Communitygiving
Communitygiving is a public charity based in an individual recipient, Minnesota. It provides centralized services and specialized expertise to partner community foundations in Minnesota and Derby, Kansas, helping them serve local communities and support local philanthropy.
Key facts about Communitygiving
In short: Communitygiving gave $16.7M across 426 grants in 2025 (avg $39K), mostly in Minnesota. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 36-3412544
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $16,697,156
- Grants made (2025)
- 426
- Average grant
- $39,195
- Median grant
- $15,528
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (102 of 404, 2025)
- Total assets
- $282,584,648
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (87% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- For competitive opportunities, review the specific grant guidelines and submit an application through the online grant system. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The Central Minnesota Special Needs Grant lists a deadline of October 31, 2026.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$282.6M
+18.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$16.7M
-2.6% YoY
Grant Count
426
+1.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$39K
-3.8% YoY
Is Communitygiving open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 102 of 404 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $25K; repeat grants $45K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $18K repeat.
- 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission stated in the organization’s 2024 filing is “to engage people, connect resources, and build community.” Its website describes work that includes helping donors establish and manage charitable funds, supporting partner foundations’ grantmaking, and developing community initiatives.
Examples of 2025 grantees show support for varied organizations. The College of Saint Benedict describes its mission as providing women with a liberal arts education in the Catholic and Benedictine traditions; Great River Educational Arts Theatre says it brings the community together through shared theatre experiences; and Hope Haven says it empowers individuals with disabilities through work and life skills. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not Communitygiving’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Communitygiving reported 426 grants totaling $16,697,156. Grant amounts ranged from $5,100 to $680,477, with a median of $15,528. The largest listed award was $680,477 to the College of Saint Benedict for scholarship funds. Other large awards included $529,194 to Great River Children’s Museum and $473,571 to CentraCare Health Foundation, both for general or operating support.
The 2024 filing says the foundation administered more than $17 million in distributions to more than 1,000 nonprofits from donor-established funds. It also describes 120 scholarship funds and scholarship awards to education institutions and individual recipients. Those scholarships are distinct from grants to outside organizations.
The website says most grants come from funds established for specific causes or from donor-advised funds, while some foundation-administered funds offer competitive opportunities. Competitive grant criteria and applications are provided for each opportunity. Applications are accepted only through the online grant system; paper applications are not accepted. The website’s grant-system instructions ask applicants to provide their organization’s EIN, legal name and address, contact details, and CEO or executive director information.
Listed opportunities include the Central Minnesota Special Needs Grant, offering $5,000–$10,000 for eligible nonprofits, schools, and government entities serving specified local areas. Its stated eligible costs include services, equipment, and projects for people with complex intellectual and physical disabilities; general operating costs and capital campaigns are excluded. The an individual recipient Difference Maker Grants offer $5,000–$30,000 for eligible organizations serving Crow Wing and southern Cass Counties, with stated priorities including economic vitality, opportunity gaps for disadvantaged youth, and community engagement. The Kandiyohi County Farm Bureau Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship for eligible local high school seniors pursuing agriculture-related education.
Review Cycle
The Central Minnesota Special Needs Grant lists a deadline of October 31, 2026. The an individual recipient Difference Maker Grants list a deadline of February 15, 2027.
How to Apply
For competitive opportunities, review the specific grant guidelines and submit an application through the online grant system. The website says applications must be submitted online and that no paper applications will be accepted.
Open Grants
45 open opportunities from Communitygiving
AACF: Alexandria "Difference Maker" Grants
Communitygiving
Amount
US $5,000 - US $30,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Alan Peterson Agricultural Scholarship Grant
Communitygiving
Amount
US $2,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Alice L. Schubert Medical Scholarship Grant
Communitygiving
Amount
US $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ready to take the next step with Communitygiving?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization says it supports partner community foundations across Minnesota and in Derby, Kansas. Its 2025 grant dollars went primarily to Minnesota recipients (87%), with additional shares going to Texas (2%), Iowa (2%), Illinois (1%), and Kansas (1%). The listed competitive opportunities include grants for communities in central Minnesota and the an individual recipient area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 426 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $14.0M (2020) to $17.1M (2024). In 2025 it made 426 grants totaling $16.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was College of Saint Benedict ($680K). Together the top 10 received $3.9M.
Organizations only. It also paid 19 individual scholarships ($505,923), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,921 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,568 grants of 1,921 (82%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| College of Saint Benedict Saint Joseph, MN | Scholarship Funds | $680,477 |
| Great River Children's Museum Saint Cloud, MN | Gen/Oper Support | $529,194 |
| Centracare Health Foundation Saint Cloud, MN | Gen/Oper Support | $473,571 |
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St Cloud Saint Cloud, MN | Gen/Oper Support | $378,607 |
| United Way of Central Minnesota Saint Cloud, MN | Gen/Oper Support | $372,055 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota Saint Cloud, MN | Gen/Oper Support | $363,794 |
| TVS Ministries Linden, TX | Gen/Oper Support | $300,000 |
| The Regeneration Center Alexandria, MN | Gen/Oper Support | $281,000 |
| St Cloud Area Family YMCA Saint Cloud, MN | Gen/Oper Support | $276,024 |
| City of Albany Albany, MN | Gen/Oper Support | $250,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $282,584,648 | $46,201,694 | $23,060,011 | $16,697,156 |
| 2024 | $237,880,375 | $30,311,653 | $22,465,219 | $17,147,793 |
| 2023 | $208,628,197 | $19,883,794 | $20,819,148 | $16,354,618 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $282,584,648 | $237,880,375 | $208,628,197 |
| Revenue | $46,201,694 | $30,311,653 | $19,883,794 |
| Expenses | $23,060,011 | $22,465,219 | $20,819,148 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,035,748 | $8,304,578 | $4,576,144 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 2, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 2, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS December 1, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Steven Joul as president; Steve Peterson as chair; Laura Helmer as vice chair; Dr. Kathleen Allen as secretary; and James Ringwald as treasurer. It also lists Janet Grones, John Herges, Keith Humphrey, Chuck Albrecht, and Steve Laraway as directors.
Communitygiving is led by Steven Joul, President on every filing since 2020; 6 of 26 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Steven Joul
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$191K (2020) → $252K (2025)
Sara Carlson
Wacf Executive Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$102K (2022) → $127K (2025)
Greta Stark-Kraker
Cmcf Executive Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$115K (2023) → $142K (2025)
Steve Peterson
Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Roelofs
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Herges
Director
Vice Chair → Chair, 2022
Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ken Warner
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Laraway
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janet Grones
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donna Stacken
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Stanton
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erin Bitzan
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jack Driscoll
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Keith Humphrey
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheriff Ahmed
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tohow Siyad
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wayne Nelson
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chuck Albrecht
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Gilness
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tim Torgerson
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elise Wiener
Chief Financial Officer
Director of Finance & Investment → Director of Finance & Investments, 2022
Director of Finance & Investments → Chief Financial Officer, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$112K (2020) → $157K (2025)
Cary Pogatchnik
Assistant Controller
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$101K (2025)
Dominic Papatola
Chief Impact Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$147K (2025)
James Ringwald
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Helmer
Vice Chair
Director → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Allen
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Bruce Pohlig (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Sarah Klaassen (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Rene Millner (2024) — Director
- Former: Maryanne Mahowald (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Heather Thompson (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Jim Kraft (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Sally Smith (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Sonja Merrild (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Terri Barreiro (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Tom Anderson (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Kathy Grochow (2022) — Director of Community Programs
- Former: Bob Roepke (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Brenda Felling Jennissen (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Caryl Turnow (2020–2021) — Cmcf Executive Director
- Former: Janelle Riley (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Josh Tatge (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Pastor Jon Dahl (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Terry Tone (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Karl Samp (2021) — Blacf Executive Director
- Former: Bob Sweeney (2020) — Director
- Former: Debra Leigh (2020) — 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $252K, to Steven Joul (President). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 101 7Th Avenue S 100, St Cloud, MN 56301
Phone: (320) 253-4380
Website: https://communitygiving.org
Frequently asked questions about Communitygiving
How much does Communitygiving give each year?
Communitygiving gave $16.7M across 426 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $17.1M across 421 grants.
What is Communitygiving's typical grant size?
Communitygiving's median grant in 2025 was $15,528, and its average grant was $39,195, across 426 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Communitygiving that year got $25K on average.
Where does Communitygiving give grants?
Communitygiving gives mostly in Minnesota: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Saint Cloud, MN (65 grants), Willmar, MN (33 grants), Alexandria, MN (28 grants) and Minneapolis, MN (18 grants).
Does Communitygiving give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 426 grants with a stated purpose on Communitygiving's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Gen/Oper Support" (370 grants) and "Scholarship Funds" (56 grants).
Who are Communitygiving's largest grantees?
Communitygiving's largest 2025 grantees include College of Saint Benedict ($680,477), Great River Children's Museum ($529,194) and Centracare Health Foundation ($473,571), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 19 individual scholarships ($505,923), which are not listed by name. Together they received 10% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Communitygiving?
Communitygiving reported $282.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $46.2M.
What does Communitygiving fund?
The mission stated in the organization’s 2024 filing is “to engage people, connect resources, and build community.” Its website describes work that includes helping donors establish and manage charitable funds, supporting partner foundations’ grantmaking, and developing community initiatives. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Communitygiving?
For competitive opportunities, review the specific grant guidelines and submit an application through the online grant system. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Communitygiving's EIN?
Communitygiving's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3412544. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Here's the math on researching Communitygiving by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Communitygiving's focus areas in our free grants database
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More Funders in Minnesota
Communitygiving down — hundreds of funders to go?