The Frankel Family Foundation appears to concentrate its philanthropy on supporting higher education through an endowed fellowship tied to peace studies; its sole recorded grant funded the Bud Frankel Fellowship Endowment at Marquette University's Center for Peace. This suggests the foundation prioritizes sustained, institution‑based support for scholarship and programs related to peace and conflict or similar civic/ethical studies. The gift is legacy-oriented and targeted rather than broadly distributed across causes or geographies.
A single $575,300 grant to Marquette University for the Bud Frankel Fellowship Endowment anchors the Frankel Family Foundation’s recent giving. That gift places peace studies and fellowship support at the center of the foundation’s profile, and it is reinforced by another Marquette grant in 2024 for the Center for Peace Making, Bud Frankel Fellowship. The foundation’s record shows a mix of institutional support, legal aid, and public-interest funding, with awards reaching universities, advocacy groups, and community organizations. Its recent grants include support for immigrant and asylum services, peace fellowships, energy justice work, food and environment policy, and local community initiatives. The pattern suggests a foundation that uses targeted grants to support both long-term endowments and programmatic work, rather than one narrowly limited to a single institution. The named grantees also show a recurring interest in organizations working on civic rights, peacebuilding, and humanitarian legal defense. Across the record, the grants are mostly modest to mid-sized, with occasional larger commitments tied to fellowship or campaign support.
Peacebuilding is the clearest throughline in the record. In 2024, the foundation gave $575,300 to Marquette University for the Bud Frankel Fellowship Endowment, and it also awarded $29,400 to the university for the Center for Peace Making, Bud Frankel Fellowship. Legal advocacy is another visible area: the foundation supported Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project Inc with $75,000 for direct legal representation to immigrants and $75,000 in 2023 for legal assistance for immigrants. It also gave $35,000 to Kino Border Initiative for a legal defense partnership focused on informing and empowering asylum seekers in Mexico. Environmental and policy work appears in grants such as $50,000 to Center for Biological Diversity Inc for the Energy Justice Program and $25,000 to Union of Concerned Scientists Inc for Farm Bill legislation. The foundation also supported civil rights and immigrant-rights work through Aclu Foundation of Arizona grants.
Typical grants sit at $2,000 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $10,000 at the 75th percentile, so the portfolio is generally built around small awards with some larger exceptions. The same organizations do appear across multiple years, including Marquette University, Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project Inc, Hand in Hand American Friends of Cntr for Jewish-a, Stand, Center for Biological Diversity Inc, Kino Border Initiative, Union of Concerned Scientists Inc, Aclu Foundation of Arizona, Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, Western States Center Inc, and Natural History Institute. The foundation funds individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its recent grants show a mix of unrestricted support, capital gifts, and targeted program grants, including endowment funding.
$833K
$1.1M
$128K
$866K
Most grants fall between $2K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in IL.
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Highly concentrated: a single large endowment grant to one higher education institution, indicating targeted, legacy-oriented giving rather than multiple smaller or diversified grants.
Notable grantees: Marquette University — Bud Frankel Fellowship Endowment / Center for Peace
Grant recipients are entirely in the United States, with 171 grants and 100% of the recorded country distribution going to U.S. organizations. Arizona is the top state by grant count, and the recent list includes Tucson, Nogales, Phoenix, and Prescott. Other repeated recipient cities include Milwaukee, Portland, Chicago, Evanston, Bellingham, and Cambridge. The pattern shows a broad national spread, but with especially frequent Arizona-based awards.
The recent grants point to peace studies, immigrant and asylum legal services, energy justice, food and agricultural policy, and civil rights work. Examples include support for the Bud Frankel Fellowship Endowment at Marquette University, legal aid for immigrants, and the Energy Justice Program at Center for Biological Diversity Inc.
Yes. Several organizations appear in more than one year, including Marquette University, Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project Inc, Hand in Hand American Friends of Cntr for Jewish-a, Stand, Center for Biological Diversity Inc, Kino Border Initiative, Union of Concerned Scientists Inc, and Aclu Foundation of Arizona.
The distribution is small to mid-sized: p25 is $2,000, median is $5,000, and p75 is $10,000. The record also includes larger targeted awards, such as the $575,300 endowment gift to Marquette University.
Arizona is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities there include Tucson, Nogales, Phoenix, and Prescott, while the broader record also includes organizations in Milwaukee, Portland, Chicago, Evanston, Bellingham, and Cambridge.
Yes. The foundation’s profile indicates it funds individuals, and the grant record also shows support for fellowship-related work, including the Bud Frankel Fellowship Endowment and the Center for Peace Making, Bud Frankel Fellowship at Marquette University.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAND IN HAND AMERICAN FRIENDS OF CNTR FOR JEWISH-A | PORTLAND, OR | $150,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| STAND | BELLINGHAM, WA | $150,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY INC | TUCSON, AZ | $100,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| KINO BORDER INITIATIVE | NOGALES, AZ | $70,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| INDIGENOUS EDUCATIONAL NETWORK OF TURTLE ISLAND | BEMIDJI, MN | $60,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER PRESCOTT | PRESCOTT, AZ | $21,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| GLOBAL HEALTH COMMITTEE INC | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| PRESCOTT ANIMAL PARK ASSOCIATION | PRESCOTT, AZ | $20,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INC | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE LAUNCH PAD TEEN CENTER | PRESCOTT, AZ | $10,500 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| UNITED STATES ASSOCIATION FOR UNHCR | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| WOMENS REFUGEE COMMISSION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | Annual Luncheon fund |
| NIJC NFP | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| GRAND CANYON TRUST INC | FLAGSTAFF, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| HYDE SCHOOL | BATH, ME | $10,000 | 2026 | Scholarship Fund |
| USAHELLO | PORTLAND, OR | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| CONCERN WORLDWIDE U S INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | Science and Democracy program |
| CENTRAL ARIZONA LAND TRUST INC | PRESCOTT, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| PRESCOTT FARMERS MARKET INC | PRESCOTT, AZ | $9,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| J STREET EDUCATION FUND INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $6,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| ADOPT-A-NATIVE-ELDER | PARK CITY, UT | $5,500 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| TUCSON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER INC | TUCSON, AZ | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| BULLETIN OF THE ATOMIC SCIENTISTS | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER | SKOKIE, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE JOFFREY BALLET | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| PRESCOTT MEALS ON WHEELS | PRESCOTT, AZ | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY | DETROIT, MI | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| COALITION FOR COMPASSION AND JUSTICE | PRESCOTT, AZ | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD ARIZONA INC | PHOENIX, AZ | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| UNIVERSITY OF MAINE FOUNDATION | ORONO, ME | $5,000 | 2026 | scholarship fund |
| FORGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR REFUGEES IN AMERICA INC | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| PRESCOTT COMMUNITY CUPBOARD FOOD BANK INC | PRESCOTT, AZ | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| PRESCOTT FILM SOCIETY | PRESCOTT, AZ | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| GRACIA INC NFP | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY | OMAHA, NE | $3,000 | 2026 | School of Nursing Scholarship Fund |
| NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY FDN INC | FLAGSTAFF, AZ | $3,000 | 2026 | KNAU Public Radio |
| STEP ONE FOUNDATION INC | PRESCOTT VLY, AZ | $3,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| CURE VIOLENCE GLOBAL | CHICAGO, IL | $3,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| ACLU FOUNDATION OF ARIZONA | PHOENIX, AZ | $3,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,500 | 2026 | Vito Stagliano Endowment Scholarship Fund |
| NEW ISRAEL FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| HEIFER PROJECT INTERNATIONAL | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $2,500 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF SAN DIEGO | SAN DIEGO, CA | $2,500 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| HER UPLAND | MISSOULA, MT | $2,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| EVANSTON SCHOLARS | EVANSTON, IL | $2,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| HIGH COUNTRY NEWS | PAONIA, CO | $2,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| NATURAL HISTORY INSTITUTE | PRESCOTT, AZ | $2,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| FULLER PROJECT FOR INTERNATIONAL REPORTING INC | BETHESDA, MD | $2,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
HAND IN HAND AMERICAN FRIENDS OF CNTR FOR JEWISH-A
$150,000General & Unrestricted
STAND
$150,000General & Unrestricted
KINO BORDER INITIATIVE
$70,000General & Unrestricted
JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER PRESCOTT
$21,000General & Unrestricted
GLOBAL HEALTH COMMITTEE INC
$20,000General & Unrestricted
PRESCOTT ANIMAL PARK ASSOCIATION
$20,000General & Unrestricted
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INC
$15,000General & Unrestricted
HYDE SCHOOL
$10,000Scholarship Fund
PRESCOTT FARMERS MARKET INC
$9,000General & Unrestricted
TUCSON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER INC
$5,000General & Unrestricted
ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER
$5,000General & Unrestricted
PRESCOTT MEALS ON WHEELS
$5,000General & Unrestricted
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
$5,000General & Unrestricted
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
$5,000General & Unrestricted
PRESCOTT COMMUNITY CUPBOARD FOOD BANK INC
$5,000General & Unrestricted
PRESCOTT FILM SOCIETY
$5,000General & Unrestricted
GRACIA INC NFP
$5,000General & Unrestricted
STEP ONE FOUNDATION INC
$3,000General & Unrestricted
CURE VIOLENCE GLOBAL
$3,000General & Unrestricted
HER UPLAND
$2,000General & Unrestricted