Wilson Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Cozad, NE EIN: 91-1818834

Wilson Foundation is a private foundation based in Cozad, Nebraska. In its 2025 filing, it reported giving $99,847 through 18 grants, all to recipients in Nebraska; its stated policy is to contribute only to preselected charitable organizations.

Wilson Foundation at a glance

In short: Wilson Foundation gave $100K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Nebraska. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$99,847
-69.5% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
18
-5.3% vs 2024
Average grant
$5,547
-67.8% vs 2024
Median grant
$2,000
Total assets
$1,864,916
+64.5% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
11% first-time grantees (2 of 18, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Nebraska (100% 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 Wilson Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. The filing lists application materials, deadlines, and award restrictions as N/A.

Contact

Application contact: Wilson Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 11, Cozad, NE 69130
Phone: (308) 784-2212

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Wilson Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Cozad School Foundation: $40KCozad School Foundation$40KCozad Camping Ministry: $25KCozad Camping Ministry$25KCozad Child Care: $7KCozad Child Care$7KCozad Afterzone: $6KCozad Afterzone$6KCozad Wellness Center: $4KCozad Wellness Center$4KCozad Community Foundation: $3KCozad Community Foundation$3K100th Meridian Museum: $2K100th Meridian Museum$2KRobert Henri Museum: $2KRobert Henri Museum$2KCozad Grand Generation: $2KCozad Grand Generation$2KCozad Library Foundation: $2KCozad Library Foundation$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Cozad School Foundation ($40K). Together the top 10 received $92K.

Grant Size Distribution

105 grants across all recorded years

104<$50K$50–100K$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 104 grants of 105 (99%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All reported 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Nebraska. The listed recipients were in Cozad.

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.

States

Cities

CozadNorth PlatteClevelandGothenburg

Is Wilson Foundation open to new grantees?

11%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 2 of 18 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $6K. How we count

Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.

  • 83% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 47% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2022 it paid out 76% 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

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K27 grants2020 25 grants2021 19 grants2022 24 grants2023 19 grants2024 18 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $68K (2022) to $327K (2024). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $100K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Cozad School Foundation Cozad, NEEducational$39,814
Cozad Camping Ministry Cozad, NEReligious-Civic$25,000
Cozad Child Care Cozad, NECivic$7,000
Cozad Afterzone Cozad, NEEducational$5,500
Cozad Wellness Center Cozad, NECivic$4,033
Cozad Community Foundation Cozad, NECivic$2,500
100th Meridian Museum Cozad, NECivic$2,000
Robert Henri Museum Cozad, NECivic$2,000
Cozad Grand Generation Cozad, NEPoverty$2,000
Cozad Library Foundation Cozad, NEEducational$2,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$1,864,916$38,905$115,813$99,84718—$38,905—
2024$1,133,784$36,811$334,364$327,14819—$36,811—
2023$1,297,335$73,675$103,667$78,24024—$9,671—
2022$1,153,061$-3,871$94,079$67,97619$67,976$7,595$89,362
2021$1,251,011$113,810$111,572$81,58525$81,585$14,644$103,290
2020$1,248,773$159,661$149,882$126,15127—$13,742$88,114

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for education, civic activities, religious-civic work, and poverty-related purposes.

Among its grantees, Cozad Child Care says it provides quality care for infants and children up to age 8, including children from low- to moderate-income families. Cozad Community Foundation says it strengthens and promotes the community by creating opportunities for giving to projects addressing Cozad’s needs.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 18 grants totaling $99,847. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $39,814, with a median of $2,000.

The largest reported grants included $39,814 to Cozad School Foundation for educational purposes; $25,000 to Cozad Camping Ministry for religious-civic purposes; $7,000 to Cozad Child Care for civic purposes; and $5,500 to Cozad Afterzone for educational purposes. Other grants included $4,033 to Cozad Wellness Center, $2,500 to Cozad Community Foundation, and $2,000 each to 100th Meridian Museum, Robert Henri Museum, Cozad Grand Generation, and Cozad Library Foundation.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Scott Trusdale as President, Bruce Hart as V-President, and Peggy Montgomery as Secretary.

Wilson Foundation is led by Bruce Hart, V-President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Bruce Hart

    V-President

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Scott Trusdale

    President

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Peggy Montgomery

    Secretary

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Peg Montgomery (2020–2022) — Secretary
  • Former: Richard Hansen (2020–2022) — Treasurer

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 Wilson Foundation

How much does Wilson Foundation give each year?

Wilson Foundation gave $100K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $327K across 19 grants.

What is Wilson Foundation's typical grant size?

Wilson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $5,547, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wilson Foundation that year got $1K on average.

Where does Wilson Foundation give grants?

Wilson Foundation gives mostly in Nebraska: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cozad, NE (18 grants).

Does Wilson Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on Wilson Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Civic" (7 grants), "Poverty" (5 grants) and "Educational" (4 grants).

Who are Wilson Foundation's largest grantees?

Wilson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cozad School Foundation ($39,814), Cozad Camping Ministry ($25,000) and Cozad Child Care ($7,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 72% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Wilson Foundation?

Wilson Foundation reported $1.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $39K.

What does Wilson Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for education, civic activities, religious-civic work, and poverty-related purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Wilson Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Wilson Foundation's EIN?

Wilson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1818834. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Wilson 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

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 17, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 6, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 27, 2026)

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Wilson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wilson-foundation-morg_1739aac1015448debd964a3bd72d8c9e

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_911818834_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Wilson Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/wilson-foundation-morg_1739aac1015448debd964a3bd72d8c9e},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-08. 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 Wilson 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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