The Soener Foundation
The Soener Foundation is a private family foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska. Established in 1988, it operates as a grantmaking organization focused on supporting education, health, and Catholic organizations.
Key facts about The Soener Foundation
- EIN
- 36-3608622
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $462,450
- Grants made (2024)
- 55
- Average grant
- $8,408
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 67% first-time grantees (37 of 55, 2024)
- Total assets
- $1,103,359
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (46% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Soener Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Soener Foundation's 55 itemized 2024 grants were Nebraska (46%), Minnesota (20%) and Missouri (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Omaha, NE (27 grants), Mason City, IA (6 grants), St Paul, MN (5 grants) and St Louis, MO (2 grants). None of its 55 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (55 grants).
Is The Soener Foundation open to new grantees?
67%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 37 of 55 grantees (67%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 31% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 80% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 115% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Soener Foundation
- How to evaluate The Soener Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.1M
+6.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$462K
-35.5% YoY
Grant Count
55
+34.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
-51.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Soener Foundation reported a distributable amount of $401K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Education
- Health
- Catholic organizations
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
The foundation primarily directs its support to organizations in Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa.
Grantmaking
Average Grant
amount data available from recent filings
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in:
- Nebraska (primary focus)
- Minnesota
- Iowa
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 55 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (as of 2024):
- Total assets: $1,103,359
- Total giving: $462,450
- Tax-exempt status: Recognized since December 1988
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,103,359 | $1,041,074 | $1,242,029 |
| Revenue | $696,452 | $514,920 | $78,242 |
| Expenses | $465,795 | $719,761 | $256,741 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $462,450 | $716,605 | $255,300 |
| Net Investment Income | $696,452 | $514,420 | $77,047 |
| Distributable Amount | $400,871 | $265,836 | $235,637 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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
249 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Duchese Sacred Heart Academy ($35,000), Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation ($35,000), Boys Town Suicide Hotline ($30,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DUCHESE SACRED HEART ACADEMY Omaha, NE | CHARITABLE | $35,000 |
| HAZELDEN BETTY FORD FOUNDATION Center City, MN | CHARITABLE | $35,000 |
| BOYS TOWN SUICIDE HOTLINE Boys Town, NE | CHARITABLE | $30,000 |
| VALLEY HOPE BOONVILLE CHAPTER Norton, KS | CHARITABLE | $25,000 |
| KENNICK GLENNON SEMINARY St Louis, MO | CHARITABLE | $23,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MN CANCER RESEARCH FUND Minneapolis, MN | CHARITABLE | $22,500 |
| EPIPHANY PARISH Mason City, IA | CHARITABLE | $22,000 |
| OUR LADY OF PILLAR CHURCH St Louis, MO | CHARITABLE | $21,000 |
| CREIGHTON PREP SCHOOL Omaha, NE | CHARITABLE | $20,450 |
| MAKE A WISH NE Omaha, NE | CHARITABLE | $18,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nancy Ann Soener | President | — | $1,500 |
| Thomas Soener | Treasurer | — | — |
| Robert J Soener | Director | — | — |
| Beth Soener O'Connor | Director | — | — |
| Joan Soener Wilson | Secretary | — | — |
| Peter Joseph Soener | Director | — | — |
| Joesph Soener | Director | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: 602 S 67th Street Omaha, NE 68106-1103
Telephone: 402-707-6886
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Soener Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Education • Health • Catholic organizations • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services The foundation primarily directs its support to organizations in Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa.
How do I apply for a grant from The Soener Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** • Typical awards range from $300 to $513,000 • Average grant amount data available from recent filings **Recent Activity:** • Total giving in the most recent fiscal year (2024): $462,450 • The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program, though specific application procedures are not detailed in available sources
Where does The Soener Foundation make grants?
The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in: • Nebraska (primary focus) • Minnesota • Iowa
What size grants does The Soener Foundation award?
In 2024, The Soener Foundation awarded 55 grants totaling $462K — an average of about $8K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Soener Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Soener Foundation reported a distributable amount of $401K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Soener Foundation's EIN?
The Soener Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3608622. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.