Arrowhead Regional Arts Council
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council is a public charity based in Duluth, Minnesota. It supports arts development across the Arrowhead Region through grants and arts services for individual artists, arts organizations, informal arts groups, community education organizations, and non-arts nonprofits.
Key facts about Arrowhead Regional Arts Council
In short: Arrowhead Regional Arts Council gave $215K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Minnesota. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 41-1358639
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $215,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- Average grant
- $15,357
- Median grant
- $17,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (4 of 14, 2025)
- Total assets
- $407,157
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Follow the applicable program guidelines. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The website lists November 1, 2026, before 11:59 p.m., for the Artist Emergency Relief Fund.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 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 · View filing
Total Assets
$407K
-14.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$215K
+21.3% YoY
Grant Count
14
-6.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
+29.9% YoY
Is Arrowhead Regional Arts Council open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 14 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $20K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 council’s website states that its mission is to create a healthy arts and cultural ecosystem by supporting artistic professional development and equitable access for arts organizations and individuals. Its programs include organizational operating and art-project grants, individual artist project and equity grants, and emergency relief for artists.
The 2024 filing reports 123 grants totaling $609,504 to individuals and organizations for work in the arts across the Arrowhead Region. It also describes non-grant services including arts development, workshops, training, advocacy, and promotion.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work among grantees. Ely Folk School describes its mission as building community through learning experiences celebrating northern Minnesota’s wilderness heritage, art, history, culture, and craft. Armory Arts and Music Center says it works to preserve the Duluth Armory and its historic value to American culture and the arts while encouraging reuse, with an emphasis on arts and education. Duluth Children’s Museum says its mission is to engage children in hands-on learning through creative play and interactive exhibits.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the council reported 14 grants totaling $215,000. Awards ranged from $5,640 to $20,000, with a median of $17,500; all reported grant dollars went to Minnesota recipients. Among the largest reported awards were $20,000 each to Third Coast Chamber Collective, Ely Folk School, Itasca Orchestra and String Program, Northern Lakes Arts Association, Nordic Center, Matinee Musicale, and Borealis Chamber Artists. Other reported awards included $15,000 to Armory Arts and Music Center, $13,000 to Lake Superior Writers, and $10,000 each to Mesabi Symphony Orchestra and Duluth Children’s Museum.
Review Cycle
The website lists November 1, 2026, before 11:59 p.m., for the Artist Emergency Relief Fund. The other 2026 application cycles described above have passed.
Open Grants
15 open opportunities from Arrowhead Regional Arts Council
ARAC Art Project Grant for Individuals
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council
Amount
Up to $4K
Deadline
Rolling / Open
ARAC Art Project Grant for Organizations
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council
Amount
Up to $5K
Deadline
Rolling / Open
ARAC Artist Equity Grant for Individuals
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council
Amount
Up to $4K
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with Arrowhead Regional Arts Council?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The council’s service area comprises Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis counties, and the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (District II). The website describes the region as 22% of Minnesota’s geography, with a population of approximately 340,000.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $147K (2019) to $313K (2022). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $215K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Third Coast Chamber Collective ($20K). Together the top 10 received $179K.
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 87 grants of 87 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Third Coast Chamber Collective Grand Rapids, MN | Operating Grant | $20,000 |
| ELY Folk School ELY, MN | Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Itasca Orchestra and String Program Grand Rapids, MN | Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Northern Lakes Arts Association ELY, MN | Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Nordic Center Duluth, MN | Operating Support + | $20,000 |
| Matinee Musicale Duluth, MN | Operating Support + | $20,000 |
| Borealis Chamber Artists Duluth, MN | Operating Support + | $20,000 |
| Armory Arts and Music Center Duluth, MN | Operating Support GR | $15,000 |
| Lake Superior Writers Duluth, MN | Operating Support GR | $13,000 |
| County Seat Theater of Carlton Cloquet, MN | Operating Support | $11,360 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $407,157 | $1,277,486 | $1,352,340 | $215,000 (14) |
| 2024 | $478,005 | $1,418,797 | $1,204,183 | $177,300 (15) |
| 2023 | $303,252 | $1,208,705 | $1,099,420 | $207,528 (19) |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $407,157 | $478,005 | $303,252 |
| Revenue | $1,277,486 | $1,418,797 | $1,208,705 |
| Expenses | $1,352,340 | $1,204,183 | $1,099,420 |
| Net Investment Income | $26,716 | $-39,759 | $1,276 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sam Zimmerman as chair; Liz Engelman as vice chair; Veronica Veaux as secretary; Janie Heitz as treasurer; and Nik Allen, Khayman Goodsky, Peggy Kelly, Adam Swanson, Jayne Richards, and Jennifer Martineau as board members.
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council is led by Sam Zimmerman, Chair since 2025 (on filings since 2022); 1 of 14 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sam Zimmerman
Chair
Board Secretary → Board Vice C, 2024
Board Vice C → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Graves
Executive Di
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$94K (2024) → $110K (2025)
Liz Engelman
Vice Chair
Board Member → Board Secretary, 2024
Board Secretary → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janie Heitz
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Khayman Goodsky
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nik Allen
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peggy Kelly
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Veronica Veaux
Secertary
Board Member → Secertary, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adam Swanson
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jayne Richards
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Martineau
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Schamberger
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mataya Larson
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rita Fortunato-Sterling
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Emily Swanson (2019–2024) — Board Treasurer
- Former: Kathy Neff (2019–2024) — Board Chair
- Former: Kris Nelson (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Roxann Berglund (2021–2023) — Board Vice C
- Former: Erin Cain (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Jessica Peterson (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: William Bill Payne (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Becca Graves (2023) — Executive Di
- Former: Drew Digby (2019–2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Erik Takeshita (2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Ron Piercy (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Tammy Mattonen (2019–2021) — Board Treasurer
- Former: Tara Makinen (2019–2021) — Board Chair
- Former: Bill Payne (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Daniel Oyinloye (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Amber Burns (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Ariana Daniel (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Christina Nohre (2019–2020) — Board Vice Chair
- Former: Kayla Aubid (2019–2020) — Board Chair
- Former: Margaret Holmes (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Moira Villiard (2019) — Board Vice Chair
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 $110K, to Rebecca Graves (Executive Di).
Contact
Mailing address: 506 W Michigan St, Duluth, MN 55802
Phone: (218) 722-0952
Website: https://aracouncil.org
Frequently asked questions about Arrowhead Regional Arts Council
How much does Arrowhead Regional Arts Council give each year?
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council gave $215K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $177K across 15 grants.
What is Arrowhead Regional Arts Council's typical grant size?
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council's median grant in 2025 was $17,500, and its average grant was $15,357, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Arrowhead Regional Arts Council that year got $13K on average.
Where does Arrowhead Regional Arts Council give grants?
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council gives mostly in Minnesota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Duluth, MN (8 grants), Grand Rapids, MN (2 grants) and ELY, MN (2 grants).
Does Arrowhead Regional Arts Council give general operating support?
Yes: 86% of Arrowhead Regional Arts Council's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Arrowhead Regional Arts Council's largest grantees?
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council's largest 2025 grantees include Third Coast Chamber Collective ($20,000), ELY Folk School ($20,000) and Itasca Orchestra and String Program ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Arrowhead Regional Arts Council?
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council reported $407K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.3M.
What does Arrowhead Regional Arts Council fund?
The council’s website states that its mission is to create a healthy arts and cultural ecosystem by supporting artistic professional development and equitable access for arts organizations and individuals. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Arrowhead Regional Arts Council?
Follow the applicable program guidelines. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Arrowhead Regional Arts Council's EIN?
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1358639. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Arrowhead Regional Arts Council by hand.
Explore Open Grants
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