The MBK Foundation
The MBK Foundation is a private foundation based in Castro Valley, California. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including ALS research, student internships and scholarships, music education, services for special operations forces, counseling, and conservation.
The MBK Foundation at a glance
In short: The MBK Foundation gave $100K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), top state Arizona. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $100,000
- -9.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- -8.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,762
- -0.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $1,843,277
- +5.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (31% 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 MBK Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 20885 Redwood Road 305, Castro Valley, CA 94546
Phone: (510) 865-0860
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The MBK Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Arizona - BIO5 Keys Internship Program ($20K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $83K.
Grant Size Distribution
118 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 118 grants of 118 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Arizona (31%), Massachusetts (18%), Montana (16%), California (14%), and Colorado (13%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The MBK Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 20 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. How we count
- 95% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 22% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $82K (2020) to $128K (2022). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $100K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALS Therapy Development Institute Watertown, MA | Donation to support research of effective treatments for als (lou gehrig's) disease. | $18,000 |
| University of Arizona - BIO5 Keys Internship Program Tucson, AZ | Donation to Support Summer Internship Program for Students. | $15,000 |
| Education Through Music Colorado Denver, CO | Donation to Support Music Programs to Underserved Communities. | $10,800 |
| Big Sky Bravery Belgrade, MT | Donation to support post deployment decompression programs for special ops forces. | $6,400 |
| The Campanile Foundation San Diego, CA | Donation to Support Naval Rotc Scholarships. | $6,000 |
| University of Arizona - BIO5 Keys Internship Program Tucson, AZ | Donation to Support Summer Internship Program for Students. | $5,000 |
| University of Arizona - College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Tucson, AZ | Donation to Support Manzo School Garden Program. | $5,000 |
| University of San Diego Accounting Devel Fund San Diego, CA | Donation to Support Accounting Dept Scholarships. | $5,000 |
| Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Oro Valley, AZ | Donation to Support Educaitonal Scholarships and Grants. | $4,400 |
| Yellowstone Forever Bozeman, MT | Donation to protect, preserve and enhance yellowstone national park. | $4,400 |
Ready to take the next step with The MBK 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,843,277 | $206,034 | $110,829 | $100,000 | 21 | $100,000 | $197,289 | $102,624 |
| 2024 | $1,748,072 | $128,545 | $119,165 | $110,000 | 23 | $110,000 | $119,451 | $97,710 |
| 2023 | $1,738,692 | $43,178 | $110,676 | $101,850 | 20 | $101,850 | $34,502 | $90,020 |
| 2022 | $1,806,190 | $61,861 | $143,219 | $128,000 | 27 | $128,000 | $52,171 | $91,536 |
| 2021 | $1,887,548 | $253,891 | $93,107 | $83,250 | 27 | $83,250 | $244,059 | $101,194 |
| 2020 | $1,726,764 | $52,268 | $89,648 | $81,500 | 21 | — | $44,175 | $86,696 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The MBK Foundation reported a distributable amount of $103K 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 filings do not state a mission. Its grants show support for organizations and programs in several areas. For example, the ALS Therapy Development Institute received funding to support research into effective ALS treatments, and Education Through Music Colorado received funding for music programs in underserved communities. The University of Arizona’s BIO5 KEYS Internship Program received grants to support summer internships for students; other education-related grants supported scholarships, a school garden program, and a charter school.
Some of the grantees describe their own missions as follows: Yellowstone Forever says it supports Yellowstone National Park through philanthropic and educational initiatives. Shanel Valley Academy describes itself as a culturally responsive community school working to restore education in the Hopland community. The Campanile Foundation says it provides San Diego State University with community expertise, oversight, and advocacy to increase private giving and manage the university’s philanthropic assets.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 21 grants totaling $100,000. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $18,000, with a median of $3,000. The largest grants included $18,000 to the ALS Therapy Development Institute, $15,000 to the University of Arizona’s BIO5 KEYS Internship Program, and $10,800 to Education Through Music Colorado. Other grants included $6,400 to Big Sky Bravery for post-deployment decompression programs for special operations forces and $6,000 to The Campanile Foundation for Naval ROTC scholarships.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James M. Keating as CEO and director; Thomas D. Keating as secretary and director; Kendra C. Keating as CFO and director; and Irene M. Keating and Thomas W. Keating as directors.
The MBK Foundation is led by James M. Keating, CEO & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James M. Keating
CEO & Director
Vice President, Assistant Secretary & Director → CEO & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Irene M. Keating
Director
Vice President & Director → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kendra C. Keating
CFO & Director
CFO, Vice President & Director → CFO & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas W. Keating
Secretary, Director & Director
CEO, Director, Vice President, Assistant Secretary & Director → Assistant Secretary, Director, CEO & Director, 2024
Assistant Secretary, Director, CEO & Director → Secretary, Director & Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The MBK Foundation
How much does The MBK Foundation give each year?
The MBK Foundation gave $100K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $110K across 23 grants.
What is The MBK Foundation's typical grant size?
The MBK Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $4,762, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The MBK Foundation give grants?
The MBK Foundation's top state is Arizona, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (18%) and Montana (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tucson, AZ (6 grants), Bozeman, MT (3 grants), Denver, CO (2 grants) and San Diego, CA (2 grants).
Does The MBK Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on The MBK Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The MBK Foundation's largest grantees?
The MBK Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of Arizona - BIO5 Keys Internship Program ($20,000 across 2 grants), ALS Therapy Development Institute ($18,000) and Education Through Music Colorado ($10,800), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The MBK Foundation?
The MBK Foundation reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $100K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $103K (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 MBK Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filings do not state a mission. Its grants show support for organizations and programs in several areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The MBK Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The MBK Foundation's EIN?
The MBK Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3163451. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The MBK Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 18, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The MBK Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The MBK Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mbk-foundation-morg_3fb77ce2fdf846beba91f79738653c60
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943163451_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The MBK Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mbk-foundation-morg_3fb77ce2fdf846beba91f79738653c60},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 MBK 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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