Nevada Insurance Education Foundation
The Nevada Insurance Education Foundation (NIEF) is a private foundation based in Carson City, Nevada. It supports insurance and risk-management education, including professional-designation awards for people in the industry and educational programs at Nevada universities and community colleges.
Nevada Insurance Education Foundation at a glance
In short: Nevada Insurance Education Foundation gave $12K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Nevada. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $11,877
- +419.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +450.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,080
- -5.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $750
- Total assets
- $386,232
- +10.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Nevada (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Nevada Insurance Education Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
For a designation award, submit the designation certificate and contact information as described on NIEF’s website. The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 201 S Roop, Carson City, NV 89701
Phone: (775) 883-7863
Website: https://www.nvief.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Nevada Insurance Education Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Brandon Lewis ($3K). Together the top 4 received $8K.
Organizations only. It also paid 6 individual scholarships ($3,850), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
43 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 43 grants of 43 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NIEF’s stated mission concerns insurance and risk-management education in Nevada. All grant dollars reported for filing year 2025 went to recipients in Nevada.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Nevada Insurance Education Foundation gives
- Giving grew 479% from 2022 to 2025. 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2K (2022) to $12K (2025). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $12K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brandon Lewis Reno, NV | GRANT | $2,959 |
| The Institutes Designations Reno, NV | GRANT | $2,291 |
| Cynthia McGraw Las Vegas, NV | GRANT | $1,350 |
| Donna Squires Reno, NV | GRANT | $1,000 |
| 6 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $3,850 |
| The Institutes Designations Reno, NV | GRANT | $427 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $386,232 | $8,824 | $12,469 | $11,877 | 11 | $11,877 | $50,166 |
| 2024 | $348,514 | $8,721 | $3,290 | $2,287 | 2 | $2,287 | $15,324 |
| 2023 | $336,532 | $8,720 | $5,450 | $5,450 | 14 | $5,450 | $15,169 |
| 2022 | $326,814 | $7,342 | $3,221 | $2,050 | 6 | $2,050 | $25,169 |
| 2021 | $304,866 | $8,308 | $9,667 | $8,100 | 10 | — | $21,311 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
NIEF’s stated mission is to promote, encourage, and assist Nevada students of property and casualty insurance and risk management in achieving professional designations, and to fund risk-management education programs at Nevada universities and community colleges.
Its website describes awards for people who complete professional designations in the risk-management and insurance industry. The foundation also says it provides continuing support to the University of Nevada, Reno and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for insurance courses, and an award at UNLV’s Boyd School of Law for the best paper by a law student. Its 2024 filing reports scholarships for individuals in Nevada’s insurance industry and a grant to a school for purchasing books.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, NIEF reported 11 grants totaling $11,877. The median grant was $750, with awards ranging from $427 to $2,959. The largest listed grants were $2,959 to Brandon Lewis, $2,291 to The Institutes Designations, and $1,350 to Cynthia McGraw. The filing also lists $1,000 to Donna Squires and $900 to an individual recipient
NIEF’s website says its designation awards are for completing board-approved professional designations, not individual courses. To apply for a designation award, it instructs applicants to provide a copy of the certificate showing completion and their contact information. Separately, the foundation states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Wayne Carlson as President; B David Cisneros as Vice President; Donna Squires as Treasurer; and James Smith, Terry Rankin, Jasmine Sanchez, Brandon Lewis, Robin Rider, and Chris Utterback as directors.
Nevada Insurance Education Foundation is led by Wayne Carlson, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 9 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Wayne Carlson
President
On filings since 2021
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Smith
Director
On filings since 2021
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terry Rankin
Director
On filings since 2021
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brandon Lewis
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Utterback
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jasmine Sanchez
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robin Rider
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
B David Cisneros
Vice Presidnet
New on the 2025 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donna Squires
Tresurer
New on the 2025 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Jim Jeppson (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Lauren House (2021–2024) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Paul Thistle PhD (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Lloyd Cutler (2021) — 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 Nevada Insurance Education Foundation
How much does Nevada Insurance Education Foundation give each year?
Nevada Insurance Education Foundation gave $12K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2K across 2 grants.
What is Nevada Insurance Education Foundation's typical grant size?
Nevada Insurance Education Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $750, and its average grant was $1,080, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Nevada Insurance Education Foundation give grants?
Nevada Insurance Education Foundation gives mostly in Nevada: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Reno, NV (4 grants).
Does Nevada Insurance Education Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Nevada Insurance Education Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (6 grants) and "Grant" (5 grants).
Who are Nevada Insurance Education Foundation's largest grantees?
Nevada Insurance Education Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Brandon Lewis ($2,959), The Institutes Designations ($2,718 across 2 grants) and Cynthia McGraw ($1,350), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 6 individual scholarships ($3,850), which are not listed by name. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Nevada Insurance Education Foundation?
Nevada Insurance Education Foundation reported $386K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $9K.
What does Nevada Insurance Education Foundation fund?
NIEF’s stated mission is to promote, encourage, and assist Nevada students of property and casualty insurance and risk management in achieving professional designations, and to fund risk-management education programs at Nevada universities and community colleges. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Nevada Insurance Education Foundation?
For a designation award, submit the designation certificate and contact information as described on NIEF’s website. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Nevada Insurance Education Foundation's EIN?
Nevada Insurance Education Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7068824. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Nevada Insurance Education Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Figures come from Nevada Insurance Education 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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