Berger North Foundation

Berger North Foundation is a Nevada charitable trust established in 2013 in Minden, Nevada, governed by trustees John N. Berger and Ingrid C. Tanner. With $16M in total assets, the foundation operates as a relationship-driven grantmaker that takes a deeply hands-on approach to philanthropy. Rather than running an open application cycle, Berger North proactively researches community needs, identifies high-impact organizations, and builds long-term partnerships. The foundation's stated approach emphasizes three pillars: (1) researching community needs before committing funds, (2) building relationships with grantees that develop into further collaborations, and (3) considering the long-term impact of each grant. This model produces a concentrated portfolio — just 12 grants in 2024 — allowing the foundation to make meaningful investments ($4,000-$250,000 per grant) rather than spreading thin across many small gifts. The foundation supports four primary verticals: healthcare and wellness, human services (with a notable emphasis on anti-trafficking), education, and conservation. Geographic reach spans primarily Utah, Colorado, Illinois, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Washington, though the foundation appears willing to fund nationally for causes aligned with its priorities. Prospective grantees should understand that this is fundamentally a preselected model — the foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

In FY2024, Berger North Foundation distributed approximately $848,325 across 12 grants, with total distributions of $1.1M when including operating costs. The grant portfolio reveals clear concentration patterns: anti-trafficking and victim services received the largest allocations, with National Special Victims Incorporated receiving $320,000 across two grants ($240,000 + $80,000) — representing 38% of total grant dollars. Truckers Against Trafficking received $150,000 (18%). Religious and community organizations received $100,000 (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The remaining grants ranged from $4,000 to $65,000, supporting healthcare, education, family services, and international development. Historical grant volume has fluctuated: 22 grants (2015), 10 grants (2016, 2020), 12 grants (2021), 7 grants (2022), 8 grants (2023), and 12 grants (2024). The typical award range is $4,000-$250,000 with a median of approximately $55,000. The foundation's asset base has remained relatively stable ($17.8M in 2018, $16M in 2024), and annual giving has grown modestly from $730,000 (2018) to $848,000 (2024). Revenue comes from investment returns on the endowment, with total revenues of $2.9M reported in 2018. The payout rate of approximately 5.3% is close to the IRS minimum distribution requirement for private foundations, suggesting a sustainability-focused endowment model rather than aggressive spend-down.

Among Nevada-based private foundations, Berger North is mid-sized but distinctive for its unusually broad geographic footprint — while most Nevada foundations concentrate giving in-state, Berger North distributes across seven states. The foundation's concentration on anti-trafficking causes (38% of 2024 giving) sets it apart from peers that focus on more traditional education and healthcare categories. With only 12 grants per year, the foundation achieves a high average grant size (~$71K) relative to its asset base, indicating a preference for fewer, more impactful investments over broad distribution. The preselected-only model is common among Nevada foundations of this size but limits accessibility for organizations not already in the trustees' network.

In FY2024, the foundation expanded its grant portfolio from 8 awards (2023) to 12 awards, representing its largest grant count since 2021 and a return to more active grantmaking after a quieter 2022-2023 period (7-8 grants). The 2024 portfolio shows continued heavy investment in anti-trafficking work, with National Special Victims Incorporated receiving the foundation's largest single grant ($240,000) plus a supplementary $80,000 grant. Truckers Against Trafficking, a Denver-based organization combating human trafficking in the trucking industry, received $150,000 — suggesting the foundation has identified anti-trafficking as its signature cause area. New grantees in 2024 include Boundless Empowerment ($65,000) in California and Zawadie Services ($10,000) in Utah, indicating the foundation continues to identify and onboard new partners despite its preselected model. The foundation's total distributions of $1.1M exceeded the prior year's $868K, showing increased philanthropic deployment. The foundation maintains its physical presence at 1624 US Highway 395 N, Suite 3, Minden, NV 89423.

Berger North Foundation explicitly states it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. This makes traditional application strategies largely inapplicable. However, organizations seeking to enter the foundation's orbit should consider: (1) Alignment is paramount — the foundation's 2024 giving reveals strong preference for anti-trafficking/victim services (38% of dollars), healthcare and wellness, education (including international), and family/community services; (2) Build visibility in the foundation's geographic focus areas (Utah, Colorado, Illinois, California, Idaho, Nevada, Washington) through strong programmatic results and community presence; (3) The foundation values long-term partnerships — National Special Victims Incorporated has received multi-year, growing support, suggesting once a relationship is established, the foundation increases investment; (4) Organizations working in anti-trafficking, victim services, or combating exploitation are particularly well-positioned given the foundation's demonstrated commitment; (5) Despite the "preselected only" designation, the foundation does add new grantees each year (Boundless Empowerment and Zawadie Services were new in 2024), indicating the trustees actively scout for new partners; (6) The foundation has applicant tools and materials on its website (bergernorthfoundation.org/applicant-tools-and-materials), suggesting some pathway exists for organizations that have been identified; (7) Contact the foundation at 775-783-0300 or at their Minden, NV office for inquiries about whether your organization might be considered.