The Karlgaard Family Foundation is a private independent foundation established in December 2001 and based in Great Falls, Virginia. The foundation was created by David and Marilyn Karlgaard, both alumni of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private foundation with a strategic focus on supporting higher education, particularly in STEM fields through scholarships, faculty excellence awards, and endowed professorships.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$32.8M
+55.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.3M
+22.7% YoY
Grant Count
17
+30.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$133K
-6.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to provide support for scholarships, teaching awards, professorships, nursing scholarships, and artificial kidney research. Its strategic focus centers on supporting STEM education through scholarships, faculty excellence awards, and endowed professorships at institutions where the Karlgaards studied.
Key funding areas include:
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire: Scholarships, teaching awards, and general use
- Inova Health Care Foundation: Nursing scholarships
- George Washington University: Scholarships and professorships
Grantmaking
Nearly 100% of the foundation's expenses are allocated to charitable disbursements, demonstrating a strong commitment to direct giving.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's giving is primarily national, with a focus on higher education institutions. Primary geographic areas of support include Wisconsin, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving:
- Total assets: $32,831,642 (2024)
- Total assets: $21,096,570 (2023)
- Total giving: $2,256,853 (2024)
- Total revenues: $1,698,332 (2023)
- Total expenses: $1,846,336 (2023)
Asset Growth: The foundation has grown substantially over two decades, with total assets increasing from $3.6 million in 2011 to $32.8 million in 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $32,831,642 | $21,096,570 | $22,099,056 |
| Revenue | $15,646,704 | $1,698,332 | $1,068,598 |
| Expenses | $2,266,317 | $1,846,336 | $1,738,997 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,259,910 | $1,841,581 | $1,689,440 |
| Net Investment Income | $13,104,932 | $278,553 | $213,185 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,091,917 | $1,833,062 | $1,754,865 |
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
57 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Founders:
- David Karlgaard (holds a doctorate in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from George Washington University and an MBA from Wharton; founded PEC Solutions in 1985)
- Marilyn Karlgaard
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID C KARLGAARD | PRES & TREAS | 2 | — |
| MARILYN E KARLGAARD | VP & SEC | 2 | — |
| JOANNA V KARLGAARD | ASST VP | 1 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER D KARLGAARD | ASST VP | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Faculty members at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire have been recognized as recipients of Karlgaard Faculty Excellence Awards in recent years, with honorees recognized in 2024-25 and prior academic years across the physics and astronomy, computer science, and mathematics departments.
Physics and Astronomy Department | UW-Eau ClaireContact Information
Address: 5 Clarks Branch Rd, Great Falls, Virginia 22066-4157
EIN: 31-1810538
Note: No public website or contact information is publicly available for this foundation.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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