Farnham Charitable Fund
Farnham Charitable Fund was a private foundation based in Lakeland, Minnesota. Its 2022 filing states that its board voted unanimously to dissolve the fund on November 19, 2022, and that articles of dissolution were filed that day.
Farnham Charitable Fund at a glance
In short: Farnham Charitable Fund gave $537K across 38 grants in 2022 (avg $14K), mostly in Minnesota. 58% of 2022 grantees were new. Source: 2022 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2022)
- $536,590
- +1659.3% vs 2021
- Grants made (2022)
- 38
- +31.0% vs 2021
- Average grant
- $14,121
- +1242.6% vs 2021
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (22 of 38, 2022)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (65% of itemized 2022 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2022 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2022; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Farnham Charitable Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The fund does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and stated that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2564 Itasca Avenue South, Lakeland, MN 55043
Phone: (651) 436-2816
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Farnham Charitable Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2022
The largest 2022 recipient was University of Minnesota Foundation ($115K). Together the top 10 received $357K.
Grant Size Distribution
114 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 113 grants of 114 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In filing year 2022, Minnesota recipients received 65% of grant dollars. Other leading recipient states were Wisconsin (8%), California (7%), New Jersey (6%), and Virginia (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2022 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Farnham Charitable Fund open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2022
In 2022, 22 of 38 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $13K repeat.
- 42% of 2022 grantees were also funded in 2021. Method
- Giving grew 1984% from 2019 to 2022. Method
- In 2022 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2022). 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 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $26K (2019) to $537K (2022). In 2022 it made 38 grants totaling $537K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota Foundation Minneapolis, MN | General Support of Charitable Work | $115,000 |
| Marquette University Milwaukee, WI | General Support of Charitable Work | $40,000 |
| St John's University Student Fund Collegeville, MN | General Support of Charitable Work | $30,000 |
| Ramsey County Historical Society St. Paul, MN | General Support of Charitable Work | $30,000 |
| Delbarton School Morristown, NJ | General Support of Charitable Work | $30,000 |
| Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Williamsburg, VA | General Support of Charitable Work | $25,000 |
| St Paul Academy and Summit School St. Paul, MN | General Support of Charitable Work | $25,000 |
| Universtiy of St Thomas University Advancement St. Paul, MN | General Suport of Charitable Work | $25,000 |
| University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN | General Support of Charitable Work | $21,590 |
| Guild Incorporated St. Paul, MN | General Support of Charitable Work | $15,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Grant totals and counts by filing year:
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | — | $221,987 | $544,421 | $536,590 | 38 | $544,045 | $346 | $13,685 |
| 2021 | $322,434 | $34,129 | $35,303 | $30,500 | 29 | $33,764 | $32,599 | $28,354 |
| 2020 | $323,608 | $55,845 | $30,490 | $26,000 | 25 | — | $9,986 | $24,167 |
| 2019 | $298,253 | $12,265 | $30,393 | $25,750 | 22 | — | $10,757 | $24,505 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Farnham Charitable Fund reported a distributable amount of $14K for 2022 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the fund is provided. Its 2022 grants included support for higher education, schools, historical organizations, and social-service organizations. The grantees describe their work in their own terms: Ramsey County Historical Society says it preserves the past, informs the present, and inspires the future; Guild says it offers integrated mental health, housing, and employment services; and ALIGHT says it works with displaced people to build lives with dignity, connection, and purpose. These are the grantees’ descriptions, not stated priorities of the fund.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2022, the fund reported 38 grants totaling $536,590. Grants ranged from $1,250 to $115,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest listed grants included $115,000 to the University of Minnesota Foundation, $40,000 to Marquette University, $30,000 each to St. John’s University and Ramsey County Historical Society, and $30,000 to Delbarton School. The listed purposes were generally support of charitable work.
The fund’s filing says that all investments were sold for cash and funds were distributed to qualified charitable organizations, except for $25,590. It anticipated $4,000 in final professional-service expenses and said the remaining approximately $21,590 would be donated to qualified charitable organizations, primarily the University of Minnesota and Marquette University. The filing identifies the $21,590 amount as a grant to the University of Minnesota.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2022 filing were Charles W. Farnham III, president; Jennifer W. Farnham, vice president; Thomas H. Farnham II, secretary; and Charles W. Farnham IV, treasurer.
Farnham Charitable Fund is led by Charles W. Farnham III, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2022 report compensation.
Officers on the 2022 filing
Charles W. Farnham III
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Charles W. Farnham IV
Treasurer
Assistant Se → Treasurer, 2020
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Jennifer W. Farnham
Vice President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Thomas H. Farnham II
Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2022. "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 Farnham Charitable Fund
How much does Farnham Charitable Fund give each year?
Farnham Charitable Fund gave $537K across 38 grants in 2022, according to its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2021 it gave $31K across 29 grants.
What is Farnham Charitable Fund's typical grant size?
Farnham Charitable Fund's median grant in 2022 was $5,000, and its average grant was $14,121, across 38 grants on its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Farnham Charitable Fund that year got $9K on average.
Where does Farnham Charitable Fund give grants?
Farnham Charitable Fund gives mostly in Minnesota: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wisconsin (8%) and California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (9 grants), St. Paul, MN (5 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Santa Barbara, CA (3 grants).
Does Farnham Charitable Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Farnham Charitable Fund's 2022 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 38) were for general or operating support, per its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Farnham Charitable Fund's largest grantees?
Farnham Charitable Fund's largest 2022 grantees include University of Minnesota Foundation ($115,000), Marquette University ($40,000) and St John's University Student Fund ($30,000), according to its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2022 grant dollars.
What does Farnham Charitable Fund fund?
No mission statement for the fund is provided. Its 2022 grants included support for higher education, schools, historical organizations, and social-service organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Farnham Charitable Fund?
The fund does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and stated that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is Farnham Charitable Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2022, Farnham Charitable Fund reported a distributable amount of $14K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Farnham Charitable Fund's EIN?
Farnham Charitable Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6069373. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2022.
Does Farnham Charitable Fund 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.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 1, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 27, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2022
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