The Bruning Foundation
The Bruning Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1960 and located in Fort Myers, Florida. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization with a focus on supporting charitable causes through direct grants to nonprofit organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$801K
-1.7% YoY
Grant Count
90
+2.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-3.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary giving focuses on:
- Education
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation made 86 grants in 2024, with a total disbursement of approximately $679,500 across all grants made that year.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Fort Myers, Florida and appears to support organizations primarily in Florida and surrounding regions, with grantees including organizations in the Lakeland, Sanibel-Captiva, and Arvada areas.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 31, 2024:
- Total Assets: $18,469,427
- Total Revenues: $1,036,669
- Total Expenses: $1,131,124
- Investment Income and Dividends: $543,851
- Number of Employees: 0
Contact Information:
- Address: 4809 Laurel Lane, Fort Myers, FL 33908-2018
- Telephone: 847-736-7451
- EIN: 36-6068626
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ducks Unlimited ($50,000), Carmel High School ($45,000), Community Table Arvada ($24,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ASPEN ACADEMY SAVAGE, MN | EDUCATIONAL | $8,000 |
| BADGER HONOR FLIGHT MADISON, WI | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| BEAVER CREEK BIBLICAL STUDIES ALPHA, OH | RELIGOUS | $5,000 |
| BEEF 4 HUNGER LAKE FOREST, IL | CHARITABLE | $7,500 |
| BOSTON COLLEGE CHESTNUT HILL, MA | EDUCATIONAL | $1,500 |
| BRIDGING BIONICS FOUNDATION BASALT, CO | CHARITABLE | $12,000 |
| BROWN FAMILY YMCA PONTE VEDRA, FL | CHARITABLE | $21,000 |
| CAMP JORN MANITOWISH WATERS, WI | CHARITABLE | $3,000 |
| CAN-DO CANINES NEW HOPE, MN | CHARITABLE | $18,000 |
| CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL MUNDELEIN, IL | EDUCATIONAL | $45,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Trustees:
- Charles Bruning III
- Susan B Wulff
- Christian B Silge
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRACY S BRUNING | PRESIDENT/DI | — | — |
| KIMBERLY B DONAHUE | V.P./DIRECTO | — | — |
| CHRISTIAN B SILGE | TREASURER/DI | — | — |
| SUSAN B WULFF | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JEANNE B JOSEPH | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| CHARLES BRUNING IV | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JONATHAN P BRUNING | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Bruning Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary giving focuses on: • Education • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from The Bruning Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** The foundation made 86 grants in 2024, with a total disbursement of approximately $679,500 across all grants made that year. **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • North Lakeland Discovery Center: $69,000 • Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF): $45,000 • Community Table / The Arvada Community Food Bank: $24,500 • Winifred Morris Family Foundation: $3,000 The foundation also made approximately 59 additional grants totaling $541,000 in 2024.
Where does The Bruning Foundation make grants?
The foundation is based in Fort Myers, Florida and appears to support organizations primarily in Florida and surrounding regions, with grantees including organizations in the Lakeland, Sanibel-Captiva, and Arvada areas.
What size grants does The Bruning Foundation award?
In 2024, The Bruning Foundation awarded 90 grants totaling $801K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Bruning Foundation's EIN?
The Bruning Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6068626. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Bruning Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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