Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation

RENO, NV EIN: 88-0346537

The Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation is an independent private foundation established in 1996 and based in Reno, Nevada. The foundation supports nonprofit organizations primarily in Nevada, with emphasis on the Las Vegas and Reno areas.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$19.5M

+32.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$869K

+16.6% YoY

Grant Count

+80.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$32K

-35.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation reported a distributable amount of $810K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary purpose is giving for programs that can be shown to benefit children. Additional areas of interest include:

Human services
Health
Education
Arts and culture

Grantmaking

The foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to Junior Achievement of Northern Nevada in 2024 for the Biztown Campus project. The foundation also made a significant donation of the LOVE sculpture—a one-ton welded aluminum artwork with 10-foot tall letters—to Renown Regional Medical Center in 2020.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports nonprofit organizations in Nevada, with particular emphasis on the Las Vegas and Reno areas.

Grant Distribution by State

Nevada $3.8M (94%)

California $170K (4%)

New Mexico $30K (1%)

New York $25K (1%)

States

California New Mexico Nevada New York

Cities

BakerCarson CityFallonHendersonLas VegasNew YorkRenoSacramentoSan FranciscoSanta FeSanta MonicaSparksStatelineTahoe CityWadsworth

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$19,508,411	$14,764,687	$15,515,754
Revenue	$740,489	$386,911	$785,134
Expenses	$1,173,439	$1,137,978	$1,237,573
Qualifying Distributions	$1,063,176	$813,830	$904,135
Net Investment Income	$626,765	$62,298	$511,672
Distributable Amount	$810,484	$909,568	$939,273

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

115 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Junior Achievement of Northern Nevada Inc ($100,000), Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada ($100,000), Nevada Museum of Art ($100,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AFTER-SCHOOL ALL-STARS GREATER LAS VEGAS LAS VEGAS, NV	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$10,000
ANGEL FLIGHT WEST INC SANTA MONICA, CA	WINGS OVER NEVADA PROGRAMS	$5,000
ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION INC SAN FRANCISCO, CA	JUVENILE ARTHRITIS PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES IN RENO, NV	$10,000
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF NORTHERN NEVADA RENO, NV	TO SUPPORT ONE-TO-ONE COMMUNITY-BASED MENTORING PROGRAM	$10,000
CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION LAS VEGAS, NV	NEVADA EXPLORATORY ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH CENTER	$25,000
CRISTO REY ST VIATOR LAS VEGAS LAS VEGAS, NV	CORPORATE WORK STUDY PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2024-2025	$34,000
DISCOVERY CHILDREN'S MUSEUM LAS VEGAS, NV	OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE DISCOVERY LAB	$25,000
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCE CENTER RENO, NV	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$10,000
GIRLS ON THE RUN SIERRAS RENO, NV	SPONSOR 30 GIRLS FOR 10-WK AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM	$5,000
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF NORTHERN NEVADA INC RENO, NV	BIZTOWN CAMPUS	$100,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Michael J. Melarkey is listed as a Trustee of the foundation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
G BLAKE SMITH	PRESIDENT	16	$60,000
G BLAKE SMITH II	VICE PRESIDENT	14	$50,000
MICHAEL J MELARKEY	SECRETARY	14	$50,000
TIMOTHY CASHMAN	TREASURER	14	$50,000

Contact Information

Address: 165 W Liberty Street, Suite 200 Reno, NV 89501-2902

Phone: 775-742-3127

EIN: 88-0346537

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation fund?

The foundation's primary purpose is giving for programs that can be shown to benefit children. Additional areas of interest include: • Human services • Health • Education • Arts and culture

How do I apply for a grant from Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation?

**Types of Support:** • General support • Project support • Building funds • Equipment • Technology **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to Junior Achievement of Northern Nevada in 2024 for the Biztown Campus project. The foundation also made a significant donation of the LOVE sculpture—a one-ton welded aluminum artwork with 10-foot tall letters—to Renown Regional Medical Center in 2020.

Where does Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation make grants?

The foundation supports nonprofit organizations in Nevada, with particular emphasis on the Las Vegas and Reno areas.

What size grants does Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation award?

In 2024, Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation awarded 27 grants totaling $869K — an average of about $32K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation reported a distributable amount of $810K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation's EIN?

Robert S & Dorothy J Keyser Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-0346537. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.