Making Life Better Foundation
Making Life Better Foundation is a private foundation, based in Wilmington, DE. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.6M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 7 grants totaling $165K. Net investment income was $133K.
Making Life Better Foundation at a glance
In short: Making Life Better Foundation gave $165K across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $24K), mostly in Arizona. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $165,000
- +20.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 7
- +40.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $23,571
- -14.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $1,602,412
- +26.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Arizona (58% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Making Life Better Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 7 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation Inc ($96K). Together the top 7 received $165K.
Grant Size Distribution
23 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 23 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 7 itemized grants.
Cities
How Making Life Better Foundation gives
- Giving grew 109% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 261% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $79K (2022) to $165K (2025). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $165K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation Inc Phoenix, AZ | Highly-Johansen Homes Build Weekend fund | $96,000 |
| Won by One to Jamaica Dubois, PA | Construction fund for a classroom at St. Jago All Age School in Jamaica to alleviate overcrowding | $24,000 |
| Partners in Housing Inc a Colorado Non-Profit Corp Colorado SPGS, CO | General & Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| The Center for Applied Learning and Leadership Colorado SPGS, CO | General & Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| University Schools Colorado SPGS, CO | To purchase chromebooks for classroom use | $7,000 |
| Food Bank of North Alabama Huntsville, AL | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Colorado Consortium for Earth and Space Science Ed Colorado SPGS, CO | Back-to-School Science Event | $3,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,602,412 | $528,397 | $189,816 | $165,000 | 7 | $177,788 | $132,843 | $68,043 |
| 2024 | $1,263,831 | $510,983 | $156,380 | $137,000 | 5 | $147,896 | $91,672 | $53,286 |
| 2023 | $909,228 | $460,125 | $104,873 | $95,000 | 5 | $104,739 | $38,788 | $38,034 |
| 2022 | $553,976 | $322,437 | $93,887 | $79,000 | 6 | $93,886 | $2,462 | $21,632 |
| 2021 | $325,426 | $331,293 | $5,867 | — | — | $5,867 | $43 | $643 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Making Life Better Foundation reported a distributable amount of $68K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Making Life Better Foundation is led by Brian Bahr, Director, President, Secretary & Treasurer on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brian Bahr
Director, President, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dennis Obenauf
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Lee Dron
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Kurt Kofford (2021–2024) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Making Life Better Foundation
How much does Making Life Better Foundation give each year?
Making Life Better Foundation gave $165K across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $137K across 5 grants.
What is Making Life Better Foundation's typical grant size?
Making Life Better Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $23,571, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Making Life Better Foundation give grants?
Making Life Better Foundation gives mostly in Arizona: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Colorado (24%) and Pennsylvania (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Colorado SPGS, CO (4 grants).
Does Making Life Better Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 43% of Making Life Better Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 7) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Making Life Better Foundation's largest grantees?
Making Life Better Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation Inc ($96,000), Won by One to Jamaica ($24,000) and Partners in Housing Inc a Colorado Non-Profit Corp ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 82% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Making Life Better Foundation?
Making Life Better Foundation reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $178K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $68K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Making Life Better Foundation's EIN?
Making Life Better Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-2514444. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 18, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work Making Life Better Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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