The McGowan Family Foundation concentrates giving in Omaha-area educational institutions, youth-serving programs, and health-related causes, while also supporting local arts, food security, and faith-based organizations. They favor institutional partners (K–12 Catholic and independent schools, colleges/universities, hospitals and disease-focused nonprofits) and frequently make multiple grants to the same organizations, suggesting ongoing partnerships and multi-year support. Grants skew toward mid-to-large size awards that fund operational needs, program support, and capital or institutional priorities. The foundation blends local community investments (food pantry, youth development, performing arts, museums) with selective national health research and university gifts.
The McGowan Family Foundation’s largest recent gifts point to a clear pattern: it backs Omaha institutions that serve education, health, and community needs at meaningful scale. A 2023 grant of $255,250 went to Creighton Prep, and the same year Methodist Hospital Foundation received $250,000. In 2025, the foundation repeated that institutional approach with a $250,000 grant to JDRF, alongside a $150,000 grant to Heart Ministry Center and $120,000 to Jesuit Academy. Those awards show a funder that works through established organizations rather than individuals, with giving that reaches schools, hospitals, youth programs, food-security nonprofits, and faith-linked community institutions. The portfolio also includes support for arts and recreation groups such as Omaha Performing Arts and Omaha Equestrian Foundation, plus university partners inside and outside Nebraska. Recurring awards are part of the picture: several organizations appear more than once across the recent grants list, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-off checks. Overall, the foundation’s recent grantmaking is rooted in institutional support, often tied to operational, program, or capital needs at organizations that are already embedded in the communities they serve.
In education, the foundation supports Catholic and independent schools as well as colleges and university foundations. Recent grants include $120,000 to Jesuit Academy for educational institutions, $100,000 to Westside Community Schools Fdn, and $100,000 to the University of Nebraska Fdn. The pattern extends to higher education beyond Nebraska, with awards to Texas Christian University, Drake University, Arizona State University, and St Ignatius College Prep. Health-related giving is another clear theme. JDRF received $250,000 in 2025 and $67,000 in 2024, while Methodist Hospital Foundation received $250,000 in 2023. Community support also shows up in youth and food-security work: Completely Kids received $81,000 for youth development, and Heart Ministry Center received $150,000 in 2025 and $50,500 in 2024 for agriculture, food, and nutrition. Arts and recreation appear as well through Omaha Performing Arts and Omaha Equestrian Foundation.
Typical awards sit in the mid-to-large range: p25 is $16,000, the median is $25,000, and p75 is $35,500. Recent grants also show repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including Jesuit Academy, JDRF, Heart Ministry Center, University of Nebraska Fdn, Creighton Prep, College of Saint Mary, Texas Christian University, and Omaha Performing Arts. That pattern suggests continuing partnerships rather than isolated awards. The foundation is a family foundation, not a fund that gives to individuals, and there is no indication in the data of a program-related investment strategy. The grants in the list are institutional in nature and commonly align with operating, program, or capital support.
$1.3M
$20.9M
$1.8M
$1.5M
Most grants fall between $16K and $36K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$16K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$36K
About 69% of grants go to recipients in NE.
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Concentrated, relationship-driven giving: multiple repeat grants to core local institutions and schools, a mix of several large multi‑thousand-dollar awards and many mid-size gifts, with strong geographic focus on Omaha/Nebraska but occasional targeted gifts to national medical or university partners.
Notable grantees: JDRF, Creighton Prep, Methodist Hospital Foundation, Heart Ministry Center, Completely Kids
Grantmaking is heavily centered in Nebraska, which accounts for 69% of grants and is the top state by grant count. Omaha is the primary city in the recent grants list, with awards going to schools, hospitals, youth organizations, arts groups, and food-security nonprofits there. Outside Nebraska, the recent list includes Fort Worth, Tempe, Des Moines, San Francisco, and Pine Ridge. All recorded grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients.
The recent grants list is led by educational institutions, health-related organizations, youth development groups, arts and recreation nonprofits, and food-security or faith-linked community organizations. Repeated recipients include Jesuit Academy, JDRF, Heart Ministry Center, University of Nebraska Fdn, and Omaha Performing Arts.
Yes. Several organizations appear more than once in the recent grants data, including Jesuit Academy, JDRF, Heart Ministry Center, University of Nebraska Fdn, Creighton Prep, College of Saint Mary, Texas Christian University, and Omaha Performing Arts. That indicates ongoing relationships across multiple years.
The distribution centers on mid-sized awards: p25 is $16,000, the median is $25,000, and p75 is $35,500. The recent list also includes larger institutional gifts, such as $255,250 to Creighton Prep and $250,000 to Methodist Hospital Foundation.
Nebraska is the top state by grant count, and 69% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Omaha is the main city in the recent grants list, with additional grants going to recipients in Fort Worth, Tempe, Des Moines, San Francisco, and Pine Ridge.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. The grant record shown here is entirely institutional and consists of direct grants to organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JDRF | Omaha, NE | $250,000 | 2025 | Disease, Disorders, Medical |
| Heart Ministry Center | Omaha, NE | $150,000 | 2025 | Agriculture, Food, Nutrition |
| Jesuit Academy | Omaha, NE | $120,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Westside Community SchoolsFdn | Omaha, NE | $100,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| University of Nebraska Fdn | Omaha, NE | $100,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Completely Kids | Omaha, NE | $81,000 | 2025 | Youth Development |
| Omaha Equestrian Foundation | Omaha, NE | $60,000 | 2025 | Recreation, Sports, Leisure |
| St Ignatius College Prep | San Francisco, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Omaha Performing Arts | Omaha, NE | $50,000 | 2025 | Arts, Culture, Humanities |
| College of Saint Mary | Omaha, NE | $50,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Revive Inc | Hastings, NE | $25,000 | 2025 | Mental Health, Crisis Intervention |
| Winston Preparatory School | New York, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Iowa State University Fdn | Ames, IA | $25,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| North Star Foundation | Omaha, NE | $25,000 | 2025 | Youth Development |
| University of Southern CA | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Creighton Prep | Omaha, NE | $18,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Museum of Nebraska Art | Kearney, NE | $15,000 | 2025 | Arts, Culture, Humanities |
| Cancer Fund Inc | Washington, DC | $15,000 | 2025 | Philanthropy, Voluntarism, Grantmak |
| Skutt Catholic High School | Omaha, NE | $13,150 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Quality Living Inc | Omaha, NE | $10,000 | 2025 | Health |
| Partnership 4 Kids | Omaha, NE | $10,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Munroe-Meyer Institute | Omaha, NE | $10,000 | 2025 | Mental Health, Crisis Intervention |
| Arizona State University | Tempe, AZ | $9,330 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Jesuit Academy | Omaha, NE | $67,500 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| JDRF | Omaha, NE | $67,000 | 2024 | Disease, Disorders, Medical |
| Omaha Performing Arts | Omaha, NE | $53,500 | 2024 | Arts, Culture, Humanities |
| Heart Ministry Center | Omaha, NE | $50,500 | 2024 | Agriculture, Food, Nutrition |
| University of Nebraska Fdn | Omaha, NE | $50,000 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, TX | $37,119 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| Creighton Prep | Omaha, NE | $26,500 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| Iowa State University | Ames, IA | $25,000 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| University of Southern CA | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| Completely Kids | Omaha, NE | $25,000 | 2024 | Youth Development |
| North Star Foundation | Omaha, NE | $25,000 | 2024 | Youth Development |
| Red Cloud Indian School | Pine Ridge, SD | $25,000 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| Omaha Police Foundation | Omaha, NE | $25,000 | 2024 | Civil Rights, Social Action, Advcy |
| Arizona State University | Tempe, AZ | $25,000 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| Washburn University | Topeka, KS | $22,670 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| Omaha Equestrian Foundation | Omaha, NE | $20,500 | 2024 | Recreation, Sports, Leisure |
| National Fdn Ectodermal Dyspl | Fairview Height, IL | $15,000 | 2024 | Health - General Rehabilitative |
| Skutt Catholic Highschool | Omaha, NE | $12,740 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| Christ the King Church | Omaha, NE | $10,000 | 2024 | Religion, Spiritual Development |
| St Patricks Catholic Church | Elkhorn, NE | $10,000 | 2024 | Religion, Spiritual Development |
| Creighton Prep | Omaha, NE | $255,250 | 2023 | Educational Institutions |
| Methodist Hospital Foundation | Omaha, NE | $250,000 | 2023 | Health - General Rehabilitative |
| Omaha Discovery Trust | Omaha, NE | $100,000 | 2023 | Public, Society Benefit |
| Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, TX | $50,061 | 2023 | Educational Institutions |
| University of Nebraska Fdn | Omaha, NE | $48,000 | 2023 | Educational Institutions |
| Christ the King Church | Omaha, NE | $35,500 | 2023 | Religion, Spiritual Development |
JDRF
$250,000Disease, Disorders, Medical
Heart Ministry Center
$150,000Agriculture, Food, Nutrition
Jesuit Academy
$120,000Educational Institutions
Westside Community SchoolsFdn
$100,000Educational Institutions
University of Nebraska Fdn
$100,000Educational Institutions
Completely Kids
$81,000Youth Development
Omaha Equestrian Foundation
Recreation, Sports, Leisure
St Ignatius College Prep
$50,000Educational Institutions
Omaha Performing Arts
$50,000Arts, Culture, Humanities
College of Saint Mary
$50,000Educational Institutions
Revive Inc
$25,000Mental Health, Crisis Intervention
Winston Preparatory School
$25,000Educational Institutions
Iowa State University Fdn
$25,000Educational Institutions
Texas Christian University
$25,000Educational Institutions
North Star Foundation
$25,000Youth Development
University of Southern CA
$25,000Educational Institutions
Creighton Prep
$18,000Educational Institutions
Museum of Nebraska Art
$15,000Arts, Culture, Humanities
Cancer Fund Inc
$15,000Philanthropy, Voluntarism, Grantmak
Skutt Catholic High School
$13,150Educational Institutions
Quality Living Inc
$10,000Health
Partnership 4 Kids
$10,000Educational Institutions
Munroe-Meyer Institute
$10,000Mental Health, Crisis Intervention
Arizona State University
$9,330Educational Institutions
Jesuit Academy
$67,500Educational Institutions
JDRF
$67,000Disease, Disorders, Medical
Omaha Performing Arts
$53,500Arts, Culture, Humanities
Heart Ministry Center
$50,500Agriculture, Food, Nutrition
University of Nebraska Fdn
$50,000Educational Institutions
Texas Christian University
$37,119Educational Institutions
Creighton Prep
$26,500Educational Institutions
Iowa State University
$25,000Educational Institutions
University of Southern CA
$25,000Educational Institutions
Completely Kids
$25,000Youth Development
North Star Foundation
$25,000Youth Development
Red Cloud Indian School
$25,000Educational Institutions
Omaha Police Foundation
$25,000Civil Rights, Social Action, Advcy
Arizona State University
$25,000Educational Institutions
Washburn University
$22,670Educational Institutions
Omaha Equestrian Foundation
$20,500Recreation, Sports, Leisure
National Fdn Ectodermal Dyspl
$15,000Health - General Rehabilitative
Skutt Catholic Highschool
$12,740Educational Institutions
Christ the King Church
$10,000Religion, Spiritual Development
St Patricks Catholic Church
$10,000Religion, Spiritual Development
Creighton Prep
$255,250Educational Institutions
Methodist Hospital Foundation
$250,000Health - General Rehabilitative
Omaha Discovery Trust
$100,000Public, Society Benefit
Texas Christian University
$50,061Educational Institutions
University of Nebraska Fdn
$48,000Educational Institutions
Christ the King Church
$35,500Religion, Spiritual Development