Karin Bain and John Kukral Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send it a cold proposal and should approach it only through an existing contact or an invitation.
- Its grants are mostly modest: about 8 in 10 of its 170 grants to organisations fall between $5,000 and $100,000, and half are $10,000 or less, so a request of around $10,000 is typical, though the largest grant was $1,250,000.
- The filing shows that 86% of grant dollars to organisations went to groups the foundation had also funded in an earlier filing, so this looks relationship-led, and a new organisation should expect that most of its money goes to existing grantees.
- No geographic focus is stated, and its grants have mainly gone to Illinois, District of Columbia, Iowa, New York and Colorado, which you may note but should not treat as a rule about who may apply.
Overview
Karin Bain and John Kukral Foundation is a US private foundation based in Old Greenwich, CT.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) 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
Across the filings, the foundation’s grants go to educational institutions and schools, social-service and youth organisations, healthcare and research bodies, cultural institutions, environmental organisations and community and humanitarian groups. Uses include programme support, scholarships, research, medical services, youth employment and shelter, water projects, arts education and emergency relief. Many awards are recorded simply as programme support, while others are directed to a named project, research fund, scholarship or facility. The grant record therefore shows a broad mix of recipient organisations and purposes, rather than one dominant charitable field.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Illinois, District of Columbia, Iowa, New York and Colorado.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 86% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 170 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 13%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 17% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to organisations Karin Bain and John Kukral Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 3% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 68 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $21,250 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Truenu · Program support$750,0002024 tax year
- American Enterprise Institute · $400,000 general operations; $350,000 economics team research on the federal deficit$750,0002024 tax year
- Cornell University · $300,000 to karin bain kukral '82 head coach of women's lacrosse fund; $150,000 to field hockey complex; $125,000 to dr. you for microplastics research; $50,000 to prism microplastics research; $10,000 to atheltics$635,0002024 tax year
- Northwestern University · $180,000 water systems research fund; $100,000 hwise household water insecurities experiences$280,0002024 tax year
- Lafayette College · Bradbury dyer, iii '64 center for innovation and entrepreneurship$250,0002024 tax year
- Urban Peak · Denver youth shelter$250,0002024 tax year
- Weill Cornell Medicine · To support a urologic oncology fellowship in the department of oncology$150,0002024 tax year
- Avery Coonley School · The avery coonley school's endowment$100,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Karin Bain Kukral — Director; Secretary & Treasurer
- John Z Kukral — Director; President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $3,072,290 | $2,952,500 | $93,616,497 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $4,004,786 | $3,762,400 | $97,594,216 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,475,816 | $4,762,000 | $101,672,372 | Filing for 2024 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
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Karin Bain and John Kukral Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Old Greenwich, CT
Applying to Karin Bain and John Kukral Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Old Greenwich, CT