O'Brate Foundation
O’Brate Foundation is a private foundation based in Garden City, Kansas. It supports disadvantaged Kansas youth, including young people with limited resources and those who have been in foster care or are transitioning to independent living, through educational scholarships and assistance with immediate needs.
O'Brate Foundation at a glance
In short: O'Brate Foundation gave $674K across 214 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Kansas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $673,658
- -5.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 214
- +3.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,148
- -8.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $71,582
- Primary geography
- Kansas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026.
How to apply to O'Brate Foundation
- Review Cycle
- The website lists December 1 for Immediate Needs applications. The foundation’s 2024 filing states a December 10 deadline for those applications.
- Deadline
- The website lists December 1 for Immediate Needs applications.
- Contact
Application contact: Jayre Zimmerman
Mailing address: PO Box 1271, Garden City, KS 67846-1271
Phone: (620) 408-8381
Email: jayre@obratefoundation.org
Website: https://www.obratefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from O'Brate Foundation
Who O'Brate Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Western Kansas Community Foundation ($1K).
Organizations only. It also paid 213 individual scholarships ($672,598), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,066 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,066 grants of 1,066 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated programs serve Kansas youth. In 2024, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Kansas; 1% went to Colorado, 1% to Texas, and less than 1% to Nebraska.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 214 itemized grants.
Cities
How O'Brate Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $653K (2022) to $740K (2019). In 2025 it made 214 grants totaling $674K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 50 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $250,000 |
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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 | $71,582 | $1,070,200 | $967,411 | $673,658 | 214 | $948,750 | — | $2,145 |
| 2024 | — | $830,001 | $1,007,987 | $709,029 | 206 | $983,389 | — | $2,638 |
| 2023 | $169,361 | $956,775 | $994,406 | $697,838 | 220 | $969,686 | — | $4,083 |
| 2022 | $186,707 | $1,165,038 | $969,885 | $652,638 | 222 | $927,097 | — | $3,464 |
| 2021 | $13,656 | $656,449 | $955,735 | $674,848 | 204 | $940,006 | $87 | $6,084 |
| 2020 | $392,202 | $1,259,905 | $969,795 | $702,301 | 207 | — | — | $5,677 |
| 2019 | $8,967 | $868,994 | $1,020,889 | $740,011 | 225 | — | — | $3,520 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, O'Brate Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it strives to improve opportunities for disadvantaged Kansas youth by helping with emergency needs, providing scholarships, and addressing obstacles to success.
Its traditional college scholarships are need-based and renewable. The foundation’s website lists eligibility requirements that include being 17 to 25, having a 2.5 GPA or higher, graduating from a Kansas high school or equivalent, pursuing full-time study at an accredited institution, and demonstrating work experience and commitment to work while in school. Awards range from $500 to $5,000 annually.
The Immediate Needs program considers short-term assistance for eligible Kansas residents ages 17 to 25 when no other resources are available. Assistance is limited to food, shelter or utilities, and clothing; the program does not consider requests related to medical or transportation challenges. The foundation also reports providing dual-credit scholarships to high school students.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 206 grants totaling $709,029. The grants ranged from $150 to $11,190, with a median of $4,000. The largest listed grant was $11,190 to Cecil O’Brate Family Scholarship Fund in Garden City, Kansas, for higher-education scholarships. Other listed awards included $5,000 scholarships to individual students, including two individual recipients. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 214 grants totaling $673,658.
The foundation’s 2024 filing says grant applications are completed online. It describes application materials as including an essay detailing the applicant’s immediate or emergency needs and the purpose of the requested aid. Financial need is verified through school free- or reduced-meal participation, tax returns showing income at the poverty level, or monthly income statements showing income at or below that level. The filing states that there were no restrictions on awards at that time and that decisions are based on need documented in individual applications.
The website says traditional scholarship applications open in January and are due by May 1. It describes screening in early May, interviews for applicants selected for a second round, and scholar notifications at the beginning of July. For Immediate Needs assistance, the website says applications open in early January and close December 1; an adult sponsor must start the application.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jennifer O’Brate, Mark O’Brate, Thomas M. Willis, Edward Condon, and Steve O’Brate as trustees.
O'Brate Foundation's 2025 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Edward Condon
Trustee
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer O'Brate
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark O'Brate
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve O'Brate
Trustee
Alternate → Trustee, 2020
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas M. Willis
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Johnson
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Cecil O'Brate (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Joseph L. Erskin (2019–2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 O'Brate Foundation
How much does O'Brate Foundation give each year?
O'Brate Foundation gave $674K across 214 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $709K across 206 grants.
What is O'Brate Foundation's typical grant size?
O'Brate Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $3,148, across 214 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does O'Brate Foundation give grants?
O'Brate Foundation gives mostly in Kansas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there.
Does O'Brate Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 214 grants with a stated purpose on O'Brate Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship for Higher Education" (214 grants).
How large is O'Brate Foundation?
O'Brate Foundation reported $72K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $949K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does O'Brate Foundation fund?
The foundation says it strives to improve opportunities for disadvantaged Kansas youth by helping with emergency needs, providing scholarships, and addressing obstacles to success. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from O'Brate Foundation?
O'Brate Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check obratefoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is O'Brate Foundation's EIN?
O'Brate Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-1631934. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 9, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 27, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work O'Brate Foundation funds
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Figures come from O'Brate 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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