The Owen Foundation

OMAHA, NE EIN: 47-6025298 Website

The Owen Foundation is a corporate foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska, established in 1961 as a corporate foundation of Owen Industries Inc. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private grantmaking organization with a primary focus on supporting families affected by autism and special needs within the community.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.5M

+22.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$553K

-42.8% YoY

Grant Count

+52.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$21K

-62.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Owen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $87K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission: To enrich the lives of children on the autism spectrum by providing essential local resources, education, and support to families navigating autism diagnosis and care.

Core Focus Areas:

Support for families with autism and other special abilities
Education and public awareness about autism
Fostering inclusiveness and community cohesion for autism families
Youth development and sports programs for children with special needs

The foundation's mission was inspired by founder Brina Dutton's son, Owen, who was diagnosed with autism in 2018 at age three. The foundation aims to equip parents and caretakers with tools and information to help their children thrive, while hosting sports camps and special events that welcome all children with autism and special needs.

Vision: To be recognized as a resource hub for autism and special needs within the community, with a commitment to education, inclusivity, and empowerment.

Grantmaking

Grant Types

** Charitable grants to various community organizations

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

Nebraska $2.3M (99%)

California $12K (1%)

Iowa $6K (0%)

Kansas $3K (0%)

Virginia $3K (0%)

Texas $1K (0%)

Wisconsin $1K (0%)

Missouri $500 (0%)

States

California Iowa Kansas Missouri Nebraska Texas Virginia Wisconsin

Cities

ArlingtonBellevueCarter LakeClintonDallasGrand IslandKansas CityMissions HillsOmahaPapillionSan DiegoSioux CenterSioux CityWahooWaverly

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of November 2023:

Total Assets: $1,227,022
Total Revenues: $32,181
Total Expenses: $911,029
Number of Employees: 0

Revenue Breakdown (FYE 11/2023):

Grants and contributions: $1,206
Investment income and dividends: $30,623
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $352

Address: PO Box 1085 Omaha, NE 68101

Contact: Telephone: 712-347-5500

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$1,498,466	$1,227,022	$1,618,370
Revenue	$1,069,188	$32,181	$394,974
Expenses	$562,744	$911,029	$304,882
Qualifying Distributions	$552,600	$904,405	$224,900
Net Investment Income	$384,044	$24,351	$216,492
Distributable Amount	$86,867	$86,887	$89,880

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

108 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Heart Ministry Center ($135,000), Lpif Foundation ($100,000), Holy Name School ($50,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AKSARBEN FOUNDATION OMAHA, NE	CHARITABLE	$33,250
AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION SAN DIEGO, CA	CHARITABLE	$5,000
BENSEN THEATRE OMAHA, NE	CHARITABLE	$1,000
BLUESTEM ROBOTICS INCORPORATED CLINTON, WI	CHARITABLE	$1,000
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA OMAHA, NE	CHARITABLE	$8,000
COMPLETELY KIDS GUILD OMAHA, NE	CHARITABLE	$1,500
CREIGHTON PREP HIGH SCHOOL OMAHA, NE	CHARITABLE	$5,000
CROHN'S & COLITIS FOUNDATION OMAHA, NE	CHARITABLE	$15,000
FRIENDS OF NEBRASKA PARKS OMAHA, NE	CHARITABLE	$12,500
HEART MINISTRY CENTER OMAHA, NE	CHARITABLE	$135,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Founder & Leadership:

Brina Dutton, founder and board member

The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors dedicated to building community support for autism families.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
ROBERT E OWEN	TRUSTEE - PR	0.5	—
TYLER R OWEN	TRUSTEE - PR	0.5	—
JAMES PFEFFER	TRUSTEE - SE	0.5	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Owen Foundation fund?

**Mission:** To enrich the lives of children on the autism spectrum by providing essential local resources, education, and support to families navigating autism diagnosis and care. **Core Focus Areas:** • Support for families with autism and other special abilities • Education and public awareness about autism • Fostering inclusiveness and community cohesion for autism families • Youth development and sports programs for children with special needs The foundation's mission was inspired by found…

How do I apply for a grant from The Owen Foundation?

**Recent Grant Activity (2023):** • Made 23 grants in the most recent fiscal year • Notable grants include: • Aksarben Foundation: $31,350 • Opera Omaha: $30,000 • Heart Ministry Center: $25,000 **Grant Types:** Charitable grants to various community organizations

What size grants does The Owen Foundation award?

In 2024, The Owen Foundation awarded 26 grants totaling $553K — an average of about $21K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Owen Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Owen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $87K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.