Empty Bowls Cook County
Empty Bowls Cook County was a private foundation based in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Its 2023 filing is marked as a final return and says the organization ceased to exist, so it appears to have wound down and stopped grantmaking.
Empty Bowls Cook County at a glance
In short: Empty Bowls Cook County gave $84K across 23 grants in 2023 (avg $4K), mostly in Minnesota. 25% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $84,221
- +43.1% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 23
- -14.8% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $3,662
- +67.9% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $4,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (5 of 20, 2023; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (100% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Empty Bowls Cook County
- How to Apply
-
The final filing stated that the application form varied from year to year and that the current form was mailed or emailed to Cook County, Minnesota applicants upon request. It said the foundation did not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Because the filing is marked final and says the organization ceased to exist, these instructions should not be treated as current. The filing restricted awards to eligible organizations serving people in Cook County who could not obtain sufficient food.
- Review Cycle
- None was listed in the final filing.
- Deadline
- None was listed in the final filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Beth Kennedy
Mailing address: PO Box 294, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: (218) 370-1281
Email: bkennedy@boreal.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Empty Bowls Cook County funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was YMCA ($14K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $62K.
Grant Size Distribution
69 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 69 grants of 69 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2023 grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota. The filing’s award restrictions specified organizations serving people in Cook County, Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Empty Bowls Cook County open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 5 of 20 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 75% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2023). 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 2021 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $44K (2021) to $84K (2023). In 2023 it made 23 grants totaling $84K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Great Lunch Grand Marais, MN | Food for those in need | $6,000 |
| Birch Grove Community School Tofte, MN | Food for those in need | $5,000 |
| Birch Grove Community School Tofte, MN | Food for those in need | $5,000 |
| Oshki Ogimaag Community School Grand Portage, MN | Food for those in need | $5,000 |
| Step-Up ChildCare Grand Marais, MN | Food for those in need | $5,000 |
| YMCA Grand Marais, MN | Food for those in need - Child Care Center | $5,000 |
| Ruby's Pantry Grand Marais, MN | Food for those in need | $5,000 |
| North Point Grand Marais, MN | Food for those in need | $5,000 |
| YMCA Grand Marais, MN | Food for those in need | $5,000 |
| Empty Bowls CC-MN Grand Marais, MN | Food for those in need | $4,671 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | $39,454 | $98,316 | $84,221 | 23 | $96,998 | — |
| 2022 | $58,862 | $58,653 | $72,167 | $58,873 | 27 | $72,167 | — |
| 2021 | $72,376 | $66,261 | $53,877 | $43,550 | 19 | $43,877 | — |
| 2020 | $49,992 | $50,863 | $871 | — | — | — | $3 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The filing describes grants for food assistance. Its stated award restrictions were limited to Cook County, Minnesota organizations able to distribute groceries or grocery gift cards, or to organizations that would serve county residents unable to obtain sufficient food.
Among its 2023 grantees, Birch Grove Community School described its mission as promoting academic excellence and preparing students to become socially and environmentally responsible, self-directed, lifelong learners. North Point described its mission as providing a program for Cook County youth focused on faith, resilience, healthy relationships, and planning for the future. Cook County Council on Aging said it works to enhance quality of life through programs and services supporting health, economic, social, and cultural needs.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation reported $84,221 in grants. The filing itemizes 23 grants, ranging from $1,100 to $6,000, with a median grant of $4,000. Its narrative describes providing grants to over two dozen nonprofit organizations.
Notable 2023 awards included $6,000 to Great Lunch; $5,000 each to Birch Grove Community School, Oshki Ogimaag Community School, Step-Up ChildCare, Ruby’s Pantry, North Point, and YMCA; and $4,671 to Empty Bowls CC-MN. The filing lists additional awards to Cook County Community Education, including $4,000 for “After School and Summer PreK,” and YMCA, including $4,000 for “CCYAC.” These awards were identified as supporting food for those in need, with some purposes also naming child care or youth programs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing listed Pat Campanaro as president, Beth Kennedy as treasurer, Judi Barsness as secretary, and Ada Igoe as vice president.
Empty Bowls Cook County is led by Pat Campanaro, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2023 report compensation.
Officers on the 2023 filing
Pat Campanaro
President
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ada Igoe
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Beth Kennedy
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judi Barsness
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2023. "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 Empty Bowls Cook County
How much does Empty Bowls Cook County give each year?
Empty Bowls Cook County gave $84K across 23 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $59K across 27 grants.
What is Empty Bowls Cook County's typical grant size?
Empty Bowls Cook County's median grant in 2023 was $4,000, and its average grant was $3,662, across 23 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Empty Bowls Cook County that year got $4K on average.
Where does Empty Bowls Cook County give grants?
Empty Bowls Cook County gives mostly in Minnesota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Marais, MN (18 grants), Grand Portage, MN (3 grants) and Tofte, MN (2 grants).
Does Empty Bowls Cook County give general operating support?
Not in 2023: none of the 23 grants with a stated purpose on Empty Bowls Cook County's 2023 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Food for those in need" (20 grants).
Who are Empty Bowls Cook County's largest grantees?
Empty Bowls Cook County's largest 2023 grantees include YMCA ($14,000 across 3 grants), Birch Grove Community School ($10,000 across 2 grants) and Great Lunch ($6,000), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
What does Empty Bowls Cook County fund?
The filing describes grants for food assistance. Its stated award restrictions were limited to Cook County, Minnesota organizations able to distribute groceries or grocery gift cards, or to organizations that would serve county residents unable to obtain sufficient food. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Empty Bowls Cook County?
The final filing stated that the application form varied from year to year and that the current form was mailed or emailed to Cook County, Minnesota applicants upon request. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Empty Bowls Cook County's EIN?
Empty Bowls Cook County's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-0767368. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Empty Bowls Cook County's focus areas in our free grants database
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Figures come from Empty Bowls Cook County'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.
Empty Bowls Cook County down — hundreds of funders to go?