Karlgaard Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and makes grants only to organisations it has preselected, so a small charity should not send it a proposal cold.
- Its recorded giving leans heavily towards scholarships and teaching awards, so a request outside that area is least likely to match what it has funded.
- If an approach is possible, about 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $385 and $340,000, with a median of $20,000, so a modest request near that middle figure suits its usual pattern; its largest grant was about $1,450,000, which is not a ceiling.
- Nearly all of its grant dollars go to organisations it had funded in earlier years, so a charity without an existing link should find out whether an invitation is realistic before investing much time.
- No geographic focus is stated; the filing shows grants mainly in Wisconsin, District of Columbia and Virginia, but that is a record of past grants, not a rule about who may apply.
Overview
Karlgaard Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Great Falls, VA.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The grant record is dominated by support for scholarships and teaching awards, with awards benefiting students through universities and local scholarship foundations. Its recorded scholarship purposes include nursing, veterinary, and awards for students in particular communities, alongside support for a professorship. Other grants supported artificial-kidney research, community centres and observatories, as well as youth organisations, therapeutic horseback riding, food assistance, and school activities such as robotics, marching band, track and cross-country. Recipients range from universities and their foundations to community organisations, schools, a library, a science organisation and a therapeutic riding centre. The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Themes
From its grants, not stated by the foundation:
- Scholarships
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Wisconsin, District of Columbia and Virginia.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 99% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 47 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
3 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 62% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations Karlgaard Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 4% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 17 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Foundation · Scholarships, teaching awards, general use$1,455,0002025 tax year
- George Washington University · Scholarships, professorship$340,0002025 tax year
- Inova Health Foundation · Nursing scholarships$250,0002025 tax year
- Viroqua Area Foundation · Scholarships for viroqua students$120,0002025 tax year
- Virginia Tech Foundation · Scholarships in honor of fred lutze$35,0002025 tax year
- Educate Fairfax · Scholarship to fairfax students$30,0002025 tax year
- Rice Lake Area Scholarship Foundation · Scholarships for rice lake students$30,0002025 tax year
- University of Wisconsin Barron County Campus · Tom ritzinger scholarship fund$25,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Christopher D Karlgaard — Assistant Vice President
- Joanna V Karlgaard — Assistant Vice President
- Marilyn E Karlgaard — Vice President & Secretary
- David C Karlgaard — President & Treasurer
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $1,846,336 | $1,839,244 | $41,892,271 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,266,317 | $2,256,853 | $48,826,277 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $2,756,669 | $2,387,522 | $56,596,864 | Filing for 2025 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Karlgaard Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Great Falls, VA
Applying to Karlgaard Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Great Falls, VA