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Karin Bain And John Kukral Foundation

Annual Giving
$3.8M
Grant Range
$3K - $1.3M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,762,400 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (by invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (preselected organizations)
  • Grant Range: $2,500 - $1,300,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States)

Contact Details

Address: 8 Rocky Point Rd, Old Greenwich, CT 06870

Note: The foundation does not have a website, public email, or phone number for inquiries. They do not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The Karin Bain And John Kukral Foundation was established in 2017 as a private family foundation based in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. With total assets of approximately $88 million as of 2024, the foundation distributed $3,762,400 in grants across 64 organizations in 2023. Founded by John Z. Kukral, President and CEO of Northwood Investors LLC and trustee of Northwestern University, and Karin Bain Kukral '82, a Cornell University alumna and professional in commercial and residential property development, the foundation supports a diverse range of charitable causes with particular emphasis on higher education, athletics programs, policy research, and medical research. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not have formal grant programs or published funding streams. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they select.

Grant Size Range: Awards have ranged from $2,500 to over $1,300,000, with significant variation based on the recipient and purpose.

Priority Areas

Based on documented grants from recent years, the foundation has supported:

  • Higher Education: Major support to Northwestern University, Cornell University, and University of Pennsylvania, including endowed funds, building projects, and program support
  • Women's Athletics: Notable support for women's lacrosse programs, including the $300,000 endowment for the Karin Bain Kukral '82 Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse position at Cornell
  • Policy and Research Institutions: Support to American Enterprise Institute ($500,000 in 2022)
  • Medical Research: Grants to the Basser Center for BRCA at the University of Pennsylvania ($25,000 in 2022)
  • Student Support and Programs: Discretionary funds, fellowship programs, and student initiatives at universities

Notable Recipients (2022):

  • Northwestern University: $1,300,000 (multiple purposes including McCormick Architectural Engineering & Design, Morton and Mimi Schapiro Endowed Fund, Lanny Martin's Endowed Fund, and other programs)
  • American Enterprise Institute: $500,000
  • Cornell University: $300,000 (Karin Bain Kukral '82 Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse Fund)
  • University of Pennsylvania (Basser Center): $25,000

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly states that they do not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grants are made to preselected organizations.

Governance and Leadership

John Z. Kukral - Director and President (unpaid, 2 hours per week)

  • President and CEO of Northwood Investors LLC (founded 2006)
  • Former President and CEO of Blackstone Real Estate Advisors (2002-2005)
  • Over 41 years of experience in real estate investment
  • Involved in over $43 billion of real estate transactions worldwide
  • Trustee, Northwestern University Board of Trustees (appointed 2020)
  • Education: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University; MBA, Harvard Business School

Karin Bain Kukral - Director, Secretary & Treasurer (unpaid, 8 hours per week)

  • Cornell University Class of 1982 (field hockey and lacrosse athlete)
  • Harvard Business School graduate
  • Active in commercial and residential property development, design, and land management
  • First former women's varsity athlete at Cornell to name a coaching position
  • Background in male-dominated industries including commercial real estate and banking

Jenny Buttrick - Controller (Compensated position: approximately $50,000-$51,634 annually)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that they only make contributions to preselected charitable organizations and do not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

All grants are awarded through trustee discretion based on the founders' personal connections, institutional affiliations, and philanthropic priorities.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application strategies do not apply. However, understanding their giving patterns can be instructive:

Foundation Giving Patterns:

  • Alumni Connections: Both founders have strong ties to their alma maters (John Kukral to Northwestern, Karin Bain Kukral to Cornell and Harvard Business School), which receive substantial support
  • Women's Athletics: Karin Bain Kukral's background as a collegiate athlete has translated into significant support for women's lacrosse programs
  • Long-term Relationships: The foundation supports organizations where the founders have personal connections or board involvement (e.g., John Kukral's Northwestern trustee position)
  • Substantial Awards: When the foundation commits to an organization, grants can be significant, ranging from five-figure to seven-figure amounts
  • Policy and Research: Support for think tanks and research institutions (American Enterprise Institute, Basser Center) indicates interest in intellectual and policy-oriented work
  • Endowment Building: Several grants have supported named endowments and permanent funds at universities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation operates on an invitation-only basis - there is no public application process available
  • The foundation's giving is relationship-driven, centered on the founders' institutional affiliations (Northwestern, Cornell, Harvard) and personal interests
  • Higher education is the dominant funding priority, particularly their alma maters
  • Women's athletics, especially lacrosse, reflects Karin Bain Kukral's athletic background and ongoing commitment to women's sports
  • Grant amounts vary widely from $2,500 to over $1 million, indicating flexibility in award size based on purpose
  • The foundation makes approximately 38-64 grants annually with total giving around $3.7-4.8 million per year
  • Organizations seeking support would need to have pre-existing connections to the Kukral family or their professional/institutional networks

References

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