Alex Stern Family Foundation
The Alex Stern Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Fargo, North Dakota. It supports arts, social welfare and human services, education, youth recreation, civic projects, and health issues for the benefit of the greater Fargo-Moorhead area.
Key facts about Alex Stern Family Foundation
In short: Alex Stern Family Foundation gave $554K across 69 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in North Dakota. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 45-6013981
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $553,833
- Grants made (2025)
- 69
- Average grant
- $8,027
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (22 of 68, 2025)
- Total assets
- $9,037,617
- Primary geography
- North Dakota (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- To inquire about eligibility, prospective applicants are directed to contact Dan Carey. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- March 31 for the spring round and August 31 for the fall round.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.0M
-1.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$554K
-1.9% YoY
Grant Count
69
+3.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
-4.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Alex Stern Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $543K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Alex Stern Family Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 22 of 68 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 105% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports arts, social welfare and human services, education, youth recreation, civic projects, and health issues in the greater Fargo-Moorhead area. Its grant recipients include organizations serving a range of community needs. For example, Hope Blooms says it provides bedside bouquets to people facing isolation, loneliness, or hardship; Hospice of the Red River Valley says its mission is to provide comfort and care through life’s journey; and American Gold Gymnastics says it teaches children through gymnastics instruction.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 69 grants totaling $553,833. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $112,500, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest award was $112,500 to Impact Foundation for “Giving Hearts.” Other notable grants included $25,000 each to Angels Hockey Club and Oak Grove Lutheran School, both for general operating support, and $15,000 each to Handi-Wheels Transportation and Red River Regional Marksmanship Center, also for general operating support. Additional $10,000 awards included grants to Hope Blooms, Hospice of the Red River Valley, Landon’s Light Foundation, and American Gold Gymnastics.
Review Cycle
March 31 for the spring round and August 31 for the fall round.
How to Apply
To inquire about eligibility, prospective applicants are directed to contact Dan Carey. The filing lists application materials as “see attached schedule” and restricts awards to Fargo-Moorhead area activities. The foundation’s website describes two grant rounds each year.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Alex Stern Family Foundation
Ready to take the next step with Alex Stern Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its service area as the greater Fargo-Moorhead area. Its 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in North Dakota (90%) and Minnesota (10%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 69 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $511K (2023) to $565K (2024). In 2025 it made 69 grants totaling $554K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Impact Foundation ($113K). Together the top 10 received $245K.
Grant Size Distribution
333 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 329 grants of 333 (99%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Impact Foundation Fargo, ND | Giving Hearts | $112,500 |
| Angels Hockey Club Fargo, ND | General Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Oak Grove Lutheran School Fargo, ND | General Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Handi-Wheels Transportation Inc Fargo, ND | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Red River Regional Marksmanship Cen West Fargo, ND | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| American Gold Gymnastics Fargo, ND | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of the VIL Fargo, ND | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Hope Blooms Fargo, ND | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Hospice of the Red River Valley Fargo, ND | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Jeremiah Program Fargo Moorhead Fargo, ND | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $9,037,617 | $523,942 | $634,959 | $553,833 |
| 2024 | $9,148,634 | $541,077 | $653,064 | $564,833 |
| 2023 | $9,260,621 | $240,875 | $578,200 | $511,000 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,037,617 | $9,148,634 | $9,260,621 |
| Revenue | $523,942 | $541,077 | $240,875 |
| Expenses | $634,959 | $653,064 | $578,200 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $568,912 | $582,369 | $525,170 |
| Net Investment Income | $307,516 | $314,733 | $317,656 |
| Distributable Amount | $543,118 | $497,557 | $467,196 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation lists Rondi McGovern as trustee and Dan Carey as executive director and trustee. The 2025 filing lists Dan Carey and Rondi McGovern as trustees.
Alex Stern Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dan Carey
Trustee
On filings since 2020
$4K (2023) → $4K (2025)
Rondi McGovern
Trustee
On filings since 2020
$4K (2023) → $4K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $4K, to Dan Carey (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: Dan Carey
Mailing address: 4141 28Th Ave S, Fargo, ND 58104
Phone: (701) 364-2020
Email: danc@visionbanks.com
Website: https://alexsternfamilyfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Alex Stern Family Foundation
How much does Alex Stern Family Foundation give each year?
Alex Stern Family Foundation gave $554K across 69 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $565K across 67 grants.
What is Alex Stern Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Alex Stern Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $8,027, across 69 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Alex Stern Family Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does Alex Stern Family Foundation give grants?
Alex Stern Family Foundation gives mostly in North Dakota: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Minnesota (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Fargo, ND (53 grants), Moorhead, MN (12 grants) and West Fargo, ND (4 grants).
Does Alex Stern Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 93% of Alex Stern Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (64 of 69) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Alex Stern Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Alex Stern Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Impact Foundation ($112,500), Angels Hockey Club ($25,000) and Oak Grove Lutheran School ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Alex Stern Family Foundation?
Alex Stern Family Foundation reported $9.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $569K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $543K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Alex Stern Family Foundation fund?
The foundation supports arts, social welfare and human services, education, youth recreation, civic projects, and health issues in the greater Fargo-Moorhead area. Its grant recipients include organizations serving a range of community needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Alex Stern Family Foundation?
To inquire about eligibility, prospective applicants are directed to contact Dan Carey. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Alex Stern Family Foundation's EIN?
Alex Stern Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-6013981. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Alex Stern Family Foundation by hand.
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