Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation
The Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. In its 2025 filing, it reported 14 grants totaling $205,000, all to recipients in Minnesota, supporting organizations with humanitarian, education, media, arts, health, and literacy purposes.
Key facts about Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation
In short: Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation gave $205K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Minnesota. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 46-4203595
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $205,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- Average grant
- $14,643
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 14, 2025)
- Total assets
- $3,936,743
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 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-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.9M
+1.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$205K
+7.9% YoY
Grant Count
14
+27.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
-15.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $222K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 14 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−13%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with purposes including humanitarian services, education and literacy, music, and medical care.
Among the grantees’ own descriptions, Second Harvest Heartland says its mission is to end hunger together, and Ujamaa Place describes its work as providing holistic transformation opportunities for young Black men experiencing inequity at the intersection of race and poverty. Twin Cities Public Television says it aims to enrich lives and strengthen the community through media; Minnesota Public Radio says it amplifies voices to inform, include, and inspire. Planned Parenthood North Central States describes its mission as advancing and protecting sexual and reproductive health care for all. People Incorporated says it supports community mental health and wellness and provides services to promote independence and quality of life.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $205,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $20,000, with a median grant of $20,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 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 $186K (2021) to $235K (2022). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $205K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Second Harvest Heartland ($20K). Together the top 10 received $180K.
Grant Size Distribution
74 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 74 grants of 74 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Second Harvest Heartland St. Paul, MN | Humanitarian | $20,000 |
| Ujamaa Place St. Paul, MN | Humanitarian | $20,000 |
| Twin Cities Public Television St. Paul, MN | Education | $20,000 |
| St Paul Chamber Orchestra St. Paul, MN | Music and Education | $20,000 |
| Lutheran Social Services Minneapolis, MN | Humanitarian | $20,000 |
| Minnesota Public Radio St. Paul, MN | Education | $20,000 |
| Friends of the St Paul Public Library Saint Paul, MN | Education and Literacy | $20,000 |
| Planned Parenthood North Central States St. Paul, MN | Medical | $20,000 |
| Concordia University St. Paul, MN | Education | $10,000 |
| Minnesota Orchestra Minneapolis, MN | Musical Education | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,936,743 | $288,939 | $250,266 | $205,000 |
| 2024 | $3,899,145 | $232,151 | $250,546 | $190,000 |
| 2023 | $3,916,424 | $940,073 | $251,753 | $215,000 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,936,743 | $3,899,145 | $3,916,424 |
| Revenue | $288,939 | $232,151 | $940,073 |
| Expenses | $250,266 | $250,546 | $251,753 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $207,533 | $192,261 | $217,063 |
| Net Investment Income | $246,206 | $173,866 | $905,214 |
| Distributable Amount | $221,718 | $208,584 | $188,572 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 26, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 5, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Dr David H Olson as president, director, and secretary; Karen B Olson as vice president and director; and Amy Olson as secretary.
Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation is led by David H Olson, President, Director & Secretary since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 4 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David H Olson
President, Director & Secretary
President, Director, Secretary & Treasurer → President, Director & Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen B Olson
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
CT Corporation
Agent
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$374 (2023) → $474 (2025)
Amy Olson
Secretary
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Trust Point Inc (2022–2023) — Agent
- Former: US Bank (2022) — Agent
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 $474, to CT Corporation (Agent).
Contact
Mailing address: 230 Front Street North, La Crosse, WI 54601
Frequently asked questions about Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation
How much does Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation give each year?
Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation gave $205K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $190K across 11 grants.
What is Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $14,643, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation that year got $20K on average.
Where does Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation give grants?
Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were St. Paul, MN (10 grants) and Minneapolis, MN (3 grants).
Does Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Humanitarian" (6 grants) and "Education" (3 grants).
Who are Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Second Harvest Heartland ($20,000), Ujamaa Place ($20,000) and Twin Cities Public Television ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation?
Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation reported $3.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $208K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $222K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with purposes including humanitarian services, education and literacy, music, and medical care. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and 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 Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation's EIN?
Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4203595. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Dr David & Karen Olson Family Foundation by hand.
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