INVESTING IN EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUALS CREATING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE
Supporting visionaries advancing equity, human rights, democratic values and environmental conservation.
Who We Are
Founded in 2021, the Alfred Kobacker & Elizabeth Trimbach Fund is a nimble donor-advised fund that deploys capital with urgency and trust to support visionary individuals tackling humanity’s most pressing existential threats.
We carry forward the Kobacker family’s long tradition of philanthropy and are one of three active family-established funds.
“Underlying all our commitments is a belief in the importance of morality in public life — in business, the professions and civic institutions.”
Alfred Kobacker & Elizabeth Trimbach
Our Approach
We focus our larger grants on supporting exceptional individuals with unusually high potential—visionaries who are extraordinary in their fields, regardless of institutional affiliation. We look to invest in remarkable people whose talent, vision, and commitment promise transformative impact. Operating with a priority on flexibility and simplicity, we seek opportunities where our resources can create meaningful impact in areas often overlooked by larger philanthropic institutions.
Featured Initiatives
The Fund’s dedication to supporting exceptional individuals is exemplified by our landmark grant to National Geographic’s For Nature project. This grant supports marine biologist Callie Veelenturf in her groundbreaking work advancing conservation efforts and advocating for the rights of nature. It also includes establishing a foundation in her name to ensure long-term support for her mission. Together, these efforts represent the largest commitments in the Fund’s history.
For Nature Fund
How to Stop a Nuclear War
The Fund’s support for bold truth-telling is reflected in our backing of How to Stop a Nuclear War, an upcoming documentary by journalist and filmmaker Paul Jay, based on Daniel Ellsberg’s The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner and narrated by Emma Thompson. Co-produced by Alfred Kobacker and supported by The AKET Fund, the film reveals how U.S. nuclear policy was shaped by secrecy and deception, and explores what can be done today to reduce the threat.
Give It All Now
"Give It All Now" is a call to act with urgency in the face of accelerating global crises. Instead of preserving capital for a future that may not arrive, we are intentionally spending down our fund, trusting individuals over institutions, removing bureaucratic friction, and making bold, concentrated bets on people who can truly shift paradigms. We reject the default caution and delay that dominate philanthropy. Instead, we ask: If you were to give it all now, who would you trust to make the difference?
Jessica Wildfire
Writer Jessica Wildfire helps people make sense of the world as it is — not as we wish it to be. She examines public health, economic precarity, and institutional decline with a focus on how these forces shape everyday life. Her current project, Project C, is an illustrated survival manual offering practical guidance on homesteading and preparedness in uncertain times. Backed by The AKET Fund, her work equips readers with the clarity and tools to navigate a changing world.
Areas of Support
Environmental Conservation
Supporting individuals advancing the protection, restoration, and long-term stewardship of the natural world.
Documentary Films
Supporting filmmakers whose work illuminates critical social, political, and moral issues for broad public understanding.
Human Rights
Investing in efforts that defend human dignity, equity, and fundamental rights in the face of injustice and abuse.
Nuclear Risk Reduction
Advancing initiatives that expose, challenge, and reduce the dangers posed by nuclear weapons and policy decisions.
Democratic Values and Voter Education
Strengthening democratic institutions and informed civic participation through education, transparency and accountability.
Not-For-Profit Healthcare
Supporting mission-driven healthcare efforts that prioritize patient well-being, access, and ethical care over profit.
Our Partners
The AKET Fund is a donor-advised fund of The Columbus Foundation, one of the nation's leading community foundations. The Fund also works with fiscal sponsors to support projects and individuals. We gratefully acknowledge our partnerships with Falmouth Together We Can, Inc., The Reading Room CLE and Entertainment 2 Affect Change.
Support the Fund
Contributions to The Alfred Kobacker & Elizabeth Trimbach Fund help us continue supporting exceptional individuals and initiatives creating meaningful change in the world.
The Fund is a donor-advised fund held at The Columbus Foundation, one of the nation's leading community foundations. Gifts of any size are welcome and are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
To make a contribution to the AKET Fund, please visit The Columbus Foundation's giving page.