Burke Family Foundation
This organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting various charitable causes, particularly in health, community service, and education. Its mission reflects a commitment to enhancing community welfare through grants that provide general operating support, disaster relief, and assistance to food pantries and educational institutions. The foundation prioritizes funding for health-related initiatives, including cancer research, as well as local community organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club and faith-based groups. It primarily serves recipients in the health, human services, and education sectors, with a significant focus on local needs.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A locally based Iowa nonprofit or faith-based community organization with an established relationship or referral into the foundation’s network, working in areas like health, food assistance, education, youth services, or local capital projects.
Good Fit
- • Organization operates primarily in Iowa or serves Iowa communities.
- • Existing connection or referral to board members, officers, or current grantees.
- • Programs in health, food pantry services, faith-based community programs, youth clubs, or education tuition support.
- • Capacity to manage grants in the $10K–$250K range and to report on local impact.
- • Track record of multi-year local service or an ongoing capital/expansion project.
Geography
Giving is heavily concentrated in one state: roughly 95% of dollars in the latest year went to Iowa, with only small out-of-state grants across two additional states.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows 21 distinct recipients funded and a similar count in prior years, covering churches, food pantries, youth services, health research, and community organizations, indicating a broad set of independent local grantees for the foundation’s size.
New Applicants
The foundation states it awards grants only to preselected recipients and the observed giving shows only one new grantee in the latest year with the vast majority of recipients returning, so unfamiliar applicants appear unlikely to enter the portfolio without a referral or invitation.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
