Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation
The Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska, established in 1959 (incorporated in 1960). It operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with a focus on community-centered giving and philanthropic support across multiple states.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.3M
+18.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.8M
+55.8% YoY
Grant Count
31
-6.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$122K
+65.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Community centers
- Museums
- Social services and disaster relief
- Education
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
- Human services
- Agricultural initiatives and food safety
- Beekeeping and organic farming education
Grantmaking
No specific application guidelines, deadlines, or restrictions are specified in available filings. The foundation indicates it may be open to applications, though it operates with limited staffing.
Grant Range
$3,000 to $873,000
Average Grant
amount: $61,000 (based on historical data)
Review Cycle
, or restrictions are specified in available filings. The foundation indicates it may be open to applications, though it operates with limited staffing.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Wyoming
- Texas
- Virginia
- Nebraska
- Colorado
- Maryland
- Montana
Grantmaking reaches organizations across 10 states, with Wyoming, Virginia, and Maryland accounting for approximately 63% of all grants.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $19,349,262
- Total Revenue: $7,281,580
- Total Expenses: $4,002,848
- Total Giving: $3,790,472
- Net Income: $3,278,732
- Total Liabilities: $0
Historical Asset Growth: Assets have grown from $14.1 million in 2011 to $19.3 million in 2024.
Annual Distribution: The foundation has distributed between $2.4 million and $2.7 million annually in recent years.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,349,262 | $16,274,119 | $16,785,193 |
| Revenue | $7,281,580 | $2,121,615 | $1,386,420 |
| Expenses | $4,002,848 | $2,613,445 | $1,543,756 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,790,472 | $2,433,227 | $1,332,481 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,032,512 | $1,937,944 | $1,174,429 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,669,164 | $1,555,940 | $1,580,081 |
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
144 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Corbett Medical Foundation ($2,817,972), Platte Valley Community Center ($105,000), Coco Point Fund ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION OMAHA, NE | UNRESTRICTED -GENERAL OPERATING FUND | $5,000 |
| BUFFALO BILL HISTORICAL CENTER CODY, WY | SUPPORT OF THE CODY FIREARMS MUSEUM | $75,000 |
| CAMP MISHAWAKA INC GRAND RAPIDS, MN | UNRESTRICTED -GENERAL OPERATING FUND | $25,000 |
| COCO POINT FUND BETHESDA, MD | HURRICANE IRMA RELIEF FUND | $100,000 |
| CORBETT MEDICAL FOUNDATION SARATOGA, WY | GRETCHEN VELDE EF, BRUSH CREEK BASH | $2,817,972 |
| EAGLE MOUNT BOZEMAN, MT | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| GRAND ENCAMPMENT MUSEUM ENCAMPMENT, WY | UNRESTRICTED -GENERAL OPERATING FUND | $5,000 |
| GREAT BEGINNINGS MONTESSORI SCHOOL FAIRFIELD, CT | UNRESTRICTED -GENERAL OPERATING FUND | $50,000 |
| KING RANCH INSTITUTE FOR RANCH MANAGMENT KINGSVILLE, TX | UNRESTRICTED -GENERAL OPERATING FUND | $10,000 |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF WYOMING CASPER, WY | MAKE-A-WISH PROGRAM | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board & Officers:
- Laura L. Bucholz — President
- Lawrence K. Sheehan — Secretary
- Jonathan P. Ehly — Treasurer
- Frederick S. Bucholz — Director
- Bessie Johns Bucholz — Director
- John F. Bucholz — Director
All board members serve on a volunteer basis (1 hour per week, no compensation).
Contact:
- Laura Bucholz
- HCR 63 Box 17
- Saratoga, WY 82331
- Phone: (402) 453-7500
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAURA L BUCHOLZ | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| LAWRENCE K SHEEHAN | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JONATHAN P EHLY | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| FREDERICK S BUCHOLZ | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BESSIE JOHNS BUCHOLZ | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN F BUCHOLZ | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported notable initiatives including:
A donation to the Firearms Research Center at the University of Wyoming (2024)
Firearms Research Center at UW Receives Gretchen Swanson Family FoundationSupport for water management initiatives at the University of Wyoming (2023)
A gift to the University of Wyoming supports water management in the state\Funding for the Kurt S. Bucholz Family Scholarship Fund
Disaster relief contributions, including Hurricane Irma Relief Fund support
Support for the Cody Firearms Museum
Make-A-Wish program funding
Grants to Platte Valley Healthcare Project and similar community health organizations
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Community centers • Museums • Social services and disaster relief • Education • Philanthropy and voluntarism • Human services • Agricultural initiatives and food safety • Beekeeping and organic farming education
How do I apply for a grant from Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • The foundation made 26-31 grants in its most recent fiscal year (2024) • Typical grant awards range from $2,500 to $2,817,972 • Median grant amount: $10,000 • Average grant amount: $61,000 (based on historical data) • Historical grant range: $3,000 to $873,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • Corbett Medical Foundation: $2,817,972 (Gretchen Velde Ef, Brush Creek Bash) • Woodberry Forest School: $100,000 (Kurt S Bucholz Family Scholarship Fund) • Coco Point Fund: $100,000 (Hurri…
Where does Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Wyoming • Texas • Virginia • Nebraska • Colorado • Maryland • Montana Grantmaking reaches organizations across 10 states, with Wyoming, Virginia, and Maryland accounting for approximately 63% of all grants.
What size grants does Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation awarded 31 grants totaling $3.8M — an average of about $122K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation's EIN?
Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-6024650. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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