Cooper-Clark Foundation

## Approach & Fit Strategy

The Cooper-Clark Foundation is a private foundation based in Liberal, Kansas, with $14.4 million in assets and approximately $1.5 million in annual giving across ~109 grants. The foundation serves an extremely specific geographic area: four eastern Colorado counties (Baca, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Kit Carson), five western Kansas counties (Grant, Haskell, Morton, Seward, Stanton), and two counties in Oklahoma. This narrow geographic mandate means only organizations physically located in or directly serving these rural communities are eligible. The foundation focuses on practical, tangible community needs — infrastructure, emergency services equipment, youth programming, and social services. Ideal applicants are municipal governments, fire departments, schools, libraries, senior centers, and local nonprofits with concrete project needs. The foundation values direct community impact over programmatic innovation, and its giving pattern shows strong preference for capital expenditures (buildings, equipment, repairs) and recurring community events (after-prom programs). Organizations outside the designated counties have essentially zero chance of receiving support regardless of mission alignment.

## Funding Patterns & Grant Landscape

The Cooper-Clark Foundation distributed $1.51 million across 109 grants in 2024, maintaining remarkable consistency in grant volume (107-111 grants annually from 2021-2024). The grant range spans from $250 to $215,000, with a median of approximately $4,859 — indicating the majority of awards are small, community-level grants. The largest 2024 grants went to: Stratton Area Foundation ($215,000 for building), City of Stratton ($160,397 for swimming pool repair), and City of Liberal ($98,365 for drug court program). A significant portion of grants are recurring: 21 after-prom event grants, 20 equipment purchases, and 15 food/supply grants annually, suggesting the foundation has established ongoing relationships with community organizations. Revenue is entirely investment-driven ($2.0M in 2024: 60% asset sales, 21% other income, 11% dividends), with zero contributions received. The foundation operates with no liabilities and 92.7% of expenses going to charitable disbursements — indicating extremely efficient operations. Assets have grown from $11.9M (2011) to $14.4M (2024) despite consistent annual distributions, demonstrating sound investment management.

## Peer Comparison

The Cooper-Clark Foundation occupies a critical niche as the largest dedicated funder for the specific tri-state region where western Kansas, eastern Colorado, and Oklahoma converge. Unlike the much larger Dane G. Hansen Foundation (which serves 26 NW Kansas counties with $500M+ in assets), Cooper-Clark targets a smaller geographic area with more granular, community-level support. Its 109 grants annually is an exceptionally high grant count for a $14.4M foundation, reflecting a strategy of broad community impact through many small awards rather than fewer large investments. The foundation is unique in its systematic support of after-prom events across its service area — a distinctive commitment to youth safety programming not seen in peer foundations.

## Recent Activity & Trends

Governance: The foundation is led by President Bob Todd, Vice President Tom May, Secretary/Treasurer Craig Hay, and Directors Sharon Todd and Kay Hay. Total officer compensation is $59,150 annually. The eight-member board serves on a volunteer basis, consistent with rural community foundation governance norms.

Financial Trajectory: Assets have grown steadily from $11.9M (2011) to $14.4M (2024), demonstrating the foundation's ability to grow its endowment while maintaining consistent annual distributions of $850K-$1.57M. The zero-liability balance sheet and investment-only revenue model provide exceptional financial stability.

Grant Volume Trends: The foundation has maintained remarkably stable grant activity at 107-111 awards annually from 2021-2024, suggesting a mature, well-established grantmaking process with deep community relationships across the tri-state service area.

Recent Notable Grants (2024): The Stratton Area Foundation building project ($215,000) and City of Stratton swimming pool repair ($160,397) represent the foundation's largest investments, both focused on community infrastructure in eastern Colorado. The City of Liberal drug court program ($98,365) shows willingness to fund innovative public safety and health programs. The after-prom program (21 grants) continues as a signature initiative supporting youth safety across the region.

Website: The foundation maintains a website at cooperclark.org (built on Wix) but it provides limited information about application procedures or current priorities.

## Application Tips & Strategy

Organizations within the Cooper-Clark Foundation's designated service area should consider the following approach:

1. Verify Geographic Eligibility First — The foundation strictly serves four eastern Colorado counties (Baca, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Kit Carson), five western Kansas counties (Grant, Haskell, Morton, Seward, Stanton), and two Oklahoma counties. Organizations outside these counties should not apply.

2. Focus on Tangible Needs — The foundation's giving pattern strongly favors concrete, practical projects: building construction or repair, equipment purchases (especially for fire departments and emergency services), facility improvements, and direct service delivery. Abstract programmatic proposals are less likely to succeed.

3. Consider After-Prom or Youth Programming — The foundation systematically funds 21+ after-prom events annually across its service area. Schools or parent organizations in the region that have not yet applied should consider this as an entry point.

4. Start with Modest Requests — With a median grant of ~$4,859, most awards are in the $1,000-$10,000 range. New applicants should request amounts appropriate to their project scale and build a track record before seeking larger awards.

5. Municipal and Government Entities Welcome — Unlike many foundations, Cooper-Clark regularly funds city governments, county agencies, and public institutions (libraries, senior centers). Government entities should not hesitate to apply.

6. Contact Directly — Phone: (620) 624-8471 | Address: PO Box 2707, Liberal, KS 67905-2707 | Website: cooperclark.org. Given the limited website information, a phone call to the foundation office is the recommended first step for prospective applicants.