The Kroger CO Foundation
Looking for Kroger grants for nonprofits? The Kroger CO Foundation is Kroger's company-sponsored foundation, and this page covers the grants it reports to the IRS on Form 990-PF.
The Kroger Co. Foundation is a private foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Established in 1987, it aligns community grants with Kroger’s purpose to “Feed the Human Spirit” and supports nonprofit organizations working on hunger, community needs, education and economic opportunity, and disaster relief.
The Kroger CO Foundation at a glance
In short: The Kroger CO Foundation gave $4.8M across 253 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), top state District of Columbia. 41% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,766,434
- -31.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 253
- -17.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $18,840
- -16.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $111,434,488
- -2.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (100 of 245, 2025)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (15% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Kroger CO Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit a grant request through the foundation’s grants-management platform, including information about the organization and its charitable purpose and details of the request. The filing states that awards are restricted to 501(c)(3) organizations.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing states that grants are processed quarterly, with application deadlines in January, April, July, and October.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing states that grants are processed quarterly, with application deadlines in January, April, July, and…
- Contact
Application contact: Keith Dailey
Mailing address: 1014 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202-1100
Phone: (513) 762-1591
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Kroger CO Foundation
Who The Kroger CO Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American National Red Cross ($550K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,553 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,395 grants of 1,553 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its giving as supporting national, regional, and local nonprofit organizations across the country. In filing year 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Washington, D.C. (15%), Ohio (14%), Texas (7%), Colorado (7%), and California (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 253 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Kroger CO Foundation open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 100 of 245 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 32% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 63% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 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 (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 $4.8M (2025) to $16.2M (2021). In 2025 it made 253 grants totaling $4.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American National Red Cross Washington, DC | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $500,000 |
| United Way of Greater Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $250,000 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County Irvine, CA | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $150,000 |
| US United Inc Denver, CO | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $120,000 |
| Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana Indianapolis, IN | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $100,000 |
| US Hunger Longwood, FL | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $95,000 |
| Kansas Food Bank Warehouse Inc Wichita, KS | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $85,000 |
| Olive Crest Santa Ana, CA | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $80,000 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee Nashville, TN | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $80,000 |
| Congressional Hunger Center Washington, DC | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $75,684 |
Ready to take the next step with The Kroger CO Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Filing-year figures reported for the foundation:
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $111,434,488 | $3,338,016 | $5,939,588 | $4,766,434 | 253 | $5,509,359 | $3,221,866 | $5,992,326 |
| 2024 | $114,036,060 | $2,149,867 | $8,053,911 | $6,936,688 | 306 | $7,657,417 | $4,325,085 | $5,872,504 |
| 2023 | $119,937,604 | $-659,100 | $9,149,350 | $7,962,695 | 321 | $8,675,868 | $2,757,139 | $6,250,756 |
| 2022 | $129,746,054 | $11,177,456 | $13,769,456 | $12,717,500 | 298 | $13,315,024 | $6,849,422 | $6,623,371 |
| 2021 | $132,238,054 | $23,011,196 | $17,979,302 | $16,174,768 | 375 | — | $7,613,980 | $6,306,889 |
| 2020 | $127,155,668 | $21,957,132 | $11,155,612 | $10,454,811 | 460 | — | $20,546,907 | $5,845,469 |
| 2019 | $116,348,413 | $11,764,486 | $13,348,943 | $13,137,346 | 996 | — | $4,210,297 | $6,092,986 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kroger CO Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.0M 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
The foundation’s stated purpose is to align its community investments with Kroger’s “Feed the Human Spirit” purpose. Its website identifies support for organizations that provide meals, expand local economic and educational opportunities, and offer critical disaster relief. Its 2024 filing also describes grants for access to fresh, healthy food, health and nutrition, youth development and education, diversity and inclusion, and local grassroots organizations.
Examples of supported grantees illustrate the range of work involved. Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana describes its mission as improving equitable access to nutritious food and addressing conditions causing food insecurity. Olive Crest says it provides safe homes, counseling, and education for children and families in crisis. FareStart describes its work as transforming lives and nourishing communities through food, life skills, and job training.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 253 grants totaling $4,766,434. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $500,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Among the largest grants were $500,000 to the American National Red Cross, $250,000 to United Way of Greater Cincinnati, $150,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, $120,000 to US United Inc., and $100,000 to Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. The filing describes the purposes of these awards as supporting each organization’s charitable purpose.
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Grant requests must be submitted through the foundation’s grants-management process and include information about the organization, its charitable purpose, and the request. The filing states that grants are approved only for 501(c)(3) organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Keith Dailey as president and director; Jody Kalmbach, Colleen Lindholz, Tim Massa, and Laura Gump as directors; Colleen Lindholz as secretary and director; Tim Massa as vice president and director; Mafaz Maharoof as treasurer; and Patty Leesemann and Ali Berman as foundation program managers. It also lists Jamie Carr as foundation program manager and Patty Leesemann as executive director.
The Kroger CO Foundation is led by Patty Leesemann, Executive Director since 2024 (on filings since 2023); 3 of 9 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Patty Leesemann
Executive Director
Executive Director & Interim Treasurer → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
15 hrs/week
$51K (2023) → $224K (2025)
Keith Dailey
President & Director
President → President & Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Colleen Lindholz
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Jody Kalmbach
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Tim Massa
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Laura Gump
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Ali Berman
Foundation Program Manager
On filings since 2023
$101K (2023) → $3K (2025)
Jamie Carr
Foundation Program Manager
On filings since 2024
15 hrs/week
$115K (2025)
Mafaz Maharoof
Treasurer
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Former officers (9)
- Former: Sunny Reelhorn Parr (2019–2023) — Former Executive Director
- Former: Mandy Rassi (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Calvin J. Kaufman (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Cindy Holmes (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Kate Ward (2019–2021) — Former Director
- Former: Mark C. Tuffin (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Milen Mahadevan (2019–2021) — Former Director
- Former: Alex Tosolini (2019–2020) — Vice President
- Former: Jessica C. Adelman (2019–2020) — Past President
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 $224K, to Patty Leesemann (Executive Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Kroger CO Foundation
How much does The Kroger CO Foundation give each year?
The Kroger CO Foundation gave $4.8M across 253 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $6.9M across 306 grants.
What is The Kroger CO Foundation's typical grant size?
The Kroger CO Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $18,840, across 253 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Kroger CO Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does The Kroger CO Foundation give grants?
The Kroger CO Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 15% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Ohio (14%) and Texas (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (11 grants), Cincinnati, OH (8 grants), Denver, CO (8 grants) and Phoenix, AZ (8 grants).
Who are The Kroger CO Foundation's largest grantees?
The Kroger CO Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include American National Red Cross ($550,000 across 2 grants), United Way of Greater Cincinnati ($250,000) and Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County ($150,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Kroger CO Foundation?
The Kroger CO Foundation reported $111.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6.0M (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 The Kroger CO Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to align its community investments with Kroger’s “Feed the Human Spirit” purpose. Its website identifies support for organizations that provide meals, expand local economic and educational opportunities, and offer critical disaster relief. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Kroger CO Foundation?
Submit a grant request through the foundation’s grants-management platform, including information about the organization and its charitable purpose and details of the request. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Kroger CO Foundation's EIN?
The Kroger CO Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1192929. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Kroger give grants to nonprofits?
Yes. The Kroger CO Foundation, Kroger's company-sponsored foundation, awarded 253 grants totaling $4.8M in 2025, according to its IRS Form 990-PF. Kroger may also give through corporate programs that are not reported on the foundation's 990.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS November 8, 2021)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work The Kroger CO Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Kroger CO Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Kroger CO Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-kroger-co-foundation-morg_9abe0fba01d6407ca2321b8862220671
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311192929_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Kroger CO Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-kroger-co-foundation-morg_9abe0fba01d6407ca2321b8862220671},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. 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 The Kroger CO 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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