Catholic United Financial Foundation
Catholic United Financial Foundation is a public charity based in an individual recipient, Minnesota, formed in 1997. It serves members, employees, and friends of Catholic United Financial, a not-for-profit fraternal benefit association, and supports Catholic schools and parishes, seminarians, and people affected by natural disasters.
Catholic United Financial Foundation at a glance
In short: Catholic United Financial Foundation gave $5.3M across 83 grants in 2024 (avg $63K), mostly in Minnesota. 70% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,261,949
- -46.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 83
- +45.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $63,397
- -63.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $41,789,670
- -0.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 70% first-time grantees (56 of 80, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (71% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Catholic United Financial Foundation
- How to Apply
-
For the Msgr. Schuler Seminarian Fund, applicants must submit an application supporting their eligibility. Applications are solicited from seminarians by mail and online. Foundation staff research eligibility, including obtaining a letter of good standing from the applicant’s seminary. The executive director recommends applicants to the advisory board, which recommends awards to the foundation’s board of directors for approval by the full board.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3499 Lexington Avenue North, St Paul, MN 55126
Phone: (651) 765-4135
Website: https://catholicunited.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Catholic United Financial Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was St Anne Church ($1.1M). Together the top 10 received $3.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
242 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 172 grants of 242 (71%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation reported that its 2024 grant dollars went primarily to Minnesota recipients, which accounted for 71%. The filing also lists 1% each for Indiana, New York, and Tennessee, and a 22% category marked “?”. The foundation described its 2024 charitable support as reaching organizations, churches, and schools across the Upper Midwest.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 83 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Catholic United Financial Foundation open to new grantees?
70%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 56 of 80 grantees (70%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $48K; repeat grants $106K. How we count
Medians: $16K first-time, $20K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $861K (2020) to $9.8M (2023). In 2024 it made 83 grants totaling $5.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Anne Church Wabasso, MN | Parish Support | $1,125,903 |
| St Mary Presentation Fund | Parish Support | $1,045,484 |
| Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota Winona, MN | Organizational Support | $273,531 |
| Immaculate Conception Church St Clair, MN | Parish Support | $250,000 |
| Catholic United Financial Foundation St. Paul, MN | Organizational Support | $227,827 |
| St Henry's Church Perham, MN | Parish Support | $157,628 |
| Church of St Peter Canby, MN | Parish Support | $145,000 |
| Church of St Francis Cabrini Minneapolis, MN | Parish Support | $141,381 |
| Church of Saint Henry Monticello, MN | Parish Support | $120,205 |
| Queen of Angels Church Austin, MN | Parish Support | $110,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Catholic United Financial Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $41,789,670 | $7,002,338 | $7,590,788 | $5,261,949 | 83 | $1,458,868 |
| 2023 | $42,059,307 | $9,073,701 | $10,686,636 | $9,761,108 | 57 | $752,065 |
| 2022 | $42,361,226 | $9,669,959 | $3,744,620 | $3,130,097 | 49 | $684,703 |
| 2021 | $37,486,034 | $6,021,022 | $3,201,210 | $2,441,243 | 24 | $741,679 |
| 2020 | $34,027,744 | $5,029,231 | $2,129,843 | $861,390 | 29 | $798,426 |
| 2019 | $30,886,289 | $8,989,527 | $2,689,287 | $1,750,784 | 52 | $836,707 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it is inspired by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Its stated mission includes supporting Catholic schools and parishes with technology and chastity education grants, providing financial support in response to natural disasters, and supplementing the cost of educating and training men for the priesthood.
In 2024, the foundation reported providing 47 grants to Catholic schools and parishes for technology and chastity and abstinence programs. Its disaster relief program provides financial support to people in need following natural disasters, regardless of race, creed, or religion. The foundation also offers charitable giving arrangements to Catholic United Financial members and organizational advised funds to assist parishes and cemeteries with long-term and endowment management and investment needs.
Among 2024 grantees, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital described its mission as advancing cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment, with no child denied treatment based on race, religion, or a family’s ability to pay. Christian Appalachian Project described its mission as building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love through service in Appalachia.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 83 grants totaling $5,261,949. Grant amounts ranged from $5,100 to $1,125,903, with a median of $15,000. The largest grants included $1,125,903 to St. Anne Church in Wabasso, Minnesota, for parish support; $1,045,484 to St. Mary Presentation Fund for parish support; $273,531 to Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota for organizational support; and $250,000 to Immaculate Conception Church in St. Clair, Minnesota, for parish support. The foundation also reported grants of $227,827 to itself for organizational support and $157,628 to St. Henry’s Church in Perham, Minnesota, for parish support.
Other 2024 grants included $21,375 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and $20,500 to Christian Appalachian Project. Separately, the foundation reported that its Msgr. Schuler Seminarian Fund provided 172 seminarians with $75,800 in scholarship support in 2024.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert Heuermann as executive director; Michael Ahles as president; and Fr. Thomas Thompson as spiritual advisor. Board members listed are Harald Borrmann, Jean Hart, William Lucas, Michael McGovern, Susan Stenzel, James Wensel, and Paul Zastrow.
Catholic United Financial Foundation is led by Michael Ahles, President since 2020 (on filings since 2019); none of the 11 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Ahles
President
Senior Vice President & Sec-Treasurer → President, 2020
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Heuermann
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Harald E. Borrmann
Board Member
President → Board Member, 2020
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Wensel
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jean Hart
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Zeman
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael F. McGovern
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Stenzel
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Thompson
Spiritual Advisor
Ex-Officio Spiritual Advisor → Spiritual Advisor, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Lucas
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Zastrow
Board Member
Senior Vice President & Sec-Treasurer → Senior Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer, 2022
Senior Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Deborah M. Pauly (2019–2022) — Ex-Officio Emeritus
- Former: Frances M. Barten (2019–2022) — Ex-Officio Emeritus
- Former: Joseph F. Kueppers (2019–2022) — Ex-Officio Emeritus
- Former: Fl Spanier (2019–2020) — Ex-Officio Emeritus
- Former: Kathleen Moriarty (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Dennis L. Olson (2019) — Ex-Officio Emeritus
- Former: Kathy Hemmelgarn (2019) — Ex-Officio Emeritus
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 Catholic United Financial Foundation
How much does Catholic United Financial Foundation give each year?
Catholic United Financial Foundation gave $5.3M across 83 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $9.8M across 57 grants.
What is Catholic United Financial Foundation's typical grant size?
Catholic United Financial Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $63,397, across 83 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Catholic United Financial Foundation that year got $48K on average.
Where does Catholic United Financial Foundation give grants?
Catholic United Financial Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were St. Paul, MN (8 grants), Monticello, MN (3 grants), Minneapolis, MN (3 grants) and Austin, MN (2 grants).
Does Catholic United Financial Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 1% of Catholic United Financial Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 83) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Parish Support" (41 grants) and "Organizational Support" (39 grants).
Who are Catholic United Financial Foundation's largest grantees?
Catholic United Financial Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include St Anne Church ($1,125,903), St Mary Presentation Fund ($1,045,484) and Immaculate Conception Church ($287,592 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Catholic United Financial Foundation?
Catholic United Financial Foundation reported $41.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.0M.
What does Catholic United Financial Foundation fund?
The foundation says it is inspired by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Catholic United Financial Foundation?
For the Msgr. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Catholic United Financial Foundation's EIN?
Catholic United Financial Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1893463. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 6, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Catholic United Financial Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Catholic United Financial Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/catholic-united-financial-foundation-morg_c7b70568c1704b20b0e4af7d456d69d7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_411893463_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Catholic United Financial Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/catholic-united-financial-foundation-morg_c7b70568c1704b20b0e4af7d456d69d7},
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 Catholic United Financial 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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