Cottonwood Foundation
Cottonwood Foundation is a private foundation based in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. It supports organizations working for a better future for people, animals, and the community of life on Earth, and currently awards grants only to United States-based organizations.
Cottonwood Foundation at a glance
In short: Cottonwood Foundation gave $9K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $600), top state Minnesota. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $9,000
- -18.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- -6.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $600
- -12.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $19,410
- -7.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (4 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (33% 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 Cottonwood Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 10803, White Bear Lake, MN 55110-0803
Phone: (651) 426-8797
Website: https://www.cottonwoodfdn.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Cottonwood Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Indian Land Tenure Foundation ($1K). Together the top 10 received $7K.
Grant Size Distribution
88 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 88 grants of 88 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says it currently awards grants only to organizations based in the United States. In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota (33%), Colorado (22%), California (11%), Connecticut (6%), and Oregon (6%); grants also went to organizations in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Cottonwood Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 15 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $500; repeat grants $636. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 25% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above 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 $9K (2025) to $12K (2022). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $9K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Land Tenure Foundation Little Canada, MN | Land acquisition | $1,000 |
| Southern Plains Land Trust Lamar, CO | Land acquisition | $1,000 |
| Wild Animal Sanctuary Keenesburg, CO | Land acquisition | $1,000 |
| Chicken Run Rescue St. Paul, MN | Materials purchase | $500 |
| Compassionate Action for Animals Minneapolis, CA | Outreach and education | $500 |
| Friends of Animals Darien, CT | Program support | $500 |
| Friends Boundary Waters Wilderness Saint Paul, MN | Outreach and education | $500 |
| Kerulos Center for Nonviolence Jacksonville, OR | Improvements to sanctuary | $500 |
| Land Loss Prevention Project Durham, NC | Education and outreach | $500 |
| Monarch Butterfly Fund Madison, WI | Tree planting | $500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $19,410 | $8,060 | $9,630 | $9,000 | 15 | $9,630 | $939 |
| 2024 | $20,980 | $14,385 | $11,487 | $11,000 | 16 | $11,487 | $770 |
| 2023 | $18,082 | $14,265 | $9,909 | $9,500 | 15 | $9,909 | $710 |
| 2022 | $13,726 | $13,300 | $12,535 | $12,000 | 22 | $12,535 | $673 |
| 2021 | $12,960 | $10,558 | $11,311 | $11,000 | 20 | $11,311 | $582 |
| 2020 | $13,713 | $11,210 | $11,411 | $11,000 | 20 | — | $625 |
| 2019 | $13,914 | $11,041 | $10,513 | $10,277 | 20 | — | $655 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cottonwood Foundation reported a distributable amount of $939 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 says it supports organizations working for people, animals, and the community of life on Earth. Its 2025 grants included support for land acquisition and recovery, animal sanctuaries and rescue, wildlife and habitat conservation, public education, and humanitarian assistance.
Examples illustrate the range of grantees’ work. The Indian Land Tenure Foundation describes its mission as advancing Indian ownership and management of lands within reservation boundaries and other areas of significance. Southern Plains Land Trust says it works to protect shortgrass prairie preserves for native animals and plants. Red Lake Rosie’s Rescue says it works to reduce companion-animal overpopulation, homelessness, disease, and malnutrition in and around the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Rainbow World Fund describes itself as an LGBTQ+-based humanitarian aid organization working to promote peace, unity, and hope through humanitarian relief.
Grantmaking
In 2025, Cottonwood awarded 15 grants totaling $9,000. Grants ranged from $500 to $1,000, with a median of $500. Notable awards included $1,000 each to Indian Land Tenure Foundation for land acquisition, Southern Plains Land Trust for land acquisition, and Wild Animal Sanctuary for land acquisition. Other $500 awards included Chicken Run Rescue for materials, Friends of Animals for program support, and Rainbow World Fund for humanitarian assistance.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Paul Moss as Chair and Executive Director, Craig Miller as Treasurer and Vice Chair, and Jamie Podratz as Secretary.
Cottonwood Foundation is led by Paul Moss, Chair & Executive Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Paul Moss
Chair & Executive Director
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Craig Miller
Treasurer & Vice Chair
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jamie Podratz
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/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.
Frequently asked questions about Cottonwood Foundation
How much does Cottonwood Foundation give each year?
Cottonwood Foundation gave $9K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $11K across 16 grants.
What is Cottonwood Foundation's typical grant size?
Cottonwood Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $600, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cottonwood Foundation that year got $500 on average.
Where does Cottonwood Foundation give grants?
Cottonwood Foundation's top state is Minnesota, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Colorado (22%) and California (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were St. Paul, MN (2 grants).
Does Cottonwood Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Cottonwood Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Materials purchase" (3 grants) and "Land acquisition" (3 grants).
Who are Cottonwood Foundation's largest grantees?
Cottonwood Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Indian Land Tenure Foundation ($1,000), Southern Plains Land Trust ($1,000) and Wild Animal Sanctuary ($1,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Cottonwood Foundation?
Cottonwood Foundation reported $19K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $10K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $939 (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Cottonwood Foundation fund?
The foundation says it supports organizations working for people, animals, and the community of life on Earth. Its 2025 grants included support for land acquisition and recovery, animal sanctuaries and rescue, wildlife and habitat conservation, public education, and humanitarian assistance. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood Foundation's EIN?
Cottonwood Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1714008. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Cottonwood 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 24, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 28, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Cottonwood Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Cottonwood Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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