Alice M O'brien Foundation

WEST ST PAUL, MN EIN: 41-6018991

The Alice M O'Brien Foundation is a private foundation based in West Saint Paul, Minnesota. Established in 1953, it operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to philanthropic giving aligned with the charitable interests of the O'Brien family across multiple generations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$248K

+58.2% YoY

Grant Count

43

+4.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$6K

+50.9% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The Foundation's mission is to support the charitable interests of three generations of Alice M. O'Brien's family, with a current focus on benefiting those who are the neediest. The Foundation also funds medical research and other charities as directed by family members, who honor Alice's commitment to philanthropy.

Grantmaking

The Foundation is an active grantmaker with a portfolio of approximately 43 grants distributed annually. Recent grant activity includes:

Grant Range

**: Median grant of $1,500; maximum grant of $50,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The Foundation primarily supports organizations in Minnesota, with demonstrated funding in the West Saint Paul area and statewide initiatives.

Grant Distribution by State

29states
+21 more states

States

AlabamaArizonaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaIowaIdahoIllinoisMassachusettsMarylandMaineMinnesotaMissouriMontanaNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNew YorkOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaSouth CarolinaTennesseeTexasVirginiaWashingtonWisconsin

Cities

ARDEN HILLSATLANTAAUBURNAUSTINBEAVERTONBETHLEHEMBOISEBOONEBOSTONBROOKLYN CENTERBROOKLYN PARKCALAISCALLAWAYCAMPOBELLOCHICAGOCOLORADO SPRINGSCOLUMBIADALLASDENVEREAGAN

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Tax Year 2024:

  • Total Assets: $2,585,936
  • Total Revenues: $193,332
  • Total Expenses: $267,931
  • Investment Income and Dividends: $80,479
  • Total Liabilities: $0

The Foundation operates with no paid staff.

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$0.275$0.55$0.8250000000000001$1.120202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets———
Revenue———
Expenses———
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income———
Distributable Amount———

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$62K$124K$186K$248K41 grants202042 grants202138 grants202241 grants202343 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

DING DARLING WILDLIFE SO…$50KUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA …$30KAMERICAN RED CROSS$29KSTANDING CEDARS COMMUNIT…$22KSIMPSON HOUSING SERVICES$20KSIMPSON HOUSING SERVICES$20KCATHOLIC CHARITIES$14KPLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDER…$11KSECOND HARVEST HARTLAND$9KSECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK…$4K

Grant Size Distribution

205 grants across all recorded years

203<$50K2$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ding Darling Wildlife Society Inc ($50,000), University of Minnesota Foundation ($29,500), American Red Cross ($28,750).

RecipientPurposeAmount
AGAINST MALARIA FOUNDATION PHILADELPHIA, PACONTINUING OPERATIONS$750
AMERICAN RED CROSS BOONE, IACONTINUING OPERATIONS$28,750
ASIAN WOMEN UNITED OF MINNESOTA MINNEAPOLIS, MNCONTINUING OPERATIONS$1,500
CATHOLIC CHARITIES MINNEAPOLIS, MNCONTINUING OPERATIONS$14,000
CENTRAL MINNESOTA LEGAL SERVICES MINNEAPOLIS, MNCONTINUING OPERATIONS$750
CLEAN AIR TASK FORCE BOSTON, MACONTINUING OPERATIONS$750
CURE SANFILIPPO FOUNDATION COLUMBIA, SCCONTINUING OPERATIONS$2,250
DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC SANIBEL, FLCONTINUING OPERATIONS$50,000
DUCKS UNLIMITED INC MEMPHIS, TNCONTINUING OPERATIONS$750
FASD UNITED INC MCLEAN, VACONTINUING OPERATIONS$1,500

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The Foundation is governed by family members:

  • Alice O'Brien Berquist (President)
  • Alvina O'Brien (Secretary)
  • Robin Brooksbank (Director)
  • Terence O'Brien Jr. (Director)
  • Thomond O'Brien Jr. (Director)

All board members serve on a volunteer basis with no compensation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
ALICE O'BRIEN BERQUISTPRESIDENT1—
ALVINA O'BRIENSECRETARY1—
ROBIN BROOKSBANKDIRECTOR1—
TERENCE O'BRIEN JRDIRECTOR1—
THOMOND O'BRIEN JRDIRECTOR1—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Alice M O'brien Foundation fund?

The Foundation's mission is to support the charitable interests of three generations of Alice M. O'Brien's family, with a current focus on benefiting those who are the neediest. The Foundation also funds medical research and other charities as directed by family members, who honor Alice's commitment to philanthropy.

How do I apply for a grant from Alice M O'brien Foundation?

The Foundation is an active grantmaker with a portfolio of approximately 43 grants distributed annually. Recent grant activity includes: • **Grant Range**: Median grant of $1,500; maximum grant of $50,000 • **Recent Grants (2024)**: • Ding Darling Wildlife Society Land: $50,000 • University of Minnesota Foundation: $29,500 • Simpson Housing Services: $20,000 • Additional 18+ grants totaling $139,000 **Total Distributions (2024)**: $250,000

Where does Alice M O'brien Foundation make grants?

The Foundation primarily supports organizations in Minnesota, with demonstrated funding in the West Saint Paul area and statewide initiatives.

What size grants does Alice M O'brien Foundation award?

In 2024, Alice M O'brien Foundation awarded 43 grants totaling $248K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Alice M O'brien Foundation's EIN?

Alice M O'brien Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-6018991. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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