The Okavango Private Foundation
The Okavango Private Foundation is a private foundation based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Started by the Keefe family, it supports work to restore and protect the health of the planet, including its animals and people, through ocean and waterway conservation, wildlife and animal protection, and mental health advancements.
The Okavango Private Foundation at a glance
In short: The Okavango Private Foundation gave $380K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), top state North Carolina. 50% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $379,600
- -6.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- +21.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,557
- -23.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $9,687,259
- -0.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (10 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (41% 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 Okavango Private 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. Its website invites nonprofits to contact the foundation to learn about its donation process.
- Contact
Mailing address: 6820 Creek Wood Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Phone: (919) 302-1211
Website: HTTPS://OKAVANGO-FOUNDATION.COM/
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Okavango Private Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Best Friends Animal Society ($90K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $315K.
Grant Size Distribution
83 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 73 grants of 83 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, North Carolina recipients received 41% of grant dollars, Utah 24%, New York 20%, California 7%, and Virginia 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Okavango Private Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 20 grantees (50%) 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. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 1708% 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 (2022–2025). 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 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $21K (2022) to $465K (2023). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $380K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Best Friends Animal Society Kanab, UT | Support Sanctuary for Homeless Animals | $85,000 |
| American Friends of the Ocean Cleanup Foundation New York, NY | Preserve and protect the natural ocean environment for the benefit of the public | $50,000 |
| Duke University Durham, NC | General | $50,000 |
| Beautiful Together Chapel Hill, NC | Support rescue of animals who have been abused, neglected or abandoned | $25,000 |
| Siembra NC Greensboro, NC | General | $25,000 |
| The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA Inc Laguna Hills, CA | Support the Rehabilitation and Rescue of Orphaned Elephants | $15,000 |
| ACLU New York, NY | General | $10,000 |
| Beautiful Together Chapel Hill, NC | Support rescue of animals who have been abused, neglected or abandoned | $10,000 |
| National Alliance on Mental Illness Durham, NC | General | $10,000 |
| National Immigrant Justice Center Chicago, IL | General | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Okavango Private 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 | $9,687,259 | $410,724 | $483,372 | $379,600 | 28 | $444,167 | $378,831 | $482,629 |
| 2024 | $9,759,907 | $508,468 | $520,951 | $406,375 | 23 | $475,905 | $475,672 | $482,189 |
| 2023 | $9,773,523 | $461,264 | $569,447 | $464,800 | 27 | $547,020 | $439,302 | $488,012 |
| 2022 | $9,880,573 | $-61,091 | $58,391 | $21,000 | 5 | $46,553 | $30,018 | $489,332 |
| 2021 | $10,000,055 | $10,008,351 | $8,296 | — | — | $8,296 | $55 | $21,590 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Okavango Private Foundation reported a distributable amount of $483K 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 mission is “to restore and protect the health of the planet, including the animals and humans who call this world home.” Its three initiatives are ocean and waterway conservation (“Blue”), wildlife and animal protection (“Green”), and mental health advancements (“Gray”). The foundation says it funds research and restoration, supports shelters and sanctuaries, and backs research on the causes of severe mental illness and new treatments.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. Best Friends Animal Society describes its mission as working toward a time when there are no more homeless pets through exemplary animal care and community programs. Beautiful Together says it rescues abused, neglected, or abandoned animals and connects animals in need with children in foster care, at-risk situations, or underserved communities. The Haw River Assembly says it works to protect local waters through advocacy, education, monitoring, and cleanups. Other 2025 grantees included the Southern Environmental Law Center, which describes its work as protecting clean air, clean water, a livable climate, and the region’s natural resources, and Siembra NC, which describes itself as a grassroots organization defending communities from abusive employers and landlords.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $379,600. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $85,000, with a median of $5,000. Notable grants included $85,000 to Best Friends Animal Society for support of its sanctuary for homeless animals; $50,000 each to the American Friends of the Ocean Cleanup Foundation for ocean protection and Duke University for general support; and $25,000 each to Beautiful Together for animal rescue and Siembra NC for general support. Other grants included $15,000 to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA for the rehabilitation and rescue of orphaned elephants and $10,000 to the National Alliance on Mental Illness for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Caren Gadigian-Keefe as President and Secretary and Richard Keefe as Vice President and Treasurer. The foundation’s website identifies Caren Gadigian Keefe as Founder and President and Richard Keefe, PhD, as Founder and Vice-President.
The Okavango Private Foundation is led by Caren Gadigian-Keefe, President & Secretary on every filing since 2024; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Caren Gadigian-Keefe
President & Secretary
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Keefe
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Caren Gadigian (2021–2023) — President & Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Okavango Private Foundation
How much does The Okavango Private Foundation give each year?
The Okavango Private Foundation gave $380K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $406K across 23 grants.
What is The Okavango Private Foundation's typical grant size?
The Okavango Private Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $13,557, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Okavango Private Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does The Okavango Private Foundation give grants?
The Okavango Private Foundation's top state is North Carolina, with 41% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Utah (24%) and New York (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants), Chapel Hill, NC (3 grants), Kanab, UT (2 grants) and Durham, NC (2 grants).
Does The Okavango Private Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 36% of The Okavango Private Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 28) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Okavango Private Foundation's largest grantees?
The Okavango Private Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Best Friends Animal Society ($90,000 across 2 grants), American Friends of the Ocean Cleanup Foundation ($50,000) and Duke University ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Okavango Private Foundation?
The Okavango Private Foundation reported $9.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $444K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $483K (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 Okavango Private Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is “to restore and protect the health of the planet, including the animals and humans who call this world home.” Its three initiatives are ocean and waterway conservation (“Blue”), wildlife and animal protection (“Green”), and mental health advancements (“Gray”). See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Okavango Private Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Okavango Private Foundation's EIN?
The Okavango Private Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-3799447. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Okavango Private 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Okavango Private Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Okavango Private Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-okavango-private-foundation-morg_dbb232b202734f43b126425ac347178c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_873799447_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Okavango Private Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-okavango-private-foundation-morg_dbb232b202734f43b126425ac347178c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Okavango Private 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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