Accepts applications
Can I apply?
Accepts applications
The funder's latest Form 990-PF says it accepts applications. Read the instructions below before you write.
- How to apply
The funder's latest Form 990-PF says it accepts applications. Read the instructions below before you write.
Application policy: Accepts applications, as stated on the FY2024 return.
These lines count this foundation's own Form 990-PF returns that the IRS has published as data. An amended return replaces its original. They describe past returns only.
This is a count from past returns. It does not say the foundation will consider a new request. How it is counted: names are compared as written on the returns, without "The" at the start, without endings such as "Inc" or "LLC", and without spaces and punctuation. A recipient also counts as already listed when our records link it to the same organization as an earlier recipient, or when its name is almost the same as an earlier name (a trigram similarity of 0.8 or more, where 1 means identical). The state on the grant row is not compared. Grants that the foundation marked as paid to an individual, such as a scholarship, are left out of both numbers, and no count is shown when most of its grants are marked that way. A person whom the foundation did not mark as an individual is still counted as a recipient. A recipient can still look new when its name is written very differently from year to year, and two different recipients with almost the same name can be counted as one.
Application guidance comes from the funder's own Form 990-PF, Part XV (the section where a private foundation says how to apply), shown as filed. It is the funder's words, not ours. These fields are free text and the IRS form cuts them short. Filers sometimes put whole sentences in the contact-name box. Shown exactly as filed.
Giving by year
Total assets by year
| Year | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Giving | Assets | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 990-PF | $2,293,654 | $2,242,145 | $2,052,768 | $42,603,379 |
Figures are as reported on the e-filed return, with no restatement. Fiscal years are the funder's own tax year, labelled by the calendar year the period ends in. A blank line means the return does not carry that figure; a real zero shows as $0. When an amended return replaces an original, every figure here uses the amended return. The original is not shown. Giving is what the funder actually paid out toward its charitable purpose in the year (qualifying distributions on Form 990-PF, charitable disbursements otherwise). Assets are what it holds; giving is what moves.
Recipient focus areas
Where recipients are
Based on the 61% of grant rows we could match to an organization record. The rest stay as reported. The IRS assigns the NTEE category when it grants exemption. It often reflects the original filing, not today's giving.
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIFE HOUSE INCDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT, STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH NORTHSPAN | $95,000 | 2023 | |
Recipients are shown as the funder wrote them on the return. A recipient with a link was matched to an organization record; the rest stay as reported and are never guessed. Some links come from other funders' returns: when three or more of them wrote the same name and state with one EIN, and the city on this row matches, we use that EIN. The name on this row is still shown as this funder wrote it.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donald Ness | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40.00 | $195,188 |
| Traci Morris | CHAIR | 1.00 | $0 |
| Marcus Jones | VICE CHAIR (TERMED 3/2024) | 1.00 | $0 |
| Marsha Hystead | VICE CHAIR |
From the officer list on the latest e-filed return. Compensation is as reported there; a blank means the return carries no figure.
| $42,247,109 |
| FY2023 | 990-PF | $9,387,371 | $2,179,181 | $1,959,597 | $40,542,651 | $40,204,862 |
| FY2022 | 990-PF | $1,656,626 | $2,001,726 | $1,923,235 | $37,819,967 | $37,390,693 |
| FY2021 | 990-PF | $5,242,974 | $2,087,776 | $1,858,867 | $45,509,190 | $45,260,531 |
| FY2020 | 990-PF | $1,829,532 | $1,520,156 | $2,060,071 | $41,073,025 | $40,861,765 |
| GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| $90,000 |
| 2024 |
| LIFE HOUSE INCDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING | $90,000 | 2020 |
| COLLEGE OF ST SCHOLASTICADULUTH, MN | SCHOLARSHIPS | $85,000 | 2020 |
| SAFE HAVEN SHELTER FOR BATTERED WOMENDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $80,000 | 2023 |
| SAFE HAVEN SHELTER FOR BATTERED WOMENDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $80,000 | 2022 |
| SALVATION ARMYDULUTH, MN | SHARING FUND & SPECIAL NEEDS FUND | $75,000 | 2020 |
| LIFE HOUSE INCDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $75,000 | 2024 |
| SALVATION ARMYDULUTH, MN | SHARING FUND & SPECIAL NEEDS FUND | $75,000 | 2021 |
| CHUMDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $70,000 | 2021 |
| YWCADULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $70,000 | 2021 |
| YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONDULUTH, MN | PARTNERSHIP GRANT | $70,000 | 2023 |
| CHUMDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $70,000 | 2023 |
| CHUMDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $70,000 | 2022 |
| VALLEY YOUTH CENTERDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT, OUTGOING DIRECTOR'S GIFT | $60,000 | 2024 |
| AICHODULUTH, MN | FAMILY FREEDOM CENTER; GENERAL OPERATIONS; COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE | $58,000 | 2020 |
| COMMUNITY ACTION DULUTHDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT, COMMUNITY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM | $55,000 | 2022 |
| DIVINE KONNECTIONS INCDULUTH, MN | SPECIAL INITIATIVES GRANT, OPERATIONAL SUPPORT, CARL CRAWFORD AWARD | $55,000 | 2024 |
| FAMILY FREEDOM CENTERDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT OF THE CENTER, SPONSORSHIP FOR KIDS MERCH UP EVENT | $50,500 | 2024 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF THE NORTHLANDMatched to this organization because 4 grant-making charities wrote this name with its EIN. Source: Schedule I of their Form 990 returns, fiscal years 2020 to 2025. Counted Oct 9, 2026.DULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 | 2021 |
| VALLEY YOUTH CENTERDULUTH, MN | YOUTH PROGRAMS | $50,000 | 2021 |
| VALLEY YOUTH CENTERDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 | 2022 |
| SALVATION ARMYDULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 | 2023 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF THE NORTHLANDMatched to this organization because 4 grant-making charities wrote this name with its EIN. Source: Schedule I of their Form 990 returns, fiscal years 2020 to 2025. Counted Oct 9, 2026.DULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 | 2022 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF THE NORTHLANDMatched to this organization because 4 grant-making charities wrote this name with its EIN. Source: Schedule I of their Form 990 returns, fiscal years 2020 to 2025. Counted Oct 9, 2026.DULUTH, MN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 | 2024 |
| 1.00 |
| $0 |
| Maria Isley | SECRETARY | 1.00 | $0 |
| Ariuna Taivan | TREASURER | 1.00 | $0 |
| Christine Davis | DIRECTOR | 1.00 | $0 |
| Anne Holy | DIRECTOR | 1.00 | $0 |
| Richard Howell | DIRECTOR | 1.00 | $0 |
| Stacy Johnston | DIRECTOR | 1.00 | $0 |
| John Strange | DIRECTOR | 1.00 | $0 |
| Ivy Vainio | DIRECTOR | 1.00 | $0 |
| Tony Yung | DIRECTOR | 1.00 | $0 |
Nearest by size, location and giving pattern in the database. Geography weighs heavily. Treat it as a starting list, not a ranking of fit.