The Bokenkamp Family Foundation gives modest, targeted operating support primarily to cultural and civic organizations tied to Kearney, Nebraska (despite the foundation's Santa Monica address). Their largest single beneficiary is MONA (a regional museum), and other grants support local performing arts, the community foundation, and public-school initiatives. Grants emphasize general operating support rather than project-specific funding.
Concentrated, small-number grantmaking: a handful of moderate-sized operating grants, with repeat funding to at least one core arts grantee (MONA) and a clear geographic focus on Kearney, NE.
The Bokenkamp Family Foundation’s clearest pattern is steady operating support for organizations in Kearney, Nebraska, with MONA receiving the largest recent grant at $45,000 in 2023. The foundation’s giving is practical rather than project-based: its recent awards repeatedly use “support of operations,” pointing to general operating backing for museums, arts groups, public-school initiatives, and civic organizations. In 2025, Kearney Area Community Foundation received $20,000 for operations, showing that the foundation also supports local infrastructure that channels resources in the community. Another major recipient is Crane River Theatre, which received $10,000 in 2023 for operations and another $2,500 in 2025, indicating repeated support over time. The grant list also includes Kearney Public School Foundation, The World Theatre Foundation, Give Where You Live, and Yanney Heritage Park Foundation, all in Kearney. A smaller out-of-state grant to KCRW in Santa Monica appears in the recent record, but the overall pattern remains centered on Kearney-based civic and cultural organizations.
The foundation’s arts support is anchored by museum and theater grants in Kearney. MONA received $10,000 in 2025 for operations, while Crane River Theatre received $10,000 in 2023 and $2,500 in 2025, both for support of operations. Public education and youth-focused work also appears in the record. Kearney Public School Foundation received $8,000 in 2025 for operations, and Class Act Kearney Public School Foundation received $1,000 in 2023 for operations. Civic and community-building grants are another theme. Kearney Area Community Foundation received $20,000 in 2025 for operations, and Give Where You Live received $5,075 in 2025 after a $2,050 grant in 2023, both for operations. The foundation also backed public-service and community-safety organizations, including Safe Center, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, and Kearney Volunteer Fire Department, each with operating support.
Recent grants are modest and concentrated near the middle of the distribution: the typical award is $875 at the 25th percentile, $1,000 at the median, and $4,038 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows both one-time and repeated support. Crane River Theatre appears in both 2023 and 2025, MONA appears in both years, and Give Where You Live appears in both years as well. The foundation is organized as a family foundation, and its recent grants are overwhelmingly unrestricted operating support rather than project grants. The recipient pattern also suggests continuing relationships with a narrow set of organizations rather than broad-open solicitation.
$68K
$1.5M
$258K
$75K
Most grants fall between $875 and $4K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$875
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$4K
About 5% of grants go to recipients in NE.
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Notable grantees: MONA, Kearney Area Community Foundation, Crane River Theatre, Kearney Public School Foundation
Grants are overwhelmingly in the United States, with 20 recent grants all going to US recipients. Kearney, Nebraska is the dominant place in the recent record, appearing across museums, theaters, schools, and civic groups. Other Nebraska recipients include Nebraska Public Media in Lincoln and a Buffalo County Historical Society grant in Alma, Wisconsin is the main outlier by city, though it remains a US grant. The foundation’s giving footprint is regional, with most awards landing in one Nebraska community and surrounding institutions.
Recent grants focus on Kearney, Nebraska organizations working in arts, education, civic life, and community infrastructure. Examples include museums, theaters, public-school foundations, a community foundation, heritage organizations, and public-safety groups. Most awards are for support of operations rather than a specific project.
The recent distribution is modest. The 25th percentile is $875, the median is $1,000, and the 75th percentile is $4,038. Recent awards include several $1,000 to $5,000 operating grants, along with a few larger awards such as $20,000 and $45,000.
Yes. Crane River Theatre appears in both 2023 and 2025, MONA appears in both 2023 and 2025, and Give Where You Live also received grants in both years. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-off gifts.
Its giving is concentrated in Kearney, Nebraska. The top state by grant count is Nebraska, and the recent recipient list is dominated by Kearney-based organizations across arts, education, civic services, and community support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KEARNEY AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | KEARNEY, NE | $20,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| MONA | KEARNEY, NE | $10,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION | KEARNEY, NE | $8,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| THE WORLD THEATRE FOUNDATION | KEARNEY, NE | $5,250 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE | KEARNEY, NE | $5,075 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| KEARNEY COMMUNITY THEATRE | KEARNEY, NE | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| YANNEY HERITAGE PARK FOUNDATION | KEARNEY, NE | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| CRANE RIVER THEATRE | KEARNEY, NE | $2,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| KCRW | SANTA MONICA, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA | LINCOLN, NE | $1,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| SAFE CENTER | KEARNEY, NE | $1,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| BUFFALO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY | ALMA, WI | $1,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| KEARNEY COMMUNITY THEATRE | KEARNEY, NE | $11,800 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| KEARNEY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | KEARNEY, NE | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| MONA | KEARNEY, NE | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| THE WORLD THEATRE FOUNDATION | KEARNEY, NE | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| CRANE RIVER THEATRE | KEARNEY, NE | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE | KEARNEY, NE | $4,172 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| KCRW | SANTA MONICA, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION | KEARNEY, NE | $2,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| SAFE CENTER | KEARNEY, NE | $1,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA | LINCOLN, NE | $1,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| HELP CARE CLINIC | KEARNEY, NE | $500 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| MONA | KEARNEY, NE | $45,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| CRANE RIVER THEATRE | KEARNEY, NE | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE | KEARNEY, NE | $2,050 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| BUFFALO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE | KEARNEY, NE | $1,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| KEARNEY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT | KEARNEY, NE | $1,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| CLASS ACTKEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION | KEARNEY, NE | $1,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| BUFFALO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETYDBA TRAILS AND RAILS MUSEUM | KEARNEY, NE | $500 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
| NO KID HUNGRYSHARE OUR STRENGTH | BALTIMORE, MD | $500 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS |
KEARNEY AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$20,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
MONA
$10,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION
$8,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
THE WORLD THEATRE FOUNDATION
$5,250SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE
$5,075SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
KEARNEY COMMUNITY THEATRE
$5,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
CRANE RIVER THEATRE
$2,500SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA
$1,500SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
SAFE CENTER
$1,500SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
BUFFALO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$1,500SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
KEARNEY COMMUNITY THEATRE
$11,800SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
KEARNEY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$10,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
MONA
$10,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
THE WORLD THEATRE FOUNDATION
$10,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
CRANE RIVER THEATRE
$5,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE
$4,172SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION
$2,500SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
SAFE CENTER
$1,500SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
HELP CARE CLINIC
$500SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
MONA
$45,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
CRANE RIVER THEATRE
$10,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE
$2,050SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
BUFFALO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
$1,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
KEARNEY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
$1,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
CLASS ACTKEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION
$1,000SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
BUFFALO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETYDBA TRAILS AND RAILS MUSEUM
$500SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS
NO KID HUNGRYSHARE OUR STRENGTH
$500SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS