Bentson Foundation
The Bentson Foundation is a private foundation based in Wayzata, Minnesota, established in 1956 by Larry and Nancy Bentson. It supports charitable causes in higher education, public health, arts and humanities, and mental health, with a stated primary geographic focus in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Santa Barbara, California.
Bentson Foundation at a glance
In short: Bentson Foundation gave $13.5M across 37 grants in 2025 (avg $365K), mostly in Minnesota. 49% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $13,507,369
- +80.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 37
- -14.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $365,064
- +109.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $106,478,092
- -4.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 49% first-time grantees (18 of 37, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (65% 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 Bentson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Its 2024 filing says to contact Judi Dutcher in writing, stating the organization’s purpose and intended use. The filing states there are no deadlines or award restrictions and that giving is not restricted to preselected organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Judi Dutcher
Mailing address: 315 Lake St E Suite 302, Wayzata, MN 55391
Phone: (952) 923-1040
Website: https://bentsonfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bentson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Minnesota Foundation ($7.1M). Together the top 10 received $12.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
240 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 162 grants of 240 (68%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and Santa Barbara, California, as its primary geographic focus. In 2025, 65% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota and 25% to recipients in California; the remaining listed shares were South Dakota (4%), Pennsylvania (2%), and New York (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Bentson Foundation open to new grantees?
49%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 18 of 37 grantees (49%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $269K; repeat grants $456K. How we count
Medians: $95K first-time, $40K repeat.
- 38% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 88% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 199% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.5M (2023) to $13.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 37 grants totaling $13.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota Foundation Minneapolis, MN | General | $7,097,369 |
| University of Calif Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | General | $3,105,000 |
| Planned Parenthood North Central States St. Paul, MN | General | $450,000 |
| Augustana University Sioux Falls, SD | General | $420,000 |
| Lobero Theatre Santa Barbara, CA | General | $250,000 |
| UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation Pittsburgh, PA | General | $250,000 |
| ACLU of MN Foundation Minneapolis, MN | General | $225,000 |
| Iowa Law School Foundation Iowa City, IA | General | $200,000 |
| Duluth Regional Care Center Duluth, MN | General | $125,000 |
| Chabad Jewish Center Sioux Falls, SD | General | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Bentson 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 | $106,478,092 | $9,187,558 | $14,787,859 | $13,507,369 | 37 | $14,045,471 | $8,680,054 | $7,071,855 |
| 2024 | $111,976,561 | $13,330,219 | $8,808,530 | $7,479,598 | 43 | $7,962,786 | $12,825,149 | $6,716,691 |
| 2023 | $107,618,830 | $5,750,800 | $5,733,290 | $4,526,000 | 48 | $4,994,811 | $5,282,288 | $6,124,524 |
| 2022 | $107,689,978 | $6,021,397 | $8,427,497 | $7,188,900 | 56 | $7,614,813 | $5,690,319 | $6,190,015 |
| 2021 | $113,461,242 | $11,537,106 | $9,553,820 | $8,278,698 | 56 | $8,716,489 | $10,865,510 | $7,068,747 |
| 2020 | $107,510,082 | $8,187,741 | $6,582,566 | $5,548,230 | 78 | — | $7,659,578 | $6,047,001 |
| 2019 | $105,511,440 | $4,819,041 | $6,098,761 | $5,020,145 | 55 | — | $4,124,746 | $5,893,166 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bentson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.1M 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
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support a diverse array of charitable causes. Its giving areas include higher education, public health, arts and humanities, and mental health.
Examples of supported work include scholarships and nursing education at the University of Minnesota, public-health initiatives, and arts and humanities organizations. Among its 2025 grantees, the University of Minnesota Foundation describes its role as supporting the University of Minnesota; the University of California Santa Barbara organization describes its role as serving UCSB and engaging its alumni and students. Planned Parenthood North Central States says it supports access to affordable reproductive health care, while Duluth Regional Care Center says it provides residential and community-based support services for people with disabilities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 37 grants totaling $13,507,369. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $7,097,369, with a median grant of $50,000. The largest awards were $7,097,369 to the University of Minnesota Foundation and $3,105,000 to the University of California Santa Barbara. Other notable 2025 grants included $450,000 to Planned Parenthood North Central States, $420,000 to Augustana University, and $250,000 each to Lobero Theatre and UPMC Children’s Hospital Foundation. The listed grant purposes were “general.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Laurie Bentson Kauth as president; Kimberly Bentson Kauth as vice president; Mark S. Niblick as treasurer; Steve Grosser as assistant treasurer; George Reilly as secretary; Judi Dutcher as chief executive officer; and Lowell Stortz and Darin Opperman as board members.
Bentson Foundation is led by Judi Dutcher, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2019; 1 of 8 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Judi Dutcher
Chief Executive Officer
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$340K (2019) → $464K (2025)
Laurie Bentson Kauth
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
George Reilly
Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Kimberly Bentson Kauth
Vice President
Assistant Secretary → Vice President, 2020
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Lowell Stortz
Board Member
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Mark S. Niblick
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Steve Grosser
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Darin Opperman
Board Member
On filings since 2022
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 $464K, to Judi Dutcher (Chief Executive Officer).
Frequently asked questions about Bentson Foundation
How much does Bentson Foundation give each year?
Bentson Foundation gave $13.5M across 37 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $7.5M across 43 grants.
What is Bentson Foundation's typical grant size?
Bentson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $365,064, across 37 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bentson Foundation that year got $269K on average.
Where does Bentson Foundation give grants?
Bentson Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (25%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (9 grants), St. Paul, MN (5 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Santa Barbara, CA (2 grants).
Does Bentson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Bentson Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (37 of 37) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Bentson Foundation's largest grantees?
Bentson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of Minnesota Foundation ($7,097,369), University of Calif Santa Barbara ($3,105,000) and Planned Parenthood North Central States ($450,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 79% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Bentson Foundation?
Bentson Foundation reported $106.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $14.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Bentson Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support a diverse array of charitable causes. Its giving areas include higher education, public health, arts and humanities, and mental health. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bentson Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Bentson Foundation's EIN?
Bentson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-6020204. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Bentson 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 3, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 20, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bentson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bentson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bentson-foundation-morg_c7461f9f8fc1437eb8692d360333ea72
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_416020204_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bentson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bentson-foundation-morg_c7461f9f8fc1437eb8692d360333ea72},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Bentson 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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