The Robert S & Grayce B Kerr Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1986 and based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The foundation operates with a focus on supporting organizations aligned with its specific philanthropic interests across multiple states, with particular emphasis on the American West region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$22.9M
+15.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
-29.6% YoY
Grant Count
12
-55.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$85K
+58.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert S & Grayce B Kerr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports grantmaking in the following primary areas:
- Arts and Culture — particularly museums and organizations focused on the American West
- Environmental and Wildlife Conservation
- Education
- Human Services
- Equine Rescue and Care
Arts and culture have historically represented the foundation's largest giving area, with particular interest in museum support.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 34 grants in 2023, with total giving of $1,025,000. Notable recent grants include:
Grant Range
$8,000
Average Grant
amount: approximately $57,500
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary funding areas include:
- Oklahoma (strong priority)
- Wyoming (strong priority)
- Virginia
While Oklahoma and Wyoming are the main sites of the foundation's giving, some grants support organizations in other states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2023-2024):
- Total Assets: $22,863,266
- Total Annual Giving: $1,025,000
- Total Revenues: $1,071,264 (2023)
- Total Expenses: $1,998,244 (2023)
- Number of Employees: 1
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $22,863,266 | $19,752,974 | $19,876,921 |
| Revenue | $4,514,224 | $1,071,264 | $1,950,712 |
| Expenses | $1,524,164 | $1,998,244 | $2,098,860 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,322,628 | $1,784,675 | $1,884,410 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,309,631 | $403,268 | $1,766,140 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,599,121 | $1,627,614 | $1,695,494 |
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
132 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Nexus Equine ($241,000), National Museum of Wildlife Art ($195,000), Make-a-wish Oklahoma ($172,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CHILDREN'S LEARNING CENTER JACKSON HOLE, WY | GENERAL OPERATING FUND | $15,000 |
| CLIMB - WYOMING CHEYENNE, WY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| COMMUNITY SAFETY NETWORK JACKSON HOLE, WY | GENERAL OPERATING FUND | $15,000 |
| MAKE-A-WISH OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | GENERAL OPERATING FUND | $172,000 |
| NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WILDLIFE ART JACKSON HOLE, WY | ART GIFT TO MUSEUM | $195,000 |
| NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WILDLIFE ART JACKSON HOLE, WY | GRANT FOR CARL RUNGIUS CATALOGUE RAISONNE (9 YEAR PLEDGE) | $140,000 |
| NEXUS EQUINE OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | GENERAL OPERATING FUND | $241,000 |
| TETON COUNTY LIBRARY JACKSON HOLE, WY | GENERAL OPERATING FUND | $15,000 |
| TETON YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES JACKSON HOLE, WY | GENERAL OPERATING FUND | $15,000 |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY MERRIFIELD, VA | GRANT FOR GENERAL OPERATING FUND IN MEMORY OF BILL & JOFFA KERR | $172,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key foundation personnel include:
- Kavar Kerr — Foundation President
- William G Kerr — Chairman
- Mara Kerr — Secretary/Treasurer
- Joarthur G Kerr — Director
The foundation is operated by Kerr family members. Robert S. Kerr, the foundation's namesake, was a businessman who founded a petroleum company and served as a U.S. Senator from Oklahoma.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRAYCEN MASHBURN | INTERIM PRESIDENT | 10 | $27,083 |
| MARA KERR | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 30 | $54,167 |
| NANCY KERR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, has received ongoing substantial support from the foundation, with recent annual awards exceeding $1 million. The foundation has also provided support to organizations including the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, and the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City.
Focus to Continue on Oklahoma Programs Kerr Foundation to Split Four WaysThe foundation maintains a low public profile with limited publicly available information about specific grantmaking goals and priorities.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Robert S & Grayce B Kerr Foundation fund?
The foundation supports grantmaking in the following primary areas: • **Arts and Culture** — particularly museums and organizations focused on the American West • **Environmental and Wildlife Conservation** • **Education** • **Human Services** • **Equine Rescue and Care** Arts and culture have historically represented the foundation's largest giving area, with particular interest in museum support.
How do I apply for a grant from Robert S & Grayce B Kerr Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $1,000–$1,227,000 • Average grant amount: approximately $57,500 • Median grant size: $8,000 • Grant types include general operating support, capital campaigns, and program-specific funding **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made 34 grants in 2023, with total giving of $1,025,000. Notable recent grants include: • National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States: $1,000,000 (art gift to museum) • National Museum of Wildlife Art of the U…
Where does Robert S & Grayce B Kerr Foundation make grants?
Primary funding areas include: • **Oklahoma** (strong priority) • **Wyoming** (strong priority) • **Virginia** While Oklahoma and Wyoming are the main sites of the foundation's giving, some grants support organizations in other states.
What size grants does Robert S & Grayce B Kerr Foundation award?
In 2024, Robert S & Grayce B Kerr Foundation awarded 12 grants totaling $1.0M — an average of about $85K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Robert S & Grayce B Kerr Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Robert S & Grayce B Kerr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Robert S & Grayce B Kerr Foundation's EIN?
Robert S & Grayce B Kerr Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 73-1256123. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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