The Keith V Kiernan Foundation concentrates on international humanitarian and development work, favoring large, project-level gifts to well-known global NGOs. Their funding supports emergency response and global health (unrestricted and emergency grants), early childhood development programming, and financial inclusion/microfinance initiatives in low-income countries. Grants are sizable and often directed to established implementers rather than small local groups.
A recurring pattern in Keith V Kiernan Foundation grantmaking is its use of large, project-level awards for international humanitarian and development work, alongside repeated unrestricted support for global relief organizations. The foundation’s recent grants include $105,000 to International Rescue Committee for an early childhood development project and the same amount to Opportunity International for education finance tablets, showing an interest in both direct service and program innovation. It also backed emergency and food-crisis response with $95,000 to Catholic Relief Services for Sudan and global food-crisis work, while giving $95,000 to Doctors Without Borders for nutrition programs and an earlier $95,000 for general and unrestricted support. Other awards point to a wider portfolio that includes financial inclusion, shelter, WASH, girls’ empowerment, and scholarship support. The Keith V Kiernan Foundation appears to favor established implementers and sends grants at a scale that is materially above typical small-foundation checks. Several recipients reappear across years, suggesting a continued relationship with selected organizations rather than one-off gifts.
In early childhood development, the foundation gave $105,000 to International Rescue Committee for an early childhood development project and $95,000 in an earlier year for the same purpose. For financial inclusion, it awarded $100,000 to Grameen Foundation for a financial inclusion project in West Nile Region, Uganda, and later $75,000 for a women financial inclusion project in the same region. Education finance shows up through $105,000 to Opportunity International for education finance tablets and $75,000 for an edu-finance program. The foundation also supports shelter and housing innovation, including $75,000 to Habitat for Humanity for the Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, Shelter Tech, and the Second Impact Fund, as well as WASH expansion through $75,000 to Water.org for an expanding water and sanitation access project in Peru.
Typical grant size sits at $60,000 at the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $85,000 at the 75th percentile, with several awards above that range. The pattern includes repeat grants to the same organizations across 2023 and 2025, especially for project funding and general support, which points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts. The foundation is a private foundation with annual grants of $1,745,000 and does not make program-related investments. It also funds individuals, as shown by the Keith V. Kiernan Scholarship Fund awards.
$960K
$20.1M
$2.1M
$1.3M
Most grants fall between $60K and $85K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$60K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$85K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in DC.
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Concentrated, high-value grants to established international NGOs with some repeat funding; a mix of unrestricted/general support and targeted project grants, primarily focused on international development and crisis response.
Notable grantees: International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Opportunity International, Grameen Foundation, Catholic Relief Services
Grantmaking is national, but the recipient map is concentrated in a few U.S. hubs. Washington, DC appears repeatedly, with grants to Grameen Foundation, United Nations Foundation Inc, and World Central Kitchen. Other frequent recipient cities include New York, Chicago, Baltimore, Kansas City, and Atlanta. All recorded grants in the provided data went to U.S.-based recipients, and none were awarded to recipients in North Carolina.
Recent awards support early childhood development, emergency humanitarian response, nutrition, financial inclusion, education finance, shelter innovation, WASH expansion, girls’ empowerment, and scholarship support. Examples include project funding for early childhood development, emergency response in Sudan, and women’s financial inclusion in Uganda.
Yes. Several grantees appear in multiple years, including International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders, Grameen Foundation, Opportunity International, Habitat for Humanity, Water.org, Bergen Family Center, United Nations Foundation Inc, and University of Nebraska Foundation.
The grant-size distribution centers on $60,000 at the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $85,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes awards of $95,000 and $105,000, showing some larger project grants above the core range.
Its top recipient state by grant count is DC. Washington, DC recipients in the recent grants list include Grameen Foundation, United Nations Foundation Inc, and World Central Kitchen.
Yes. The foundation funds individuals, and the recent grant list includes University of Nebraska Foundation awards for the Keith V. Kiernan Scholarship Fund in 2025 and 2023.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | ALBERT LEA, MI | $105,000 | 2025 | EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT |
| OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL | CHICAGO, IL | $105,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION FINANCE TABLETS |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $95,000 | 2025 | NUTRITION PROGRAMS |
| CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES | BALTIMORE, MD | $95,000 | 2025 | EMERGENCY RESPONSE SUDAN & GLOBAL FUND FOOD CRISIS |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION | LINCOLN, NE | $80,000 | 2025 | KEITH V. KIERNAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | AMERICUS, GA | $75,000 | 2025 | MICROBUILD FUND 2 |
| WATERORG | KANSAS CITY, MO | $75,000 | 2025 | EXPANDING WATE AND SANITATION ACCESS PROJECT IN PERU |
| GRAMEEN FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | WOMEN FINANCIAL INCLUSION PROJECT IN WEST NILE REGION (UGANDA) |
| BERGEN FAMILY CENTER | ENGLEWOOD, NJ | $55,000 | 2025 | GENERAL & UNRESTRICTED |
| UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | GIRL-UP PROGRAM IN AFRICA |
| THE MALALA FUND | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL & UNRESTRICTED |
| THE BAIL PROJECT | PASADENA, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL & UNRESTRICTED |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL & UNRESTRICTED |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN | FAIRFIELD, CT | $30,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S EMERGENCY FUND AND HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS |
| SANERGY | ATLANTA, GA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL & UNRESTRICTED |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $95,000 | 2024 | NUTRITION PROGRAMS |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | ALBERT LEA, MI | $95,000 | 2024 | AUDIOCLASS SYSTEM AND CRISIS RELIEF RESPONSE FUND |
| WATERORG | KANSAS CITY, MO | $75,000 | 2024 | EXPANDING WATE AND SANITATION ACCESS PROJECT IN PERU |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | AMERICUS, GA | $75,000 | 2024 | TERWILLIGER CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN SHELTER -SCHELTER TECH AND THE SECOND IMPACT FUND |
| OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL | CHICAGO, IL | $75,000 | 2024 | EDU FINANCE PROGRAM |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION | LINCOLN, NE | $75,000 | 2024 | KEITH V. KIERNAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| CATHOLIC RELEIF SERVICES | BALTIMORE, MD | $75,000 | 2024 | BANGLEDESH SHELTER FUND |
| GRAMEEN FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $70,000 | 2024 | FINANCIAL INCLUSION PROJECT IN WEST NILE REGION (UGANDA) |
| BERGEN FAMILY CENTER | ENGELWOOD, NJ | $55,000 | 2024 | GENERAL & UNRESTRICTED |
| UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | GIRL-UP PROGRAM IN AFRICA |
| SANERGY INC | BROOKLINE, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL AND UNRESTRICTED |
| TIDES CENTER | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | NORTHEAST AGRICULTURAL WORKING GROUP |
| GRAMEEN FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2023 | FINANCIAL INCLUSION PROJECT IN WEST NILE REGION (UGANDA) |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $95,000 | 2023 | GENERAL AND UNRESTRICTED |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | ALBERT LEA, MI | $95,000 | 2023 | EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | AMERICUS, GA | $75,000 | 2023 | TERWILLIGER CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN SHELTER -SCHELTER TECH AND THE SECOND IMPACT FUND |
| WATERORG | KANSAS CITY, MO | $75,000 | 2023 | EXPANDING WATE AND SANITATION ACCESS PROJECT IN PERU |
| CATHOLIC RELEIF SERVICES | BALTIMORE, MD | $75,000 | 2023 | BANGLEDESH SHELTER FUND |
| OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL | CHICAGO, IL | $75,000 | 2023 | EDU-FINANCE PROGRAM |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION | LINCOLN, NE | $70,000 | 2023 | KEITH V. KIERNAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| BERGEN FAMILY CENTER | ENGELWOOD, NJ | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL & UNRESTRICTED |
| UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2023 | GIRL-UP PROGRAM IN AFRICA |
| SANERGY INC | BROOKLINE, MA | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL AND UNRESTRICTED |
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
$105,000EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$95,000NUTRITION PROGRAMS
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
$95,000EMERGENCY RESPONSE SUDAN & GLOBAL FUND FOOD CRISIS
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$75,000MICROBUILD FUND 2
WOMEN FINANCIAL INCLUSION PROJECT IN WEST NILE REGION (UGANDA)
BERGEN FAMILY CENTER
$55,000GENERAL & UNRESTRICTED
SAVE THE CHILDREN
$30,000CHILDREN'S EMERGENCY FUND AND HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS
SANERGY
$30,000GENERAL & UNRESTRICTED
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$95,000NUTRITION PROGRAMS
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
$95,000AUDIOCLASS SYSTEM AND CRISIS RELIEF RESPONSE FUND
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$75,000TERWILLIGER CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN SHELTER -SCHELTER TECH AND THE SECOND IMPACT FUND
CATHOLIC RELEIF SERVICES
$75,000BANGLEDESH SHELTER FUND
BERGEN FAMILY CENTER
$55,000GENERAL & UNRESTRICTED
FINANCIAL INCLUSION PROJECT IN WEST NILE REGION (UGANDA)
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$95,000GENERAL AND UNRESTRICTED
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
$95,000EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$75,000TERWILLIGER CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN SHELTER -SCHELTER TECH AND THE SECOND IMPACT FUND
CATHOLIC RELEIF SERVICES
$75,000BANGLEDESH SHELTER FUND
BERGEN FAMILY CENTER
$50,000GENERAL & UNRESTRICTED