James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Fort Dodge, IA EIN: 42-1412905

James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation is a private foundation, based in Fort Dodge, IA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $828K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 11 grants totaling $42K. Net investment income was $81K.

James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation at a glance

In short: James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation gave $42K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Iowa. 45% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$41,500
+25.8% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
11
+57.1% vs 2024
Average grant
$3,773
-20.0% vs 2024
Median grant
$3,000
Total assets
$828,120
+5.4% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
45% first-time grantees (5 of 11, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Iowa (64% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Holy Trinity Capital Campaign: $13KHoly Trinity Capital Campaign$13KFriends of St Edmond Ball: $5KFriends of St Edmond Ball$5KMichael Myers Family Foundation: $5KMichael Myers FamilyFoundation$5KLoyola University: $4KLoyola University$4KIowa Central Community College: $3KIowa Central Community College$3KSt Edmonds School: $3KSt Edmonds School$3KCreighton University: $2KCreighton University$2KFort Dodge School Athletics: $2KFort Dodge School Athletics$2KTexas Christian University: $2KTexas Christian University$2KUniversity of Wyoming: $2KUniversity of Wyoming$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Holy Trinity Capital Campaign ($13K). Together the top 10 received $41K.

Grant Size Distribution

47 grants across all recorded years

47<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 47 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

7states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.

Cities

Fort DodgeAmesIowa CityWest Des MoinesLaramieCedar FallsFort WorthOmahaRock IslandChicagoDallasGoldenWest Palm Beach

Is James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?

45%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 5 of 11 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $3K. How we count

Medians: $4K first-time, $2K repeat.

  • 36% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 29% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 82% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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

$0$20K$40K$60K12 grants2019 13 grants2020 12 grants2021 7 grants2022 10 grants2023 7 grants2024 11 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $33K (2024) to $59K (2022). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $42K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Holy Trinity Capital Campaign Fort Dodge, IACapital Campaign$12,500
Friends of St Edmond Ball Fort Dodge, IATo Support Catholic Education$5,000
Michael Myers Family Foundation West Palm Beach, FLCharitable$5,000
Loyola University Chicago, ILScholarship$4,000
Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, IAScholarshipscholarship$3,000
St Edmonds School Fort Dodge, IAGeneral Support$3,000
Creighton University Omaha, NEScholarship$2,000
Fort Dodge School Athletics Fort Dodge, IAWrestling Team Support$2,000
Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TXScholarships$2,000
University of Wyoming Laramie, WYScholarships$2,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$828,120$88,163$49,072$41,50011$41,500$80,591$50,391
2024$785,875$67,297$40,166$33,0007$33,000$60,131$46,469
2023$743,642$36,306$63,804$57,50010$57,500$30,002$42,615
2022$755,539$-8,482$66,991$58,5007$58,500$19,137$47,519
2021$879,127$74,784$52,001$42,37512$42,375$65,158$50,678
2020$856,054$55,140$53,794$42,75013—$44,096$47,470
2019$854,708$79,067$55,584$47,67412—$71,157$44,105

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $50K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation is led by James R. Bocken, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • James R. Bocken

    President

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Brian Bocken

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Thomas G. Schnurr

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Greg Bocken

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Kathy Bocken

    Secretarty

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

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 James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation

How much does James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation give each year?

James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation gave $42K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $33K across 7 grants.

What is James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?

James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $3,773, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation that year got $5K on average.

Where does James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation give grants?

James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 64% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (12%) and Illinois (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Dodge, IA (6 grants).

Does James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation give general operating support?

Occasionally: 9% of James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?

James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Holy Trinity Capital Campaign ($12,500), Friends of St Edmond Ball ($5,000) and Michael Myers Family Foundation ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation?

James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation reported $828K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $42K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $50K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What is James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation's EIN?

James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1412905. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 8, 2026)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 26, 2020)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 16, 2021)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 9, 2022)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 28, 2023)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 6, 2024)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from James W and Frances M Ackerman Charitable 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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