David W Bernolfo Memorial Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $1,156,500 (2023)
Total Assets: $73,072,161
Number of Grants: 8 awards (2023)
Grant Range: $1,500 - $1,000,000
Geographic Focus: Utah and Illinois
Application Method: No public application process

Contact Details

Address: 163 S Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111-1917

Note: The foundation does not appear to have a public website or published contact information for grant inquiries.

Overview

The David W Bernolfo Memorial Foundation Inc is a private foundation established as a memorial foundation and led by David W. Bernolfo as President. With substantial assets exceeding $73 million, the foundation distributed $1,156,500 in grants during 2023 across 8 awards. The foundation's primary focus areas are vision and eye care, education, and health care, with particular emphasis on supporting the Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah. The foundation has made a significant impact through its support of the David W. Bernolfo Global Vision Center at the Moran Eye Center, which extends the eye center's global outreach to more than 25 countries, providing training and equipment for sight-restoring programs worldwide.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on three primary areas:

Vision and Eye Care: Primary focus, particularly supporting the Moran Eye Center and global vision initiatives
Education: Supporting educational programs and institutions
Health Care: Broader health care initiatives beyond eye care

Geographic Focus: Primarily Utah, with secondary focus on Illinois

What They Don't Fund

No specific exclusions are publicly documented, but the foundation's grantmaking appears highly focused on specific institutions and causes aligned with the founder's personal interests and connections.

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel:

President: David W Bernolfo
Vice President: Stephen C Bamberger
Secretary: Ashley Campagña

The foundation operates with a small leadership team and appears to make funding decisions through trustee discretion.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation operates as a private grantmaker where grants are awarded through trustee discretion. With only 8 awards made in 2023 and no publicly available application guidelines or website, the foundation appears to identify and support organizations aligned with its mission through existing relationships and trustee initiatives.

The foundation's grantmaking is characterized by:

Trustee-directed giving based on the foundation's specific interests
Focus on established relationships with recipient organizations
No open application portal or published application procedures

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made through trustee discretion rather than a formal application cycle.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's private nature and trustee-directed grantmaking approach:

Alignment with Vision/Eye Care Mission: The foundation's strongest demonstrated interest is in supporting vision and eye care initiatives, particularly through the Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah
Established Institutional Relationships: The foundation appears to support established institutions and programs rather than making grants to unknown organizations
Connection to Founder's Interests: David W. Bernolfo's personal experience with vision restoration at the Moran Eye Center (after a childhood accident left him blind in one eye) drives the foundation's focus areas
Geographic Preference: Organizations in Utah are the primary focus, with secondary interest in Illinois
Substantial Impact Potential: With an average grant of approximately $144,562 and a range extending to $1,000,000, the foundation appears to make significant investments in selected causes rather than numerous small grants

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates through trustee discretion
The foundation has a clear focus on vision/eye care, particularly supporting the Moran Eye Center
With only 8 grants awarded in 2023 despite assets exceeding $73 million, the foundation is highly selective
Grants range significantly from $1,500 to $1,000,000, suggesting flexibility for different project scales
The foundation's grantmaking reflects personal interests and connections of the founder/trustees
Organizations seeking support would need pre-existing relationships with trustees or connections to priority institutions
The David W. Bernolfo Global Vision Center at Moran Eye Center demonstrates the foundation's commitment to global vision health initiatives

References

Information compiled from IRS Form 990-PF filings and publicly available sources. Accessed December 24, 2025.