CLB Foundation
CLB Foundation is a private foundation based in Excelsior, Minnesota. In 2025, it gave 24 grants totaling $1,377,805, including grants for tuition sponsorship, pastoral internships, and support related to abuse and trafficking.
CLB Foundation at a glance
In short: CLB Foundation gave $1.4M across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $57K), mostly in Minnesota. 58% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,377,805
- +54.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- +118.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $57,409
- -29.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $36,699
- Total assets
- $24,087,911
- +37.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (14 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (71% 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 CLB Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 21960 Minnetonka Blvd 200, Excelsior, MN 55331
Phone: (952) 225-5355
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who CLB Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Heritage Christian Academy ($250K). Together the top 10 received $998K.
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 24 grants of 57 (42%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 71% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 16% to Florida, 4% to North Carolina, 4% to Michigan, and 2% to California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
Is CLB Foundation open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 24 grantees (58%) 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 $31K; repeat grants $95K. How we count
Medians: $28K first-time, $88K repeat.
- 38% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 196% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 149% 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 $250K (2021) to $1.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage Christian Academy Maple Grove, MN | Tuition Sponsorship | $250,000 |
| Hope Academy Minneapolis, MN | Tuition Sponsorship | $162,000 |
| Chapel Hill Academy Chanhassen, MN | Tuition Sponsorship | $100,000 |
| Liberty Classical Academy White Bear Lake, MN | Tuition Sponsorship | $100,000 |
| Southwest Christian High School Chaska, MN | Tuition Sponsorship | $100,000 |
| Sanibel Community Church Sanibel, FL | Pastoral Internship | $75,000 |
| Hope Connection International Inc Selma, NC | Domestic Abuse and Trafficking Support | $60,000 |
| Grace Classical Academy Bonita Springs, FL | Tuition Sponsorship | $51,064 |
| Banyan Community Minneapolis, MN | Community and Children's After-School Programs | $50,000 |
| Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI | Tuition Sponsorship | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with CLB 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 | $24,087,911 | $5,792,215 | $1,877,590 | $1,377,805 | 24 | $1,669,425 | $570,598 | $1,121,355 |
| 2024 | $17,489,904 | $7,683,746 | $1,355,131 | $889,700 | 11 | $1,166,811 | $496,661 | $734,463 |
| 2023 | $9,812,064 | $3,111,093 | $925,719 | $725,000 | 9 | $857,682 | $450,446 | $370,613 |
| 2022 | $7,584,281 | $144,169 | $503,876 | $465,000 | 6 | $485,732 | $320,615 | $383,949 |
| 2021 | $8,803,121 | $356,638 | $277,715 | $250,000 | 7 | $262,947 | $352,194 | $417,604 |
| 2020 | $8,342,595 | $582,804 | $436,371 | $406,500 | 10 | — | $282,000 | $374,445 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, CLB 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
The available information does not state a mission for CLB Foundation. Its 2025 grants included tuition sponsorships for schools and support for community programs, pastoral internships, and organizations addressing abuse and trafficking.
Several grantees describe their work as Christian education. Heritage Christian Academy says its mission is “equipping minds, engaging hearts, encountering Jesus Christ.” Hope Academy describes operating a K–12 school in urban Minneapolis that provides a classical Christian education. Chapel Hill Academy says it provides a Christ-centered education, while Liberty Classical Academy describes offering college-preparatory academics and Christian faith in the classical tradition.
Other grantees describe work supporting survivors. Hope Connection International says it offers support groups, classes, sponsorships, and long-term housing for survivors of abuse and addiction. Into the Jordan Ministries says it brings the hope of Jesus Christ to trafficked and exploited women in southwest Florida.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, CLB Foundation reported 24 grants totaling $1,377,805. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $250,000, with a median of $36,699.
Among the largest reported grants were $250,000 to Heritage Christian Academy in Maple Grove, Minnesota, for tuition sponsorship; $162,000 to Hope Academy in Minneapolis for tuition sponsorship; and $100,000 each to Chapel Hill Academy, Liberty Classical Academy, and Southwest Christian High School for tuition sponsorship. Other notable awards included $75,000 to Sanibel Community Church for a pastoral internship, $60,000 to Hope Connection International for domestic abuse and trafficking support, and $50,000 to Into the Jordan Ministries for human trafficking.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ken Rude as executive director and secretary; Jay Thorsland and Carolynn Krings as directors; Elizabeth Bergquist as vice president; and Carl R. Bergquist as president and treasurer.
CLB Foundation is led by Ken Rude, Executive Director & Secretary on every filing since 2023; 3 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ken Rude
Executive Director & Secretary
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$12K (2023) → $209K (2025)
Carl R. Bergquist
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Carolynn Krings
Director
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$16K (2020) → $18K (2025)
Jay Thorsland
Director
On filings since 2023
20 hrs/week
$1K (2023) → $18K (2025)
Elizabeth Bergquist
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Beverly Nielsen (2020–2023) — Secretary
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $209K, to Ken Rude (Executive Director/Secretary). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about CLB Foundation
How much does CLB Foundation give each year?
CLB Foundation gave $1.4M across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $890K across 11 grants.
What is CLB Foundation's typical grant size?
CLB Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $36,699, and its average grant was $57,409, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from CLB Foundation that year got $31K on average.
Where does CLB Foundation give grants?
CLB Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (4 grants) and Bonita Springs, FL (2 grants).
Does CLB Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on CLB Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Tuition Sponsorship" (8 grants).
Who are CLB Foundation's largest grantees?
CLB Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Heritage Christian Academy ($250,000), Hope Academy ($162,000) and Chapel Hill Academy ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is CLB Foundation?
CLB Foundation reported $24.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does CLB Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for CLB Foundation. Its 2025 grants included tuition sponsorships for schools and support for community programs, pastoral internships, and organizations addressing abuse and trafficking. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from CLB Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is CLB Foundation's EIN?
CLB Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-1617742. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does CLB 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 2, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 22, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in CLB Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). CLB Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/clb-foundation-morg_5651606dc6604d3ba9524898e248b876
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_811617742_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{CLB Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/clb-foundation-morg_5651606dc6604d3ba9524898e248b876},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 CLB 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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