The Food Group Minnesota Inc
The Food Group Minnesota Inc. is a public charity based in New Hope, Minnesota. It works across food production and distribution to increase access to healthy, affordable, and culturally connected food, and its 2025 filing reports 62 grants totaling $4,047,536.
The Food Group Minnesota Inc at a glance
In short: The Food Group Minnesota Inc gave $4.0M across 62 grants in 2025 (avg $65K). 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,047,536
- -39.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 62
- -1.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $65,283
- -38.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $45,483
- Total assets
- $11,281,713
- -1.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (6 of 62, 2025)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Food Group Minnesota Inc
- How to Apply
-
For MFSP, eligible organizations must apply online each year. The website says the application is per agency and that visit statistics across an agency’s distribution programs are combined to calculate its grant amount.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026–2027 MFSP application period runs September 1–30, 2026; applications are due September 30, 2026.
- Deadline
- The 2026–2027 MFSP application period runs September 1–30, 2026; applications are due September 30, 2026.
- Contact
Mailing address: 8501 54Th Avenue North, New Hope, MN 55428
Phone: (763) 450-3860
Website: https://thefoodgroupmn.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Food Group Minnesota Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Veap ($373K). Together the top 10 received $1.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
302 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 142 grants of 302 (47%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization describes its work as statewide in Minnesota. Its website says MFSP grants reach nearly 300 food shelves and Tribal Nation partners across the state.
Is The Food Group Minnesota Inc open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 62 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $70K. How we count
Medians: $17K first-time, $51K repeat.
- 87% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−2%). 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.0M (2025) to $6.6M (2024). In 2025 it made 62 grants totaling $4.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Veap | Food Distribution | $373,014 |
| Catholic Charities | Food Distribution | $216,522 |
| Jericho Road Ministries | Food Distribution | $210,126 |
| Northpoint Health and Wellness Center | Food Distribution | $189,704 |
| MCCC | Food Distribution | $162,279 |
| The Sanneh Foundation | Food Distribution | $143,857 |
| Minnesota Teamsters Food Shelf | Food Distribution | $141,146 |
| Minnehaha Food Shelf | Food Distribution | $141,083 |
| Source MN | Food Distribution | $117,362 |
| Minneapolis 1ST Adventist Church | Food Distribution | $112,552 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11,281,713 | $13,092,724 | $13,438,860 | $4,047,536 | 62 | $157,954 |
| 2024 | $11,430,812 | $20,916,395 | $19,708,129 | $6,635,050 | 63 | $130,083 |
| 2023 | $7,256,071 | $18,690,707 | $17,960,047 | $4,255,328 | 61 | $132 |
| 2022 | $6,821,261 | $14,957,380 | $14,955,938 | $4,145,729 | 60 | $403 |
| 2021 | $6,336,092 | $17,978,828 | $17,562,192 | $4,860,199 | 56 | $1,470 |
| 2020 | $6,866,592 | $18,625,411 | $18,153,515 | $6,135,001 | 52 | $1,334 |
| 2019 | $5,796,359 | $11,908,726 | $11,206,731 | — | — | $736 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is “Fighting Hunger. Nourishing Our Community.” Its website identifies food access, equity, and nutrition as central to its work, including access to healthy and culturally connected foods, support for hunger-relief agencies and farmers, and efforts to change food systems.
The organization’s 2024 filing describes its hunger-relief program as equipping more than 200 food-shelf and meal-program partners with nutritious and culturally relevant food and support services. It also describes affordable-grocery programs and Big River Farms’ support for farmers through access to land, infrastructure, business-development skills, training, and market opportunities.
Grantmaking
The 2025 filing reports 62 grants totaling $4,047,536. Grants ranged from $5,072 to $373,014, with a median of $45,482. The largest reported awards included VEAP ($373,014), Catholic Charities ($216,522), Jericho Road Ministries ($210,126), NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center ($189,704), and MCCC ($162,279); each was listed for food distribution.
Separately, the organization’s website describes the Minnesota Food Shelf Program (MFSP), whose state-funded grants it distributes on behalf of the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families. The program is non-competitive, requires an annual online application, and is open to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits participating in TEFAP and Tribal Nations. The website says awards range from $10,000 to $175,000, with one distribution per agency and amounts calculated using food-shelf visit statistics.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Dave Schm iechen as chair; Bridget Hayden as secretary; Kurt Johansen as treasurer; Leah Porter as development chair; and Georgi Nguyen, Patrice Bailey, Keith Narr, Andrew Chelseth, Rhys Williams, and Sarah Kinney as directors.
The Food Group Minnesota Inc is led by Sophia Lenarz-Coy, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 3 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sophia Lenarz-Coy
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$92K (2020) → $138K (2025)
Dave Schmiechen
Chair
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
Vice Chair → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leah Porter
Development Chair
Director → Development Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Krivaka
Policy Chair
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Peeples
Director of Programs
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$89K (2025)
Emily Eddy White
Director of Advancement & Culture
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$100K (2025)
Keith Narr
Director
Director → Chair, 2023
Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sharmyn Phipps
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Georgi Nguyen
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rhys Williams
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Kinney
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Roberg-Perez
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Spence
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Chelseth
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrice Bailey
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Taylor
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marna Catnerbury
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kurt Johansen
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bridget Hayden
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (19)
- Former: Steve Krikava (2024) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Marso (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Naima Dhore (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Lindsey Hunter (2023) — Director
- Former: Aimee Pappenfus (2019–2022) — Chair
- Former: Bob Labombard (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Daniel Tilsen (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Susan Sheely (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Vani Karun (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Jenny McCaab (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Annette Miller (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Lori Thorp (2019–2020) — Former Executive Director
- Former: Sook Jin Ong (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Barb Hilbert (2019) — Chairperson
- Former: Erika Thiem (2019) — Director
- Former: Jay Kim (2019) — Director
- Former: Mark Sheehan (2019) — Director
- Former: Martin Wera (2019) — Director
- Former: Patrick Wilson (2019) — Treasurer
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $138K, to Sophia Lenarz-Coy (Executive Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Food Group Minnesota Inc
How much does The Food Group Minnesota Inc give each year?
The Food Group Minnesota Inc gave $4.0M across 62 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $6.6M across 63 grants.
What is The Food Group Minnesota Inc's typical grant size?
The Food Group Minnesota Inc's median grant in 2025 was $45,483, and its average grant was $65,283, across 62 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Food Group Minnesota Inc that year got $18K on average.
Does The Food Group Minnesota Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 62 grants with a stated purpose on The Food Group Minnesota Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Food Distribution" (62 grants).
Who are The Food Group Minnesota Inc's largest grantees?
The Food Group Minnesota Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Veap ($373,014), Catholic Charities ($216,522) and Jericho Road Ministries ($210,126), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Food Group Minnesota Inc?
The Food Group Minnesota Inc reported $11.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $13.1M.
What does The Food Group Minnesota Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is “Fighting Hunger. Nourishing Our Community.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Food Group Minnesota Inc?
For MFSP, eligible organizations must apply online each year. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The Food Group Minnesota Inc make grants?
The organization describes its work as statewide in Minnesota. Its website says MFSP grants reach nearly 300 food shelves and Tribal Nation partners across the state.
What is The Food Group Minnesota Inc's EIN?
The Food Group Minnesota Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1246504. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 10, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 5, 2026)
Live grants for the work The Food Group Minnesota Inc funds
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The Food Group Minnesota Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?