Charles E. Lakin Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 76-0751233 · since 2007lakinfoundation.org·Cass County, Douglas County, Fremont County, Mills County, Montgomery County, Page County, Pottawatt…·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$10.9M

Annual giving, 2023 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$1,000 to $360k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$25,000

Typical grant (median)

81 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

This Council Bluffs-based foundation funds human-service work in children and families, education and training, and economic resilience, and its geographic focus is limited to Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont, Page, Cass, Douglas and Sarpy counties, so only applicants working within these areas should approach it.
A realistic request is modest: half of its grants are $15,000 or less, though about eight in ten of its grants fall between $1,000 and $360,000, so larger requests are possible but less typical.
The foundation is highly relationship-led, with 79% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had already funded the previous year, and it takes a proactive, strategic approach, so new applicants should expect it to be competitive.
Start with a brief letter of inquiry by email or regular mail describing the organisation, the request, the amount and the timeframe, since full proposals are by invitation only and there is no set deadline.
Organisations that are startups, governmental entities, broad public support bodies such as hospitals, universities, museums or zoos, arts and culture groups, individuals seeking grants, those planning galas or fundraising events, or projects involving endowments, political or lobbying activity, or religious denominations other than eligible educational, health or human service-related projects, should not apply.

Overview

Charles E. Lakin Foundation is a US private foundation based in Council Bluffs, IA.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The foundation makes grants to non-profit human service organisations in its community. Its mission is to fund programmes and organisations in Southwest Iowa and Greater Omaha that help people in need overcome adversity, restore dignity and ultimately transform their lives, with three focus areas: children and families, education and training, and economic resilience. It supports children and families in crisis or need; schools, teachers and researchers, including student scholarships; and work helping citizens regain long-term self-sufficiency. Applicants must hold current 501(c)(3) status and propose projects within its stated geographic scope. Its approach is proactive and strategic, identifying organisations or programmes that target issues of strategic interest, using empirical studies and evaluation, and collaborating with other funders where appropriate. It seeks productive relationships and longer project periods with selected grantees.

Themes

Children and families
Education and training
Economic resilience

Geographic Focus

Pottawattamie; Mills; Montgomery; Fremont; Page; Cass; Douglas; Sarpy.

What They Don't Fund

Startup Organizations
Governmental Entities
Organizations with broad public support (e.g. hospitals, universities, museums, or zoos)
Endowment grants
Arts and culture organizations
Political or lobbying activities
Projects of religious denominations or sects, other than eligible educational, health or human service-related projects
Grants to individuals
Galas, benefits, and other fundraising events

How to apply

Organisations can begin by sending a brief letter of inquiry by email or regular mail, describing the organisation, request, requested amount and timeframe. Proposals are by invitation only.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 79% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 153 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

Its decision-making is informed by comprehensive empirical studies and high-quality evaluation.
It proactively identifies organisations or programmes that target issues of strategic interest and may collaborate with other funding partners.
Grant seekers are asked to review the grant parameters before sending a letter of inquiry.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.

Grant dollars by state

Nebraska58%

Iowa42%

California<1%

Texas<1%

The largest single recipient received 14% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2023, 79% of grant dollars went to organisations Charles E. Lakin Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

81 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $25,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 81 grants in tax year 2023 by size

Under $1k9%

$1k–$2.5k5%

$2.5k–$5k17%

$5k–$10k11%

$10k–$25k7%

$25k–$50k7%

$50k–$100k6%

$100k–$250k23%

$250k–$500k4%

$500k–$1M7%

$1M and over2%

Median $25,000 (tax year 2023)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Avenue Scholars Foundation · Contribution for general purposes
$1,720,2232023 tax year
Boys & Girls Club · Contribution for general purposes
$1,100,0002023 tax year
Southwest Iowa Family Services · Contribution for general purposes
$880,0002023 tax year
Micah House Corporation · Contribution for general purposes
$762,0002023 tax year
African American Empowerment Network · Contribution for general purposes
$522,7602023 tax year
Completely Kids · Contribution for general purposes
$510,1002023 tax year
Stanton Child Resource Center · Contribution for general purposes
$500,0002023 tax year
Noble Initiative Foundation · Contribution for general purposes
$500,0002023 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Jennifer Green — Secretary
Tina Garland — Treasurer
Cliff Roberts — Director As Of March
Robyn Ritsch — Director
John L Hoich — Director / Vice President
Stephen Wild — Director / President
Deborah L Johnson — Director / Manager
Charles E Lakin III — Director / Manager

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

2 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$12,658,139	$7,958,343	$221,641,391	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$16,992,983	$10,940,763	$186,657,393	Filing for 2023 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.