John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation
The John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation is a private foundation established in 2000 by Ralph and Oralee Kiewit of Malibu, California, in memory of their son John S. Kiewit. Based in Santa Barbara, California, the foundation operates with an all-volunteer board of trustees that meets twice annually to review grant applications. The foundation manages substantial assets and distributes grants focused on land and natural resource conservation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$57.6M
+0.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.9M
+86.2% YoY
Grant Count
24
+60.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$120K
+16.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to make grants "to protect the land and other natural resources of the California Central Coast and or neighboring regions of California from the effect of development, by means such as purchase, conservation easements, education or other methods, in order to preserve the open and agriculture character of the priceless assets."
The foundation's mission was framed as a memorial to John S. Kiewit (born 1948), who developed a deep love for surfing and the California coast. He later became skilled in photography, focusing on surfing and natural landscapes throughout the West. His photographic work, Gone to Sanctuary, was published in large format in 1997, and over 1,000 of his photographs are preserved and curated at the U.C.S.B. Department of Special Collections.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Land conservation and protection
- Environmental conservation
- Wildlife conservation
- Pollution reduction
- Property acquisition for conservation purposes
- Research support at conservation institutions
Grantmaking
How to Apply
** The foundation operates two annual funding cycles with decision times of approximately 1-2 months. Grant decisions are made in May and October/November.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's geographic focus is the California Central Coast and neighboring regions, specifically including Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $57.6 million (as of 2023)
Annual Giving: Approximately $3 million
Total Revenues (2023): $1,337,852
Total Expenses (2023): $2,012,292
Giving Rate: 2.9%
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $57,635,856 | $57,379,870 | $59,387,671 |
| Revenue | $3,654,990 | $1,337,852 | $57,196,567 |
| Expenses | $3,512,098 | $2,012,292 | $330,514 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,007,069 | $1,664,769 | $220,325 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,959,383 | $1,084,605 | $1,581,759 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,401,265 | $2,945,541 | $1,847,244 |
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
66 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Trust for Public Land ($500,000), California Rangeland Trust ($440,000), The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County ($325,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| VENTURA LAND TRUST VENTURA, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $250,000 |
| LOS PADRES FOREST WATCH SANTA BARBARA, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $110,000 |
| TURTLE CONSERVANCY OJAI, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $19,243 |
| THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND LOS ANGELES, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $500,000 |
| CALIFORNIA RANGELAND TRUST SACRAMENTO, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $440,000 |
| THE WILDLANDS CONSERVANCY CYPRESS, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| NATURETRACK FOUNDATION INC LOS OLIVOS, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, WA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $125,000 |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY ARLINGTON, VA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $200,000 |
| CHANNEL ISLANDS RESTORATION SANTA BARBARA, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $70,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation's leadership includes:
- Eric P Hvolboll – President
- Beverly Boise-Cossart – Vice President
- Wendy M Edmunds – Secretary
- David W Van Horne – Treasurer
- Rick Ridgeway – Trustee
- Lisa Pike Sheehy – Trustee
All board members serve on a volunteer basis, dedicating approximately 1 hour per week to foundation activities.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERIC P HVOLBOLL | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| DAVID W VAN HORNE | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| WENDY M EDMUNDS | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| BEVERLY BOISE-COSSART | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| RICK RIDGEWAY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LISA PIKE SHEEHY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 200 E Carrillo Street, Suite 400, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Website: johnskiewitmemorialfoundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to make grants "to protect the land and other natural resources of the California Central Coast and or neighboring regions of California from the effect of development, by means such as purchase, conservation easements, education or other methods, in order to preserve the open and agriculture character of the priceless assets." The foundation's mission was framed as a memorial to John S. Kiewit (born 1948), who developed a deep love for surfing and the Califo…
How do I apply for a grant from John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Grants typically range from $1,000 to $250,000, with recent awards ranging from $7,500 to $426,000. The median grant amount is $22,500, with an average of approximately $102,785 for program support grants. **Annual Giving:** The foundation distributes approximately $3 million annually in grants. **Application Process:** The foundation operates two annual funding cycles with decision times of approximately 1-2 months. Grant decisions are made in May and October/November. **Gra…
Where does John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation make grants?
The foundation's geographic focus is the California Central Coast and neighboring regions, specifically including Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.
What size grants does John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation award?
In 2024, John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation awarded 24 grants totaling $2.9M — an average of about $120K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation's EIN?
John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4794542. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in John S Kiewit Memorial 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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