Bohemian Foundation is a private foundation based in Fort Collins, Colorado, that conducts grantmaking in local communities in four main program categories: community, music, global, and civic. It was founded in 2001 by medical device heiress Pat Stryker, a major donor to left-of-center causes. Stryker helped form the Colorado Democracy Alliance, the state-level predecessor and model for the national Democracy Alliance liberal donor consortium.¹

The foundation takes its name from the “bohemian movement” of 19^th century Europe. That movement practiced an unconventional lifestyle, with few permanent ties, often involving pursuits in literacy, music, or art.²

Initiatives

The foundation focused initially on the arts before adding programs to support organizations working on left-of-center policy and activism in 2015. It now splits its financial efforts evenly among those four core pursuits.

Although Bohemian makes contributions to local, nonpolitical 501(c)(3) organizations in the Denver area, such as the Colorado Non-Profit Development Center, Denver Scholarship Foundation, and Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, the foundation has also contributed sizable grants to progressive political groups. Donations listed on its IRS Form 990 for 2014 include $50,000 to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, $200,000 to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, $200,000 to Media Matters for America, and $100,000 to the William J. Brennan, Jr. Center for Justice.³

People

Cheryl Zimlich serves as executive director. She also serves on the board of directors along with her husband, Joe Zimlich, and the organization’s founder, Pat Stryker.⁴

Joe Zimlich has been a consigliere (close aide) for Stryker for many years, and has served as CEO of Stryker’s for-profit Bohemian Companies. In addition to his roles with Bohemian, Zimlich has served on the boards of ProgressNow and the controversial government-supported green energy firm Abound Solar.⁵

Pat Stryker ranked 264^th on the Forbes 400 list of billionaires as of December 7, 2016, with a net worth of $2.6 billion. She inherited a large percentage of Stryker Corporation, a medical equipment supplier with nearly $10 billion in annual sales, from her grandfather Homer.⁶ Stryker has personally contributed millions to support Democrats and liberal candidates in Colorado and nationally.⁷

Funding

Bohemian Foundation reported revenue of $25,946,363 and expenses of $10,745,578 on its IRS Form 990 for 2014, giving it an excess of $15,200,785 for the year. Stryker contributed 70,000 shares of Stryker Corporation stock valued at $5,586,700 to the organization in 2014.⁸

Bohemian Foundation reported revenue of $25,393,323 and expenses of $10,745, 578 on its IRS Form 990 for 2016, giving it an excess of $12,563,740 for the year.⁹

According to its 2020 tax forms, the Bohemian Foundation received a $37,500,573 grant from billionaire heiress Patricia “Pat” Stryke. ¹⁰

Its 2021 990 form reported the organization’s revenue at $41,050,944, its expenses at $21,127,623, and its assets at $71,066,184. Bohemian Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/841605993/202233149349102598/full[/note]

1. Kroll, Andy. “This machine turned Colorado blue. Now it may be Dems’ best hope to save the Senate.” Mother Jones. October 29, 2014. Accessed March 28, 2017. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/colorado-udall-hickenlooper-senate-democracy-alliance
2. “About Bohemian Foundation.” Bohemian Foundation. Accessed December 06, 2016. http://www.bohemianfoundation.org/about
3. Guidestar: Bohemian Foundation IRS Form 990 for 2014. Accessed December 07, 2016. http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2014/841/605/2014-841605993-0baf233d-F.pdf
4. “Staff.” Bohemian Foundation. Accessed December 06, 2016. http://www.bohemianfoundation.org/about/staff
5. McMorris, Bill. “Joe Zimlich: Colorado’s Shadows.” Washington Free Beacon. October 22, 2012. Accessed March 28, 2017. http://freebeacon.com/democracy-alliance/joe-zimlich-colorados-shadows/
6. Forbes. “Pat Stryker.” Accessed December 07, 2016. http://www.forbes.com/profile/pat-stryker/
7. McMorris, Bill. “Pat Stryker: Colorado Crony.” Washington Free Beacon. October 16, 2012. Accessed March 28, 2017. http://freebeacon.com/democracy-alliance/pat-stryker-colorado-crony/
8. ^. Bohemian Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2014. Accessed December 07, 2016. http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2014/841/605/2014-841605993-0baf233d-F.pdf
9. Bohemian Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2016. Accessed March 14, 2018. http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2016/841/605/2016-841605993-0e72862b-F.pdf
10. Bohemian Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/841605993/202133129349100128/full