The Chief Foundation makes few, locally focused grants concentrated on capital projects that build community infrastructure in Grand Island, NE. Its giving emphasizes faith-based secondary education (notably Central Catholic) and informal children's learning spaces, favoring one-time large capital contributions over programmatic operating support.
Highly concentrated, small portfolio: a few large grants (six-figure and mid-five-figure amounts) with repeat funding to a flagship grantee; primary support is for capital asset/capital campaign needs rather than ongoing program support, focused geographically on Grand Island, NE.
The Chief Foundation Inc. stands out for a grant pattern built around capital support for local institutions, with repeated awards to Grand Island and nearby Nebraska organizations rather than broad programmatic funding. Across the recent grants list, the largest single award is $60,000 to Grand Island Children's Museum Epic Discovery Center for capital asset support for community, alongside two $50,000 grants to Central Catholic Development Foundation in 2024 and 2025 for the same purpose. Those awards fit a consistent emphasis on community facilities, school-related infrastructure, and learning spaces. The foundation’s recurring support reaches beyond one-time gifts. Mary Lanning Healthcare Foundation received three consecutive capital grants from 2023 through 2025, and Central Community College Foundation also received repeat support in 2023 and 2024. The recipient mix includes parochial education, health care, youth learning, and local development organizations. The pattern suggests a funder that uses targeted, project-specific grants to strengthen physical assets and capital campaigns in communities it knows well, especially in and around Grand Island.
One clear theme is faith-based secondary education. Central Catholic Development Foundation received $50,000 in 2024 and another $50,000 in 2025, both marked as capital asset support for community. A second area is informal STEM and learning infrastructure for children. Grand Island Children's Museum Epic Discovery Center received $60,000 in 2025 for capital asset support, showing a sizable commitment to a local educational venue. Health-related community facilities also appear in the grant record. Mary Lanning Healthcare Foundation received $16,666 in 2023, $16,666 in 2024, and $16,667 in 2025, all for capital asset support. The foundation also supported higher education access through undergraduate scholarships, including awards to Grace Jackson and Mallory Moorman.
Typical awards are small and tightly clustered: the p25, median, and p75 are $5,000, $5,000, and $10,000. That reflects a mix of modest grants and a few larger capital gifts. The recent record shows repeat funding to several recipients across multiple years, including one health foundation and one college foundation, which points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts. The foundation also makes direct scholarship grants to individuals, and it uses restricted, project-specific support rather than open-ended operating funding.
$372K
$3.2M
$969K
$202K
Most grants fall between $5K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
About 85% of grants go to recipients in NE.
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Notable grantees: Central Catholic Development Foundation, Grand Island Children's Museum EPIC Discovery Center
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in Nebraska, with 85% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and the top giving state also Nebraska. Grand Island appears repeatedly, including grants to Grand Island Children's Museum Epic Discovery Center, Central Catholic Development Foundation, Junior Achievement of Grand Island, Samantha Reimers, and Armani Ewoldt. Outside Grand Island, recurring Nebraska recipients include Hastings, Seward, Doniphan, Lexington, Aurora, Kearney, Giltner, and Glenvil. Every recent grant in the dataset went to a U.S. recipient.
The recent grants point to community capital projects, especially school-related infrastructure, health and wellness facilities, and local learning venues. Recipients include a children’s museum, a Catholic school development foundation, a healthcare foundation, a community college foundation, and local economic development groups.
Yes. The grant list includes direct undergraduate scholarship support to named individuals such as Grace Jackson, Mallory Moorman, Samantha Reimers, Tessa Eldridge, Mary Wiles, and Armani Ewoldt.
The typical grant size is small: the p25, median, and p75 are $5,000, $5,000, and $10,000. The recent record also includes larger capital gifts, but $5,000 grants appear often in the list.
Very concentrated. Nebraska is the top state by grant count, and 85% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. The recent grants are all to U.S. recipients, with many in Grand Island and other Nebraska cities.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRAND ISLAND CHILDREN'S MUSEUM EPIC DISCOVERY CENTER | GRAND ISLAND, NE | $60,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| CENTRAL CATHOLIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION | GRAND ISLAND, NE | $50,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| MARY LANNING HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | HASTINGS, NE | $16,667 | 2025 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| SEWARD WELLNESS CENTER | SEWARD, NE | $10,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| GRACE JACKSON | WHEATFIELD, IN | $7,500 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| NEBRASKA VOCATIONAL AG FOUNDATION | AURORA, NE | $5,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| SAMANTHA REIMERS | GRAND ISLAND, NE | $5,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| PRAIRIE LOFT CENTER FOR OUTDOOR AND AGRICULTURAL LEARNING | HASTINGS, NE | $5,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| GOOD SAMARITAN FOOD PANTRY RENSSELAER | RENSSELAER, IN | $5,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| DONIPHAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DBA THE LITTLE CARDINALS | DONIPHAN, NE | $5,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| ARMANI EWOLDT | GRAND ISLAND, NE | $3,750 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| MALLORY MOORMAN | GLENVIL, NE | $3,750 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| TESSA ELDRIDGE | LEXINGTON, NE | $2,500 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| CENTRAL CATHOLIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION | GRAND ISLAND, NE | $50,000 | 2024 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| MARY LANNING HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | HASTINGS, NE | $16,666 | 2024 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | HASTINGS, NE | $12,500 | 2024 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| YMCA OF HASTINGS NEBRASKA | HASTINGS, NE | $10,000 | 2024 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| MALLORY MOORMAN | GLENVIL, NE | $7,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| GRACE JACKSON | WHEATFIELD, IN | $7,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| SAMANTHA REIMERS | GRAND ISLAND, NE | $5,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| TESSA ELDRIDGE | LEXINGTON, NE | $2,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| MARY WILES | GILTNER, NE | $2,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| MARY LANNING HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | HASTINGS, NE | $16,666 | 2023 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | HASTINGS, NE | $12,500 | 2023 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| APPLESEED CHILDHOOD EDUCATION INC | RENSSELAER, IN | $10,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| DONIPHAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION | DONIPHAN, NE | $10,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| GRACE JACKSON | WHEATFIELD, IN | $7,500 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| LEXINGTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | LEXINGTON, NE | $5,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| TESSA ELDRIDGE | LEXINGTON, NE | $5,000 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF GRAND ISLAND | GRAND ISLAND, NE | $5,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
| SAMANTHA REIMERS | GRAND ISLAND, NE | $2,500 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| MARY WILES | GILTNER, NE | $2,500 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION |
| KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION | KEARNEY, NE | $2,500 | 2023 | CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY |
GRAND ISLAND CHILDREN'S MUSEUM EPIC DISCOVERY CENTER
$60,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
CENTRAL CATHOLIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
$50,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
MARY LANNING HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION
$16,667CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
SEWARD WELLNESS CENTER
$10,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
GRACE JACKSON
$7,500SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
NEBRASKA VOCATIONAL AG FOUNDATION
$5,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
SAMANTHA REIMERS
$5,000SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
PRAIRIE LOFT CENTER FOR OUTDOOR AND AGRICULTURAL LEARNING
$5,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
GOOD SAMARITAN FOOD PANTRY RENSSELAER
$5,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
DONIPHAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DBA THE LITTLE CARDINALS
$5,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
ARMANI EWOLDT
$3,750SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
MALLORY MOORMAN
$3,750SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
TESSA ELDRIDGE
$2,500SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
CENTRAL CATHOLIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
$50,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
MARY LANNING HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION
$16,666CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$12,500CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
YMCA OF HASTINGS NEBRASKA
$10,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
MALLORY MOORMAN
$7,500SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
GRACE JACKSON
$7,500SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
SAMANTHA REIMERS
$5,000SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
TESSA ELDRIDGE
$2,500SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
MARY WILES
$2,500SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
MARY LANNING HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION
$16,666CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$12,500CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
APPLESEED CHILDHOOD EDUCATION INC
$10,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
DONIPHAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
$10,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
GRACE JACKSON
$7,500SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
LEXINGTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$5,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
TESSA ELDRIDGE
$5,000SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF GRAND ISLAND
$5,000CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY
SAMANTHA REIMERS
$2,500SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
MARY WILES
$2,500SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
$2,500CAPITAL ASSET SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY