About Ocora Foundation
The Ocora Foundation concentrates giving on animal welfare and rescue—both domestic pet rescue and wildlife rehabilitation—while also supporting local youth development through at least one recurring sports program. Grants are heavily Minnesota-focused and directed to operational support for hands-on service organizations rather than large national charities. The foundation favors a small portfolio of mission-aligned nonprofits, often making repeat, mid-to-large sized gifts to organizations providing direct care and rescue.
Focus Areas
Wildlife rehabilitation and raptor care in MinnesotaLocal animal rescue and shelter support (small dog and cat rescue groups)Community-based animal rescue networks and emergency responseYouth sports and enrichment for underserved urban youth (InnerCity Tennis, Minneapolis area)
Who They Fund
wild animals (native to Minnesota)regional wildlife specieswildlife rehabilitators / rehab center staff
Giving Approach
About Ocora Foundation
A 2024 grant of $90,000 to Rescue Network Inc in Buffalo, Minnesota, captures the Ocora Foundation’s pattern of directing sizable program support to hands-on animal rescue work. The foundation’s recent giving also includes $75,000 to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Mn in Roseville and $50,000 to The Raptor Center in St Paul, showing sustained support for wildlife rehabilitation alongside domestic rescue. Ocora Foundation pairs that animal focus with funding for children’s education and enrichment. Its grant list includes repeated support for Innercity Tennis Foundation in Minneapolis, a $100,000 award in 2024 following a $100,000 grant in 2023. The same portfolio includes gifts to community organizations such as Northside Achievement Zone and The Crew, suggesting a preference for direct service groups serving Minnesota communities. Across the grants on file, the foundation favors program support rather than unrestricted, broad-based philanthropy. The recipients are mostly Minnesota organizations, and the portfolio is built around a small set of aligned nonprofits that appear more than once in the recent record. That combination points to a foundation funding specific projects and ongoing operating needs for animal welfare and youth enrichment organizations.
What Ocora Foundation Funds
Animal welfare is central to the Ocora Foundation’s recent grants. It gave $57,000 to The Bitty Kitty Brigade in Maple Grove for program support, and $50,000 to Cocos Heart Dog Rescue in Hudson, Wisconsin, for program support, showing that domestic rescue groups are part of the portfolio. Wildlife care is another major thread. The foundation awarded $50,000 to Friends of Roseville Harriet Alexander Nature Center Inc in Roseville for Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Mn, and it also funded The Raptor Center in St Paul with $50,000 for program support. Those grants point to support for rehabilitation and conservation-related animal care. On the youth side, the foundation gave $20,000 to Northside Achievement Zone in Minneapolis in 2024 for program support, alongside earlier support in 2023. It also funded The Crew in West St Paul with $40,000, indicating interest in local youth enrichment and equitable advancement.
How Ocora Foundation Gives
The typical grant size is mid-range: p25 is $15,000, median is $45,000, and p75 is $51,750. That distribution matches a portfolio built around program support grants rather than many very small awards. The recent record also shows repeat funding. Innercity Tennis Foundation received $100,000 in both 2023 and 2024, and Northside Achievement Zone appears in both years as well. The foundation’s active programs are invitation-only, and they prioritize specific programs or projects, with general operating support considered if budget allows. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$540K
Total Assets
$3.4M
Total Revenue
$708K
Total Expenses
$556K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $15K and $52K, with a median of $45K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$45K
75th Percentile
$52K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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