John Crain Kunkel Foundation
The John Crain Kunkel Foundation is a private foundation established in 1965 and based in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The foundation was created to honor Congressman John Crain Kunkel, a prominent statesman and humanitarian who represented the Susquehanna Valley region in Congress for 18 years (1939-1951 and 1961-1966) and served as Dauphin County Commissioner. The foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals within Pennsylvania through charitable giving.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$13.3M
-0.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$676K
-2.3% YoY
Grant Count
47
+14.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-14.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John Crain Kunkel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $811K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The John Crain Kunkel Foundation sees equal value in all lives and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all individuals within the State of Pennsylvania. The foundation supports religious, charitable, scientific, literary, and educational purposes within the Commonwealth.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Arts and creative writing
- Historic buildings and preservation
- Journalism
- Human and social services
- Reproductive health
- Nursing home services
- Educational equity scholarships for medical students
- Programming for girls and volunteers
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$5,000 to $150,000
Average Grant
award: $20,000
Review Cycle
September 1st
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations within Pennsylvania, with particular emphasis on Dauphin, Cumberland, Lebanon, Perry, and Juniata Counties. The foundation will consider grants to charities and institutions outside Pennsylvania, such as Yale University, provided they serve in part an area, persons, or communities within the Commonwealth.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Current Financial Position (2024):
- Total assets: $13,253,672
- Total revenue: $790,191
- Total expenses: $851,642
- Net income: -$61,451
- Total liabilities: $0
Historical Growth:
- Total assets grew from $10.8 million in 2011 to $13.3 million in 2024
- Annual giving increased from $521,000 in 2020 to $691,000 in 2023
- Highest grantmaking activity in 2022 with $881,000 distributed across 44 grants
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,253,672 | $13,315,123 | $13,355,974 |
| Revenue | $790,191 | $826,153 | $1,093,170 |
| Expenses | $851,642 | $867,004 | $651,751 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $797,808 | $814,278 | $562,439 |
| Net Investment Income | $740,777 | $777,666 | $1,044,450 |
| Distributable Amount | $811,112 | $765,853 | $804,195 |
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
162 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from John Crain Kunkel Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Historic Harriburg Association ($75,000), United Way of the Capital Region ($33,500), Ywca Greater Harrisburg ($32,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN RED CROSS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA HARRISBURG, PA | HUMANITARIAN NEEDS CAUSED BY DISASTERS. | $5,000 |
| BEACON CLINIC FOR HEALTH AND HOPE HARRISBURG, PA | RENOVATION NEEDS FOR THE NEW CLINIC | $15,000 |
| BETHESDA MISSION OF HARRISBURG HARRISBURG, PA | EXPANSION NEED OF THE NEW COMMUNITY CENTER. | $25,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CHAMBERSBURG AND SHIPPENSBURG SHIPPENSBURG, PA | SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING FOR THEIR SHIPPENSBURG SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM | $15,000 |
| BRETHREN HOUSING ASSOCIATION HARRISBURG, PA | SUPPORT OF THE BRIDGE HOUSING PROGRAM CALLED "TRANSITIONS." | $10,000 |
| CAMP HEBRON HALIFAX, PA | PURCHASING EQUIPMENT FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. | $5,000 |
| CAPITAL AREA GREENBELT ASSOCIATION HARRISBURG, PA | HELP IN THE RELOCATION OF THE SOUTH HARRISBURG GREENBELT PROGRAM. | $20,000 |
| CAPITAL AREA HEAD START A DIVISION OF KEYSTONE SERVICE SYSTEMS HARRISBURG, PA | IMPLEMENTATION OF THE "VERKADA," A SINGLE TEXT COMMUNICATION SYSTEM. | $25,000 |
| CENTER FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES (CEO) HARRISBURG, PA | IMPLEMENTING THE "HOUSING BARRIER NAVIGATION FUND." | $5,000 |
| CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FOOD BANK HARRISBURG, PA | ENSURING THAT NUTRITIOUS FOOD GETS INTO THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by 13 officers and trustees. The foundation was established following the death of Congressman John Crain Kunkel in 1970. His wife, Katherine Smoot Kunkel, played a significant role in the foundation's establishment and was recognized as his "wife and co-worker."
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NANCY W BERGERT | TRUSTEE | 6 | $6,000 |
| JOHN P DAVIS | TRUSTEE | 6 | $6,000 |
| DEBORAH K FACINI | TRUSTEE | 6 | $6,000 |
| DAVE DAVIS | TRUSTEE | 6 | $6,000 |
| EMILY KUNKEL | TRUSTEE | 6 | $6,000 |
| JOHN K STARK | TRUSTEE | 6 | $10,000 |
| JAY W STARK | TRUSTEE | 6 | $10,000 |
| JENNIFER R MAGUIRE-WRIGHT | TRUSTEE | 6 | $6,000 |
| WILLIAM T WRIGHT II | TRUSTEE | 6 | $6,000 |
| JOHN C KUNKEL III | TRUSTEE | 6 | $6,000 |
| MARY L WRIGHT | TRUSTEE | 6 | $6,000 |
| FRANKLIN B BERGERT | TRUSTEE | 6 | $6,000 |
| KENNETH R STARK II | TRUSTEE | 6 | $10,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported 70 unique organizations across its grantmaking history. Recent notable grants include support for Penn State Harrisburg's career services expansion and contributions to Harrisburg Area Community College's Public Safety Center. The foundation continues to maintain an active grantmaking program with annual giving levels in the $675,000-$691,000 range.
John Crain Kunkel Foundation gift expands Penn State Harrisburg career servicesFrequently Asked Questions
What does John Crain Kunkel Foundation fund?
The John Crain Kunkel Foundation sees equal value in all lives and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all individuals within the State of Pennsylvania. The foundation supports religious, charitable, scientific, literary, and educational purposes within the Commonwealth. Primary funding focus areas include: • Arts and creative writing • Historic buildings and preservation • Journalism • Human and social services • Reproductive health • Nursing home services • Educational equity sc…
How do I apply for a grant from John Crain Kunkel Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 17 grants in 2024 • Total giving in 2024: $675,500 • Historical grantmaking: 137 grants totaling $2.7 million across available records • Grant range: $5,000 to $150,000 • Average grant award: $20,000 • Median grant: $13,000 **Recent Grant Examples (2024):** • United Way of the Capital Region: $33,500 • YWCA Greater Harrisburg: $32,000 • Bethesda Mission of Harrisburg: $25,000 **Application Process:** • Deadline: September 1st • Applications are submitted online throug…
Where does John Crain Kunkel Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations within Pennsylvania, with particular emphasis on Dauphin, Cumberland, Lebanon, Perry, and Juniata Counties. The foundation will consider grants to charities and institutions outside Pennsylvania, such as Yale University, provided they serve in part an area, persons, or communities within the Commonwealth.
What size grants does John Crain Kunkel Foundation award?
In 2024, John Crain Kunkel Foundation awarded 47 grants totaling $676K — an average of about $14K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is John Crain Kunkel Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, John Crain Kunkel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $811K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is John Crain Kunkel Foundation's EIN?
John Crain Kunkel Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7026914. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in John Crain Kunkel Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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