Weitz Family Foundation
The Weitz Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska, founded in 2000 by Barbara and Wally Weitz. It supports nonprofit partners working across arts, education, health, human services, and public and societal benefit, with an emphasis on equity, racial justice, and systemic change.
Weitz Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Weitz Family Foundation gave $19.4M across 171 grants in 2025 (avg $113K), mostly in Nebraska. 21% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $19,406,088
- +24.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 171
- +2.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $113,486
- +21.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $19,576,399
- -7.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (36 of 168, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (96% 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 Weitz Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The website describes applications opening in July and closing at the end of August, followed by review, board consideration in November, and applicant notifications by mid-December. The 2026 application deadline has passed. The foundation’s filing states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Review Cycle
- Applications close at the end of August; the 2026 cycle deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- Applications close at the end of August; the 2026 cycle deadline has passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3555 Farnam Street, Omaha, NE 68131
Phone: (402) 391-1980
Website: https://weitzfamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Weitz Family Foundation
Beloved Community Grant
Weitz Family Foundation
Amount
Up to US $20,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Weitz Fellows Grant
Weitz Family Foundation
Amount
US $56,500
Deadline
Deadline not published
WFF Capacity Building Grants
Weitz Family Foundation
Amount
More than US $21,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Weitz Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law ($607K). Together the top 10 received $5.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
837 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 430 grants of 837 (51%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes a commitment to Omaha and invites Omaha nonprofits to apply to its Beloved Community portfolio. Its 2025 grants were concentrated in Nebraska, which received 96% of grant dollars. Illinois, Minnesota, and North Carolina each received 1%; California received 0% as reported.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 171 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Weitz Family Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 36 of 168 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $110K; repeat grants $117K. How we count
Medians: $40K first-time, $60K repeat.
- 71% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 34% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 355% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $10.9M (2020) to $19.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 171 grants totaling $19.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law Omaha, NE | General Operating | $606,500 |
| Nebraska Civic Engagement Table Lincoln, NE | General Operating | $531,500 |
| Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement Omaha, NE | General Operating | $530,000 |
| Nebraska Forward Omaha, NE | General Operating | $500,000 |
| Southside Redevelopment Corporation Omaha, NE | General Operating | $500,000 |
| Seventy Five North Revitalization Corp Omaha, NE | General Operating | $493,000 |
| UNO Service Learning Omaha, NE | General Operating | $490,000 |
| Oneworld Community Health Centers Inc Omaha, NE | General Operating | $475,000 |
| Union for Contemporary Art Omaha, NE | General Operating | $450,000 |
| Education Rights Counsel Omaha, NE | General Operating | $400,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Weitz Family 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 | $19,576,399 | $23,911,302 | $21,008,193 | $19,406,088 | 171 | $20,988,750 | $5,137,726 | $5,920,043 |
| 2024 | $21,175,064 | $1,060,466 | $16,842,008 | $15,584,799 | 167 | $16,833,287 | $1,069,376 | $5,791,154 |
| 2023 | $36,968,652 | $16,538,032 | $16,742,834 | $15,559,028 | 156 | $16,691,387 | $1,542,703 | $5,223,875 |
| 2022 | $37,066,329 | $5,077,336 | $15,395,536 | $14,514,379 | 177 | $15,325,745 | $5,083,768 | $5,311,106 |
| 2021 | $41,283,061 | $24,036,289 | $14,032,668 | $13,524,450 | 166 | — | $4,041,822 | $5,282,858 |
| 2020 | $29,719,480 | $4,126,008 | $11,279,559 | $10,934,000 | 131 | — | $3,763,385 | $4,303,532 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Weitz Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.9M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purpose is to respond to complex issues facing its community. Its five main focus areas are Arts, Education, Health, Human Services, and Public/Societal Benefit. The foundation emphasizes equity, integrity, systemic change, dismantling oppressive systems, and centering racial justice.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work among its grantees. Nebraska Civic Engagement Table says it works with nonprofits to increase voting and build an engaged Nebraska. OneWorld Community Health Centers says it partners with the community to provide access to quality health care for all people. The Union for Contemporary Art says it uses the arts to inspire positive social change, while Southside Redevelopment Corporation describes its work as community-driven revitalization in South Omaha neighborhoods.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 171 grants totaling $19,406,088. Grant amounts ranged from $15 to $606,500, with a median of $50,000. The largest listed awards included $606,500 to Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law, $531,500 to Nebraska Civic Engagement Table, $530,000 to Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement, and $500,000 each to Nebraska Forward and Southside Redevelopment Corporation. These grants were listed for general operating support.
The foundation’s website describes an annual application process established in 2014. Its Beloved Community application is for nonprofits working in Omaha that are new to the foundation or new to its funding, with requests up to $20,000. Its Capacity Building proposals start at $21,000, require an established grantee relationship, and use a more in-depth application. The website describes application resources including informational sessions, videos, and documents explaining application questions. The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Wallace R. Weitz as board president and treasurer, Barbara V. Weitz as board vice president and secretary, and Kathryn A. Weitz as organization president. Other directors listed are Roger T. Weitz, Andrew S. Weitz, Meredith Weitz, and Kathleen Weitz. Emily Nguyen is listed as executive director.
Weitz Family Foundation is led by Kathryn A. Weitz, Organization President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 8 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kathryn A. Weitz
Organization President
Executive Director → Organization President, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$159K (2020) → $231K (2025)
Emily Nguyen
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$176K (2024) → $187K (2025)
Wallace R. Weitz
Board President & Treasurer
President & Treasurer → Board President & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew S. Weitz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Weitz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Meredith Weitz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roger T. Weitz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barbara V. Weitz
Board Vice President & Secretary
Vice President & Secretary → Board Vice President & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $231K, to Kathryn a Weitz (Organization President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Weitz Family Foundation
How much does Weitz Family Foundation give each year?
Weitz Family Foundation gave $19.4M across 171 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $15.6M across 167 grants.
What is Weitz Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Weitz Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $113,486, across 171 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Weitz Family Foundation that year got $110K on average.
Where does Weitz Family Foundation give grants?
Weitz Family Foundation gives mostly in Nebraska: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Omaha, NE (142 grants) and Lincoln, NE (11 grants).
Does Weitz Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 99% of Weitz Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (170 of 171) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Weitz Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Weitz Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law ($606,500), Nebraska Civic Engagement Table ($531,500) and Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement ($530,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 9% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Weitz Family Foundation?
Weitz Family Foundation reported $19.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $21.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Weitz Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to respond to complex issues facing its community. Its five main focus areas are Arts, Education, Health, Human Services, and Public/Societal Benefit. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Weitz Family Foundation?
The website describes applications opening in July and closing at the end of August, followed by review, board consideration in November, and applicant notifications by mid-December. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Weitz Family Foundation's EIN?
Weitz Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-0834133. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Weitz Family 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 27, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 23, 2021)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Weitz Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Weitz Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/weitz-family-foundation-morg_75705eac7e834fed9d289e830bb9b2a9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_470834133_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Weitz Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/weitz-family-foundation-morg_75705eac7e834fed9d289e830bb9b2a9},
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 Weitz Family 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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