Rainey as trustees.
Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; all 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Barbara Pray
Trustee
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$60K (2019) → $60K (2025)
Donald E. Pray
Trustee
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$60K (2019) → $40K (2025)
Melissa Easterling
Trustee
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$60K (2019) → $93K (2025)
W. Bland Williamson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$60K (2019) → $60K (2025)
Susan Rainey
Trustee
On filings since 2024
30 hrs/week
$17K (2024) → $82K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: David Zemel (2022–2024) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $93K, to Melissa Easterling (Trustee). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation
How much does Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation give each year?
Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation gave $1.8M across 68 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 56 grants.
What is Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation's typical grant size?
Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $26,571, across 68 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation that year got $31K on average.
Where does Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation give grants?
Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation gives mostly in Oklahoma: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Tulsa, OK (61 grants).
Does Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 6% of Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 68) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (6 grants), "Operations" (4 grants) and "2024 Grant" (4 grants).
Who are Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation's largest grantees?
Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Bethany Children's Health Center ($100,000), City Lights Foundation of OK ($100,000) and Commnity Health Connection ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation?
Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation reported $24.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to provide grants for charitable, educational, literary, religious, and scientific purposes and for the prevention of cruelty to children. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation?
The foundation’s website directs organizations to submit an abstract first; organizations whose abstracts are deemed eligible are invited to submit a full proposal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation's EIN?
Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7009414. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 27, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/grace-and-franklin-bernsen-foundation-morg_06fe69ee23874814ab5cda5cb848bb11
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237009414_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Grace \& Franklin Bernsen Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/grace-and-franklin-bernsen-foundation-morg_06fe69ee23874814ab5cda5cb848bb11},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Grace & Franklin Bernsen 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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