Bakken Family WRC Foundation
Bakken Family WRC Foundation is a private foundation based in Prior Lake, Minnesota. It makes grants to charitable organizations, with 99% of its 2025 grant dollars going to recipients in Minnesota.
Bakken Family WRC Foundation at a glance
In short: Bakken Family WRC Foundation gave $1.1M across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $46K), mostly in Minnesota. 21% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,100,000
- +10.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- -20.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $45,833
- +37.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $22,500
- Total assets
- $18,121,667
- +0.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (5 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Bakken Family WRC Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 15195 Edgewater Circle, Prior Lake, MN 55372
Phone: (888) 730-4933
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bakken Family WRC Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Pavek Museum of Broadcasting ($269K). Together the top 10 received $955K.
Grant Size Distribution
155 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 122 grants of 155 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota and 1% to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Bakken Family WRC Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 24 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $57K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 71% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2020) to $1.2M (2021). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pavek Museum of Broadcasting St Louis Park, MN | General Support | $268,600 |
| The Bakken Museum Minneapolis, MN | General Support | $173,100 |
| Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church Prior Lake, MN | General Support | $98,600 |
| Norway House Minneapolis, MN | General Support | $91,100 |
| First Lutheran Church Columbia Heights, MN | General Support | $85,000 |
| Allina Health Foundation Minneapolis, MN | General Support | $55,000 |
| Trinity Lutheran Church Foundation Long Lake Rd, MN | General Support | $55,000 |
| Southern Valley Alliance for Battered Women Belle Plaine, MN | General Support | $53,600 |
| Northern Star Council Boy Scouts of America St. Paul, MN | General Support | $50,000 |
| Attach Minneapolis, MN | General Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Bakken Family WRC 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $18,121,667 | $1,319,655 | $1,219,410 | $1,100,000 | 24 | $1,112,559 | $1,229,147 | $1,061,540 |
| 2024 | $18,021,422 | $1,054,489 | $1,116,897 | $1,000,000 | 30 | $1,012,071 | $965,698 | $1,010,759 |
| 2023 | $18,083,830 | $847,844 | $1,150,071 | $1,045,000 | 32 | $1,058,851 | $756,624 | $914,436 |
| 2022 | $18,386,057 | $-145,289 | $1,317,693 | $1,192,500 | 35 | $1,201,721 | $286,881 | $961,954 |
| 2021 | $19,849,039 | $2,666,922 | $1,310,035 | $1,200,000 | 34 | $1,227,064 | $2,585,359 | $1,185,602 |
| 2020 | $18,492,152 | $713,790 | $1,130,154 | $1,000,000 | 25 | — | $618,442 | $1,035,801 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bakken Family WRC Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — 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 grants support organizations with varied missions. For example, Norway House says it connects the United States with contemporary Norway through art, culture, and business. ATTACH says it equips communities to create healthy attachment and support healing. Second Harvest Heartland describes its mission as ending hunger together, while the Children’s Law Center of Minnesota says it promotes and protects the legal rights and well-being of children and youth.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 24 grants totaling $1,100,000. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $268,600, with a median of $22,500. The largest grants included $268,600 to Pavek Museum of Broadcasting, $173,100 to The Bakken Museum, $98,600 to Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church, and $91,100 to Norway House. Each was listed for general support.
Other 2025 grants included $55,000 to Allina Health Foundation, $25,000 to ATTACH, and $25,000 to Gillette Children’s Hospital Foundation. Allina Health Foundation says it raises philanthropic support for Allina Health’s community care mission; Gillette Children’s Hospital Foundation says it raises money and builds awareness and relationships in support of Gillette’s patient care, education, and research.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Pamela B Petersmeyer as president, Wendy K Watson as vice president, Bradley Bakken as treasurer, and Jeffrey Bakken as secretary.
Bakken Family WRC Foundation is led by Pamela B. Petersmeyer, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Pamela B. Petersmeyer
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bradley Bakken
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Bakken
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wendy K. Watson
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Bakken Family WRC Foundation
How much does Bakken Family WRC Foundation give each year?
Bakken Family WRC Foundation gave $1.1M across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.0M across 30 grants.
What is Bakken Family WRC Foundation's typical grant size?
Bakken Family WRC Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $22,500, and its average grant was $45,833, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bakken Family WRC Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Bakken Family WRC Foundation give grants?
Bakken Family WRC Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (6 grants), St. Paul, MN (5 grants), St Louis Park, MN (3 grants) and Columbia Heights, MN (2 grants).
Does Bakken Family WRC Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Bakken Family WRC Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Bakken Family WRC Foundation's largest grantees?
Bakken Family WRC Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Pavek Museum of Broadcasting ($268,600), The Bakken Museum ($173,100) and Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church ($98,600), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Bakken Family WRC Foundation?
Bakken Family WRC Foundation reported $18.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Bakken Family WRC Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants support organizations with varied missions. For example, Norway House says it connects the United States with contemporary Norway through art, culture, and business. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bakken Family WRC Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds 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 Bakken Family WRC Foundation's EIN?
Bakken Family WRC Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1796283. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Bakken Family WRC Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Bakken Family WRC Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bakken Family WRC Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Minnesota
The Minneapolis Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
The Minneapolis Foundation funds civic, social, and economic needs, including economic mobility, education, health, the environment, arts, and human services, with most grant dollars going to Minnesota. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. It says no funding opportunities are currently open; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
1,565
Total Given
$121.7M
Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation
St. Paul, MN
The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation funds community-led work in areas including economic opportunity, health and human services, youth and education, housing, and organizational capacity. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,000; listed programs offer up to $50,000 for eligible East Metro work and up to $15,000 for qualifying Minnesota organizations. It accepts applications through specific programs, including rolling application opportunities; the Community Solutions Grant Program serves Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties.
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
1,473
Total Given
$107.2M
Otto Bremer Trust
St. Paul, MN
The Otto Bremer Trust funds organizations and projects addressing community needs and opportunities, including health care and social services, in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. In 2025, grants ranged from $3,500 to $4.2 million, with a median of $150,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests or direct grant applications; Community Responsive Fund grants are offered through selected intermediaries.
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
180
Total Given
$57.2M
Ch Robinson Worldwide Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
The foundation funds community needs, supply-chain and logistics initiatives, and environmental sustainability, with a Twin Cities program focused on hunger, shelter, K–12 education, and workforce development. Its 2024 grants ranged from $750 to $2.69 million, with a median of $5,000; its Twin Cities program focuses on Minneapolis–St. Paul, while grants also went to organizations elsewhere. The Strategic Industry program is invitation-only, while the Twin Cities program has an application process.
Assets
$18.2M
Grants
87
Total Given
$4.0M
The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation funds education, health care, and human services, including college scholarships, with most support benefiting working- and middle-class families in specified Minnesota and Florida counties; it also makes some national grants. Its 2024 grants had a median of $5,000, though awards ranged from $50 to $10 million. It plans to move to invitation-only grantmaking in 2027; whether it currently accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$218.3M
Grants
1,431
Total Given
$47.9M
Wells Fargo Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
Wells Fargo Foundation funds financial opportunity, affordable housing, small business growth, and some other local community needs across national and eligible local communities. Its 2025 grants ranged from $3,000 to $8 million, with a median of $35,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests; eligible organizations may submit a grant interest form to be considered for an invitation.
Assets
$8.6M
Grants
1,376
Total Given
$157.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in Minnesota
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bakken Family WRC Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bakken-family-wrc-foundation-morg_a98bcb6856d34c40ba79fd9af4f9fac2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_411796283_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bakken Family WRC Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bakken-family-wrc-foundation-morg_a98bcb6856d34c40ba79fd9af4f9fac2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Bakken Family WRC 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.
Bakken Family WRC Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?