Richard Brooke Foundation
The Richard Brooke Foundation is a private foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including animal welfare, health care, education, food access, and the arts.
Richard Brooke Foundation at a glance
In short: Richard Brooke Foundation gave $6.7M across 66 grants in 2025 (avg $102K), mostly in Nebraska. 4% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,707,700
- +23.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 66
- -2.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $101,632
- +27.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $80,000
- Total assets
- $34,916,820
- -5.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (2 of 52, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (77% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Richard Brooke Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 17310 Wright St 202, Omaha, NE 68130
Phone: (402) 973-3030
Website: https://www.richardbrooke.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Richard Brooke Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Nebraska Humane Society ($1.2M across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $3.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
290 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 113 grants of 290 (39%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars were distributed as follows by recipient state: Nebraska, 77%; California, 17%; Iowa, 5%; and Colorado, 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 66 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Richard Brooke Foundation open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 52 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $38K; repeat grants $128K. How we count
Medians: $38K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 96% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 50% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.5M (2020) to $6.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 66 grants totaling $6.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Humane Society Omaha, NE | Pet Wellness Center | $1,000,000 |
| Oneworld Community Health Centers Inc Omaha, NE | Behavioral Health and Workforce Training Center Capital Campaign | $300,000 |
| College of the Desert Foundation Palm Desert, CA | Pledge Scholarship Program | $200,000 |
| Camp Fosterymca of the Okobojis Spirit Lake, IA | Employee Scholarships/Bonuses | $182,500 |
| Food in Need of Distribution Inc (DBA Find Food Bank) Indio, CA | Mobile Markets | $175,000 |
| American Midwest Ballet Council Bluffs, IA | General Operating Support | $150,000 |
| Assistance Lengue of Omaha Omaha, NE | Operation School Bell | $150,000 |
| Avenue Scholers Foundation Omaha, NE | General Operating Support | $150,000 |
| Food Bank for the Heartland Omaha, NE | School Based Mobile Pantries | $150,000 |
| Living Desert Palm Desert, CA | Field Trip Program | $150,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Richard Brooke Foundation?
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 | $34,916,820 | $5,161,924 | $7,043,928 | $6,707,700 | 66 | $6,707,700 | $4,468,489 | $6,716,611 |
| 2024 | $36,904,072 | $4,757,833 | $5,742,557 | $5,432,200 | 68 | $5,432,200 | $4,757,833 | $6,030,694 |
| 2023 | $37,888,591 | $3,072,395 | $4,864,766 | $4,554,302 | 47 | $4,554,302 | $3,072,395 | $5,029,888 |
| 2022 | $39,680,721 | $3,121,462 | $4,779,141 | $4,472,954 | 52 | $4,472,954 | $3,121,462 | $4,778,234 |
| 2021 | $41,341,038 | $2,377,190 | $6,968,245 | $6,699,143 | 57 | $6,699,143 | $2,377,190 | $4,553,559 |
| 2020 | $44,949,642 | $275,011 | $3,753,038 | $3,501,575 | 56 | — | $275,011 | $3,716,234 |
| 2019 | $48,428,171 | $383,138 | $4,448,697 | $4,206,834 | 62 | — | $151,526 | $3,933,642 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Richard Brooke Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.7M 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations including the Nebraska Humane Society, whose mission is to protect, save, and enrich animals’ lives; OneWorld Community Health Centers, which partners with its community to provide access to quality health care; and Food Bank for the Heartland, which works to eliminate hunger through access to healthy foods.
Other 2025 grantees include College of the Desert Foundation, which advances education at the college through philanthropic support, and Omaha Conservatory of Music, which builds a diverse musical community through education and performance.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 66 grants totaling $6,707,700. Grant amounts ranged from $15,000 to $1,000,000, with a median of $80,000.
The largest 2025 grant was $1,000,000 to the Nebraska Humane Society for a Pet Wellness Center. Other large grants included $300,000 to OneWorld Community Health Centers for its Behavioral Health and Workforce Training Center capital campaign; $200,000 to College of the Desert Foundation for its Pledge Scholarship Program; and $182,500 to Camp Foster YMCA of the Okobojis for employee scholarships and bonuses. Food Bank for the Heartland received $150,000 for school-based mobile pantries, and Northstar Foundation received $125,000 in general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Melinda Drickey as Executive Director and Treasurer, Neal Drickey as Secretary, Anne Drickey as President, and Robert Drickey as Vice President.
Richard Brooke Foundation is led by Melinda Drickey, Executive Director & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Melinda Drickey
Executive Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$127K (2019) → $168K (2025)
Anne Drickey
President
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Neal Drickey
Secretary
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Drickey
Vice President
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $168K, to Melinda Drickey (Executive Director & Treas).
Frequently asked questions about Richard Brooke Foundation
How much does Richard Brooke Foundation give each year?
Richard Brooke Foundation gave $6.7M across 66 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $5.4M across 68 grants.
What is Richard Brooke Foundation's typical grant size?
Richard Brooke Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $80,000, and its average grant was $101,632, across 66 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Richard Brooke Foundation that year got $38K on average.
Where does Richard Brooke Foundation give grants?
Richard Brooke Foundation gives mostly in Nebraska: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Omaha, NE (45 grants), Palm Desert, CA (5 grants), Lincoln, NE (3 grants) and Joshua Tree, CA (2 grants).
Does Richard Brooke Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 36% of Richard Brooke Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 66) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Richard Brooke Foundation's largest grantees?
Richard Brooke Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Nebraska Humane Society ($1,200,000 across 4 grants), Oneworld Community Health Centers Inc ($600,000 across 4 grants) and College of the Desert Foundation ($200,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Richard Brooke Foundation?
Richard Brooke Foundation reported $34.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Richard Brooke Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Richard Brooke Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Richard Brooke Foundation's EIN?
Richard Brooke Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-2497511. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Richard Brooke Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 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
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 31, 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 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 24, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Richard Brooke Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/richard-brooke-foundation-morg_6ed5a03b26e140a8ba9fcc99c472c6ff
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_472497511_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Richard Brooke Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/richard-brooke-foundation-morg_6ed5a03b26e140a8ba9fcc99c472c6ff},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Richard Brooke 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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