Cannon Valley Communications Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Elysian, MN EIN: 20-4474578

Cannon Valley Communications Foundation is a private foundation based in Elysian, Minnesota. In 2025, it reported 30 grants totaling $144,150 to organizations in Minnesota, South Dakota, Florida, and Missouri.

Cannon Valley Communications Foundation at a glance

In short: Cannon Valley Communications Foundation gave $144K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Minnesota. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$144,150
+15.8% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
30
-3.2% vs 2024
Average grant
$4,805
+19.6% vs 2024
Median grant
$4,000
Total assets
$1,442,752
+1.0% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
30% first-time grantees (9 of 30, 2025)
Primary geography
Minnesota (74% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Cannon Valley Communications 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: 51285 Lakeland Lane PO Box 213, Elysian, MN 56028
Phone: (507) 323-4770

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Cannon Valley Communications Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

University of South Dakota Foundation: $20KUniversity of South DakotaFoundation$20KFrost Firemen's Relief Association: $12KFrost Firemen's ReliefAssociation$12KVenice Theatre: $10KVenice Theatre$10KBricelyn American Legion: $7KBricelyn American Legion$7KBricelyn Community Club: $6KBricelyn Community Club$6KBricelyn Fireman Relief Association: $5KBricelyn Fireman ReliefAssociation$5KComo Friends: $5KComo Friends$5KElysian Fire Department Relief Association: $5KElysian Fire Department ReliefAssociation$5KFreeborn Fire Department: $5KFreeborn Fire Department$5KFriends of the BWCA: $5KFriends of the BWCA$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was University of South Dakota Foundation ($20K). Together the top 10 received $80K.

Grant Size Distribution

167 grants across all recorded years

167<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 167 grants of 167 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 74% of grant dollars went to Minnesota recipients, 14% to South Dakota, 11% to Florida, and 1% to Missouri.

Grant Distribution by State

9states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.

Cities

BricelynSt. PaulElysianVeniceSarasotaKiesterFreebornMinneapolisWellsFaribaultMankatoVermillionBlue EarthFrostMorristownMemphisRochesterRosevilleTampaAlbert Lea

Is Cannon Valley Communications Foundation open to new grantees?

30%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 9 of 30 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $5K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.

  • 57% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 31% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 129% 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

$0$50K$100K$150K31 grants2020 36 grants2021 40 grants2022 30 grants2023 31 grants2024 30 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $96K (2023) to $144K (2025). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $144K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
University of South Dakota Foundation Vermillion, SDMedical Scholarships$20,000
Frost Firemen's Relief Association Frost, MNEquipment$12,250
Venice Theatre Venice, FLGRANT$10,000
Bricelyn American Legion Bricelyn, MNMatching Funds for Roof Repair$6,900
Bricelyn Community Club Bricelyn, MNMatching funds for park & pool and community club$5,500
Bricelyn Fireman Relief Association Bricelyn, MNEquipment$5,000
Como Friends St. Paul, MNGRANT$5,000
Elysian Fire Department Relief Association Elysian, MNEquipment$5,000
Freeborn Fire Department Freeborn, MNEquipment$5,000
Friends of the BWCA St. Paul, MNGRANT$5,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$1,442,752$189,846$176,197$144,15030$147,566$168,015$114,562
2024$1,429,103$321,516$148,675$124,50031$127,885$300,751$108,446
2023$1,256,262$66,844$118,273$95,50030$99,700$48,296$100,698
2022$1,307,691$69,015$135,911$110,00040$113,000$49,732$100,949
2021$1,374,587$194,741$142,182$117,50036$120,300$174,117$111,885
2020$1,322,028$103,235$118,169$101,00031—$89,721$102,074

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cannon Valley Communications Foundation reported a distributable amount of $115K 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 is provided. The 2025 grant list shows support for medical scholarships, equipment, matching funds for community projects, and general grants.

Grantees describe a range of missions. The University of South Dakota Foundation says it provides private resources to improve students’ educational experience. Como Friends says it inspires community generosity in support of Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. The Minnesota Zoo Foundation says it supports conservation and animal care programs on behalf of the Minnesota Zoo. Other 2025 recipients include food assistance organizations: Wells Area Food Shelf says it supplies needy families with healthy, nutritious food; All Faiths Food Bank says it works with partners to provide healthy solutions to end hunger; and Second Harvest Heartland says its mission is to end hunger together.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 30 grants totaling $144,150. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median grant of $4,000. The largest listed awards were $20,000 to the University of South Dakota Foundation for medical scholarships, $12,250 to Frost Firemen’s Relief Association for equipment, and $10,000 to Venice Theatre.

Other 2025 grants included $6,900 to Bricelyn American Legion for matching funds for roof repair; $5,500 to Bricelyn Community Club for matching funds for its park, pool, and community club; and $5,000 each to Bricelyn Fireman Relief Association, Elysian Fire Department Relief Association, Freeborn Fire Department, and Kiester Fire Department for equipment. Como Friends, Friends of the BWCA, and Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation also received $5,000 each.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Loretta A. Johnson as president/director; Matthew J. Johnson as secretary/treasurer/director; and Jesse R. Johnson and Kristina Johnson as directors.

Cannon Valley Communications Foundation is led by Loretta A. Johnson, President & Director since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Loretta A. Johnson

    President & Director

    Secretary, Treasurer & Director → President & Director, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jesse R. Johnson

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Matthew J. Johnson

    Secretary, Treasurer & Director

    Director → Secretary, Treasurer & Director, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kristina Johnson

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Aaron M. Johnson (2020–2023) — Vice President & Director
  • Former: Scott W. Johnson (2020–2021) — President & Director

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 Cannon Valley Communications Foundation

How much does Cannon Valley Communications Foundation give each year?

Cannon Valley Communications Foundation gave $144K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $125K across 31 grants.

What is Cannon Valley Communications Foundation's typical grant size?

Cannon Valley Communications Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $4,805, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cannon Valley Communications Foundation that year got $5K on average.

Where does Cannon Valley Communications Foundation give grants?

Cannon Valley Communications Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were South Dakota (14%) and Florida (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Bricelyn, MN (6 grants), St. Paul, MN (5 grants), Kiester, MN (2 grants) and Elysian, MN (2 grants).

Does Cannon Valley Communications Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on Cannon Valley Communications Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Grant" (14 grants), "Equipment" (6 grants) and "Donation for Food Purchases" (5 grants).

Who are Cannon Valley Communications Foundation's largest grantees?

Cannon Valley Communications Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of South Dakota Foundation ($20,000), Frost Firemen's Relief Association ($12,250) and Venice Theatre ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Cannon Valley Communications Foundation?

Cannon Valley Communications Foundation reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $148K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $115K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Cannon Valley Communications Foundation fund?

No mission statement is provided. The 2025 grant list shows support for medical scholarships, equipment, matching funds for community projects, and general grants. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Cannon Valley Communications 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 Cannon Valley Communications Foundation's EIN?

Cannon Valley Communications Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4474578. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Cannon Valley Communications 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

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 1, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 2, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Cannon Valley Communications Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cannon-valley-communications-foundation-morg_f82aa4aa614e4689918770841a6e77f5

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_204474578_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Cannon Valley Communications Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/cannon-valley-communications-foundation-morg_f82aa4aa614e4689918770841a6e77f5},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Cannon Valley Communications 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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