Avocet Foundation
Avocet Foundation is a Minneapolis, Minnesota, private foundation. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in education, economic self-sufficiency, women’s human rights, democracy, and land conservation.
Avocet Foundation at a glance
In short: Avocet Foundation gave $291K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $18K), mostly in Minnesota. 6% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $290,500
- -5.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +6.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $18,156
- -11.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $12,500
- Total assets
- $5,253,724
- +3.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (1 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (70% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Avocet Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its filing lists past and present information about the applicant, a budget, projections, use of funds, other fundraising efforts, and a tax exemption letter among the requested materials. It lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None listed.
- Deadline
- None listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Joanne Kletscher
Mailing address: 3001 Broadway Street Ne Ste 640, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Phone: (952) 512-1165
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Avocet Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was St Croix Valley Foundation ($63K). Together the top 10 received $242K.
Grant Size Distribution
77 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 71 grants of 77 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 70% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 25% to Wisconsin, 3% to Missouri, and 2% to Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Avocet Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 16 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 94% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $258K (2021) to $307K (2023). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $291K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Croix Valley Foundation Hudson, WI | Promote assistance in valleyadvance quality of life in st. Croix valley | $63,000 |
| Microgrants Minneapolis, MN | To spur economic self-sufficiency by giving strategic grants to low-income people of potential through partner agencies | $32,000 |
| Global Rights for Women Minneapolis, MN | Promoting Women's Human Rights Internationally | $30,000 |
| Youth Frontiers Inc Minneapolis, MN | Change Way Kids Treat Each Other in School | $28,000 |
| Fairvote Minnesota Foundation St. Paul, MN | Promoting better democracy through improving thevoting system. We provide research and education about theeffects our voting system has on the quality of democracy andadvocate for ranked choice voting or other systems that promotegreater competition, participation, majority rule, and proportionalrepresentation. | $20,000 |
| Belwin Conservancy Minneapolis, MN | Protect the St. Croix Valley Through Land Preservation | $17,000 |
| Breakthrough Twin Cities St. Paul, MN | Breakthrough twin cities prepared under-resourced students for college success and cultivates the next generation of educators | $17,000 |
| Voyageur Outward Bound St. Paul, MN | Educational organization specializing in youth leadership and experiential edcuation, change lives through challenge and discovery | $15,000 |
| Constellation Fund Minneapolis, MN | Fight Poverty in the Twin Cities | $10,000 |
| Great Plains Institute Minneapolis, MN | Better Energy Policy | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Avocet Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,253,724 | $626,104 | $437,842 | $290,500 | 16 | $290,525 | $338,291 | $326,230 |
| 2023 | $5,065,462 | $262,676 | $1,756,420 | $306,500 | 15 | $306,500 | $73,262 | $298,805 |
| 2022 | $6,559,206 | $439,589 | $338,024 | $297,500 | 17 | $297,525 | $142,311 | $300,044 |
| 2021 | $6,457,641 | $750,610 | $296,268 | $257,500 | 15 | $257,525 | $394,735 | $304,914 |
| 2020 | $6,003,299 | $112,258 | $290,150 | $260,500 | 14 | — | $71,785 | $250,835 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Avocet Foundation reported a distributable amount of $326K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. For example, St. Croix Valley Foundation says its mission is to enhance quality of life in the St. Croix Valley, while Microgrants says it seeks to spur economic self-sufficiency by giving strategic grants to low-income people through partner agencies. Global Rights for Women describes its mission as promoting women’s human rights internationally, with a focus on legal reform addressing violence against women.
Other 2024 grantees describe missions that include inspiring character and community among students (Youth Frontiers), improving voting systems and promoting better democracy (FairVote Minnesota Foundation), supporting students’ journeys to college (Breakthrough Twin Cities), and inspiring connection with the natural world (Belwin Conservancy).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $290,500. Grants ranged from $4,500 to $63,000, with a median of $12,500. Other recent totals were $306,500 across 15 grants in 2023 and $297,500 across 17 grants in 2022.
Among its largest 2024 grants were $63,000 to St. Croix Valley Foundation, $32,000 to Microgrants, $30,000 to Global Rights for Women, $28,000 to Youth Frontiers, and $20,000 to FairVote Minnesota Foundation. Other listed grants included $17,000 each to Belwin Conservancy and Breakthrough Twin Cities, and $15,000 to Voyageur Outward Bound.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Joanne Kletscher as CEO, Secretary, and CFO.
Avocet Foundation is led by Joanne Kletscher, CEO, Secretary & CFO on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Joanne Kletscher
CEO, Secretary & CFO
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Avocet Foundation
How much does Avocet Foundation give each year?
Avocet Foundation gave $291K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $307K across 15 grants.
What is Avocet Foundation's typical grant size?
Avocet Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $12,500, and its average grant was $18,156, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Avocet Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Avocet Foundation give grants?
Avocet Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Wisconsin (25%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (8 grants), St. Paul, MN (4 grants) and Hudson, WI (2 grants).
Does Avocet Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 6% of Avocet Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Avocet Foundation's largest grantees?
Avocet Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include St Croix Valley Foundation ($63,000), Microgrants ($32,000) and Global Rights for Women ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Avocet Foundation?
Avocet Foundation reported $5.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $291K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $326K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Avocet Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. For example, St. Croix Valley Foundation says its mission is to enhance quality of life in the St. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Avocet Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Avocet Foundation's EIN?
Avocet Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1859473. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Avocet Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 9, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Avocet Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Avocet Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/avocet-foundation-morg_8f0dfa5531a14b879334fcccdd16e5ff
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_411859473_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Avocet Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/avocet-foundation-morg_8f0dfa5531a14b879334fcccdd16e5ff},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Avocet Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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