Agricultural Utilization Research Institute
Accelerate the expansion of the agricultural economy by empowering expanded uses and markets of agriculturally derived products.
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute at a glance
In short: Agricultural Utilization Research Institute reported $5K in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $4,700 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- -97.7% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $8,815,408
- -0.8% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $6,450,690
- -8.0% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $262,032
- +3.5% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $6,467,339
- +1.8% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
Who Agricultural Utilization Research Institute funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
2 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 1 grant of 2 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5K (2025) to $500K (2023). In 2025 it reported $5K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ag Innovation Campus Crookston, MN | Initiative Expenditures | $200,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,815,408 | $6,450,690 | $6,467,339 | $4,700 | Total only | $262,032 |
| 2024 | $8,882,711 | $7,013,347 | $6,353,391 | $200,000 | 1 | $253,152 |
| 2023 | $6,675,740 | $6,457,680 | $6,243,627 | $500,000 | 1 | $121,326 |
| 2022 | $6,538,023 | $5,034,016 | $4,961,957 | — | — | $47,101 |
| 2021 | $5,866,335 | $5,389,230 | $4,722,058 | — | — | $93,777 |
| 2020 | $5,668,171 | $5,073,559 | $4,709,500 | — | — | $142,699 |
| 2019 | $4,704,852 | $4,467,171 | $4,675,841 | — | — | $124,753 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About Agricultural Utilization Research Institute
Based on IRS filings
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute is a public charity focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Crookston, MN. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $8.8M in total assets. In 2025, it reported $5K in grants paid as a total on its IRS filing, without an itemized list. Net investment income was $262K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute is led by Shannon Schlecht, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 14 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Shannon Schlecht
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$161K (2019) → $209K (2025)
Federico Tripodi
Chair
Board Memeber - at Large → Secretary & Treasurer, 2020
Secretary & Treasurer → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$965 (2020) → $2K (2025)
Adam Stratton
Senior Director of Operations & Finance
Senior Director of Operations → Senior Director of Operations & Finance, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$114K (2019) → $125K (2025)
Jennifer Wagner-Lahr
Senior Director of Business Development & Commerciali
Senior Director of Innovation → Senior Director of Commercialization, 2024
Senior Director of Commercialization → Senior Director of Business Development & Commerciali, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$110K (2019) → $127K (2025)
Jeff Grev
Director
Board Member at Large → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$370 (2024) → $330 (2025)
Jason Robinson
Business Development Director & Food
Business Development Director → Business Development Director & Food, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$101K (2022) → $113K (2025)
Michael Sparby
Commercialization Director
Commericialization Director → Commercialization Director, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$101K (2022) → $108K (2025)
Joe Serbus
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
$450 (2024) → $480 (2025)
Luca Zullo
Senior Director of Science & Technology
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$143K (2023) → $150K (2025)
Mikayla Tabert
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
$580 (2025)
Ted Winter
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
$275 (2025)
Lauren McNamara
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Representative Samantha Vang
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Senator Aric Putnam
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kent Heins
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Representative Rick Hansen
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carolyn Olson
Secretary & Treasurer
Board Member → Director, 2020
Director → Secretary & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$645 (2019) → $1K (2025)
John Schafer
Vice Chair
Board Member → Director, 2020
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$736 (2019) → $1K (2025)
Jon Veldhouse
Vice Chair
Board Member → Director, 2020
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$165 (2022) → $1K (2025)
Former officers (13)
- Former: Lisa Gjersvik (2024) — Senior Director of Strategy Management
- Former: Jerry Hasnedl (2019–2023) — Vice Chair
- Former: Kenneth Asp (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Ron Obermoller (2019–2023) — Former Director
- Former: Erin Heitkamp (2021–2022) — Former Director
- Former: Representative Mike Sundin (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Senator Gene Dornink (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Larry Johnson (2019–2021) — Former Director
- Former: Representative Jeanne Poppe (2019–2021) — Former Director
- Former: Rodney Larkins (2019–2021) — Senior Director of Science
- Former: Senator Rich Draheim (2019–2021) — Former Director
- Former: Jill Zullo (2019) — Former Board Member
- Former: Representative Debra Kiel (2019) — Former Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $209K, to Shannon Schlecht (Executive Director). 14 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Agricultural Utilization Research Institute
How much does Agricultural Utilization Research Institute give each year?
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute reported $5K in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it gave $200K across 1 grant.
How large is Agricultural Utilization Research Institute?
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute reported $8.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.5M.
What is Agricultural Utilization Research Institute?
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute is a public charity focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Crookston, MN. It holds $8.8M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Agricultural Utilization Research Institute operate?
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute has awarded grants in Minnesota.
What is Agricultural Utilization Research Institute's EIN?
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1635043. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 25, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 10, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
Live grants for the work Agricultural Utilization Research Institute funds
Food, Agriculture & Nutrition Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Agricultural Utilization Research Institute down — hundreds of funders to go?