Robert Z Hawkins Foundation
The Robert Z Hawkins Foundation is a private foundation based in Reno, Nevada. Its 2024 filing lists grants for charitable purposes within, or directly related to, Nevada, including support for food distribution, scholarships, health, arts, and community programs.
Robert Z Hawkins Foundation at a glance
In short: Robert Z Hawkins Foundation gave $1.3M across 50 grants in 2024 (avg $26K), mostly in Nevada. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,321,805
- -5.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 50
- +16.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $26,436
- -18.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $16,933
- Total assets
- $15,977,330
- +0.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (10 of 50, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Nevada (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Robert Z Hawkins Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Solicitations must meet the foundation’s criteria for being charitable in nature and for a specific project or purpose. Awards must be exclusively for charitable purposes within, or directly related to, Nevada.
- Review Cycle
- No specific submission deadlines are in effect at present.
- Deadline
- No specific submission deadlines are in effect at present.
- Contact
Application contact: Robert Z Hawkins Foundation
Mailing address: One East Liberty Street Suite 509, Reno, NV 89501
Phone: (775) 786-1105
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert Z Hawkins Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Food Bank of Northern Nevada ($200K). Together the top 10 received $769K.
Grant Size Distribution
278 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 244 grants of 278 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s filing states that grants must be for charitable purposes within, or directly related to, Nevada. In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Nevada and 1% to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 50 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robert Z Hawkins Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 50 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 62% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−11%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2020) to $1.5M (2022). In 2024 it made 50 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Food Bank of Northern Nevada Sparks, NV | Core food distribution program and self initiated end of year grant. | $200,000 |
| 43 Nevada High School Scholarships Reno, NV | High School Scholarships | $136,000 |
| Renown Health Foundation Reno, NV | Nurse Tuituion Sponsorship | $102,000 |
| University of Nevada Reno School of Public Health Reno, NV | School of Public Health | $100,000 |
| Sky Tavern Jr Ski Program Reno, NV | Ski Scholarships | $50,000 |
| Note-Able Music Therapy Services Reno, NV | Operational Expenses | $45,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows Reno, NV | Life and Workforce Readiness Program | $40,500 |
| Artown Reno, NV | Monday Night Musical Series | $35,000 |
| Assistance League Reno-Sparks Reno, NV | Program support - opertaion school bell, senior food pantry, and students in transition | $30,000 |
| Desert Research Institute Reno, NV | Various Educational Giving Programs | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Robert Z Hawkins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $15,977,330 | $1,793,246 | $1,665,857 | $1,321,805 | 50 | $1,585,255 | $1,742,644 | $1,726,219 |
| 2023 | $15,849,941 | $1,758,065 | $1,731,620 | $1,399,115 | 43 | $1,659,879 | $1,708,656 | $1,671,690 |
| 2022 | $15,723,496 | $731,587 | $1,799,136 | $1,486,720 | 50 | $1,745,929 | $683,968 | $1,682,633 |
| 2021 | $16,776,045 | $747,787 | $1,706,519 | $1,481,130 | 76 | $1,660,491 | $714,526 | $1,688,668 |
| 2020 | $17,735,668 | $1,131,894 | $1,441,184 | $1,209,802 | 59 | — | $1,099,561 | $1,486,443 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert Z Hawkins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2024 — 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’s 2024 grants show support for organizations and projects in areas including food assistance, education, health, arts and culture, and youth and community services. For example, the Food Bank of Northern Nevada says its mission is “Feeding the hungry today and solving hunger for tomorrow through community partnership.” Renown Health Foundation says Renown Health works to improve the health and well-being of the people and communities it serves. ARTOWN says it seeks to strengthen Reno’s arts industry and enhance the region’s civic identity and cultural and economic vitality.
Other 2024 recipients describe their work as creating opportunities for people of all abilities through music (Note-Able Music Therapy Services), providing medical resources free of charge to people in need (Care Chest of Sierra Nevada), and presenting creative ideas as a cultural resource for the community (Nevada Museum of Art).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 50 grants totaling $1,321,805. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $200,000, with a median of $16,932.
Among the largest listed grants were $200,000 to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada for its core food distribution program and an end-of-year grant; $136,000 for 43 Nevada high school scholarships; $102,000 to Renown Health Foundation for nurse tuition sponsorship; and $100,000 to the University of Nevada Reno School of Public Health. Other awards included $50,000 to Sky Tavern Jr Ski Program for ski scholarships, $45,000 to Note-Able Music Therapy Services for operational expenses, and $40,500 to Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows for a life and workforce readiness program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Carolyn K Bernard as chairman and Bill A Ligon Jr, C David Russell, Michael Reed, and Michael Wallace as trustees.
Robert Z Hawkins Foundation is led by Carolyn K. Bernard, Chairman on every filing since 2020; all 5 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Carolyn K. Bernard
Chairman
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
$42K (2020) → $60K (2024)
Bill A. Ligon Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$26K (2020) → $45K (2024)
C. David Russell
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$26K (2020) → $45K (2024)
Michael Reed
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$26K (2020) → $45K (2024)
Michael Wallace
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$26K (2020) → $45K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $60K, to Carolyn K Bernard (Chairman). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Robert Z Hawkins Foundation
How much does Robert Z Hawkins Foundation give each year?
Robert Z Hawkins Foundation gave $1.3M across 50 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 43 grants.
What is Robert Z Hawkins Foundation's typical grant size?
Robert Z Hawkins Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $16,933, and its average grant was $26,436, across 50 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert Z Hawkins Foundation that year got $23K on average.
Where does Robert Z Hawkins Foundation give grants?
Robert Z Hawkins Foundation gives mostly in Nevada: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Reno, NV (40 grants), Sparks, NV (2 grants) and Yerington, NV (2 grants).
Does Robert Z Hawkins Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 8% of Robert Z Hawkins Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 50) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Robert Z Hawkins Foundation's largest grantees?
Robert Z Hawkins Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Food Bank of Northern Nevada ($200,000), 43 Nevada High School Scholarships ($136,000) and Renown Health Foundation ($102,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Robert Z Hawkins Foundation?
Robert Z Hawkins Foundation reported $16.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.7M (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 Robert Z Hawkins Foundation fund?
The foundation’s 2024 grants show support for organizations and projects in areas including food assistance, education, health, arts and culture, and youth and community services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert Z Hawkins Foundation?
Solicitations must meet the foundation’s criteria for being charitable in nature and for a specific project or purpose. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Robert Z Hawkins Foundation's EIN?
Robert Z Hawkins Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-0162645. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robert Z Hawkins Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-z-hawkins-foundation-morg_ee3457ad172c4c319b7e24779848a9f3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_880162645_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert Z Hawkins Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-z-hawkins-foundation-morg_ee3457ad172c4c319b7e24779848a9f3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Robert Z Hawkins 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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