FR Bigelow Foundation
F. R. Bigelow Foundation is a private foundation based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, established in 1946. It supports programs and initiatives that strengthen Saint Paul neighborhoods and downtown and enhance quality of life across the East Metro, with an emphasis on racially and economically equitable outcomes.
FR Bigelow Foundation at a glance
In short: FR Bigelow Foundation gave $7.9M across 218 grants in 2024 (avg $36K), mostly in Minnesota. 23% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,882,000
- -4.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 218
- -16.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $36,156
- +14.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $180,790,736
- +2.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (46 of 199, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to FR Bigelow Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The Community Solutions program has an open, rolling application process. Applicants are encouraged to discuss fit with a member of the Grants Team, review the program guidelines and application materials, and register for GranteeView; most grant programs require portal registration. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, government entities, educational institutions, and organizations with a fiscal sponsor. Applications should serve Dakota, Ramsey, or Washington counties, with particular emphasis on people who live or work in Saint Paul. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- Community Solutions applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Deadline
- Community Solutions applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Contact
Mailing address: 370 Wabasha Street North Suite 300, Saint Paul, MN 55102
Phone: (651) 224-5463
Website: https://frbigelow.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from FR Bigelow Foundation
Bigelow Foundation Grant
FR Bigelow Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Community Solutions Grant Program
FR Bigelow Foundation
Amount
US $50,000 - US $250,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Systems Change Grant Program
FR Bigelow Foundation
Amount
Up to US $400,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who FR Bigelow Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation ($810K across 6 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,232 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,089 grants of 1,232 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s primary focus is the greater Saint Paul metropolitan area, including Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties, with particular emphasis on people who live or work in Saint Paul. Its 2024 filing reports that 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 218 itemized grants.
Cities
Is FR Bigelow Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 46 of 199 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $27K; repeat grants $44K. How we count
Medians: $30K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 53% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 99% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $7.3M (2021) to $8.6M (2022). In 2024 it made 218 grants totaling $7.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Coalition of Asian American Leaders Saint Paul, MN | Linking Leaders Partnership Support | $600,000 |
| Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation Saint Paul, MN | Collegebound St. Paul Fund for the Future | $500,000 |
| Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation Saint Paul, MN | Management Improvement Fund | $100,000 |
| Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation Saint Paul, MN | Community Sharing Fund 2023 | $100,000 |
| Community Dental Care Maplewood, MN | Community Dental Care | $75,000 |
| Amherst H Wilder Foundation Saint Paul, MN | Child Development Center Capital Improvement Grant | $75,000 |
| Commonbond Communities Saint Paul, MN | 15000TORRE De San Miguel Rehab: Enhanced Community Spaces | $75,000 |
| Family Values for Life Saint Paul, MN | Capital Project to Support Program Expansion | $75,000 |
| Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library Saint Paul, MN | Transforming Libraries Capital Campaign | $75,000 |
| Friends of the Mississippi River Saint Paul, MN | Our River Campaign | $75,000 |
Ready to take the next step with FR Bigelow Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation also reports a $14.3 million mission-related investment portfolio as of December 2024.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $180,790,736 | $8,793,581 | $10,521,272 | $7,882,000 | 218 | $8,650,310 | $11,665,294 | $8,726,639 |
| 2023 | $176,908,736 | $4,967,775 | $10,397,176 | $8,250,300 | 262 | $8,871,873 | $5,996,357 | $8,466,870 |
| 2022 | $171,112,830 | $5,693,903 | $8,679,022 | $8,621,375 | 279 | $9,056,957 | $5,136,639 | $8,844,030 |
| 2021 | $202,026,485 | $23,166,449 | $10,434,881 | $7,311,305 | 238 | $7,760,690 | $26,164,680 | $9,038,015 |
| 2020 | $176,583,950 | $5,465,196 | $8,417,819 | $7,460,595 | 235 | — | $6,774,190 | $7,776,244 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, FR Bigelow Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to enhance quality of life for all in the greater Saint Paul area and foster a vibrant East Metro region. Its stated focus areas are arts and culture, community and economic development, education and youth development, health, housing, and human services.
The foundation’s Community Solutions program supports nonprofits, public entities, educational institutions, and organizations with fiscal sponsors through general operating, program/project, and capital grants. Its guidelines say supported work should serve East Metro residents and that preference is given to organizations addressing disparities or advancing equitable outcomes, and to work shaped and led by people experiencing barriers.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. Coalition of Asian American Leaders describes itself as a network of Asian Minnesotan leaders working collectively to improve community members’ lives. Community Dental Care says it provides culturally sensitive community oral health care and advocates for access to care. FilmNorth describes its work as providing opportunities for filmmakers and media artists in the North, with a commitment to addressing disparities for historically underrepresented communities in the film industry.
Grantmaking
In its 2024 filing, it reported 218 grants totaling $7,882,000. Those grants ranged from $1,000 to $600,000, with a median of $30,000.
Among the largest 2024 awards were $600,000 to Coalition of Asian American Leaders for Linking Leaders Partnership Support and $500,000 to Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation for the CollegeBound St. Paul Fund for the Future. Other listed awards included $100,000 to Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation for a Management Improvement Fund and grants of $75,000 each to organizations including Community Dental Care, FilmNorth, Family Values for Life, and Hmong American Farmers Association.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ambar Cristina Hanson as chair, Erik Takeshita as vice chair, Amala Thakkar as treasurer, and Eric Jolly as secretary. Directors listed include Morris Goodwin Jr., Meredith Moore, Kathy Mouacheupao, Alicia Kunin-Batson, Mumtaz Taj Mustapha, and Jonathan Liang.
FR Bigelow Foundation is led by Ambar Cristina Hanson, Chair since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 13 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ambar Cristina Hanson
Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2021
Vice Chair → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alicia Kunin-Batson MD
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deborah Dicker Weiss
Director
Trustee → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Morris Goodwin Jr.
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maggie Lorenz
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Tingerthal
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Liang
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathy Mouacheupao
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Meredith Moore
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mumtaz Taj Mustapha MD
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erik Takeshita
Vice Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Jolly
Secretary
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amala Thakkar CFA
Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Terri Thao (2020–2022) — Chair
- Former: Brock Nelson (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Glenn E. Johnson (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Mari Oyanagi Eggum (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Meredith Moore Crosby (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Paul Williams (2020) — Chair
- Former: Richard Beeson Jr. (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 FR Bigelow Foundation
How much does FR Bigelow Foundation give each year?
FR Bigelow Foundation gave $7.9M across 218 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $8.3M across 262 grants.
What is FR Bigelow Foundation's typical grant size?
FR Bigelow Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $36,156, across 218 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from FR Bigelow Foundation that year got $27K on average.
Where does FR Bigelow Foundation give grants?
FR Bigelow Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Saint Paul, MN (150 grants), Minneapolis, MN (37 grants), Burnsville, MN (4 grants) and Roseville, MN (3 grants).
Does FR Bigelow Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 43% of FR Bigelow Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (94 of 218) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are FR Bigelow Foundation's largest grantees?
FR Bigelow Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation ($810,000 across 6 grants), Coalition of Asian American Leaders ($650,000 across 3 grants) and Amherst H Wilder Foundation ($105,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is FR Bigelow Foundation?
FR Bigelow Foundation reported $180.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $8.7M (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 FR Bigelow Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to enhance quality of life for all in the greater Saint Paul area and foster a vibrant East Metro region. Its stated focus areas are arts and culture, community and economic development, education and youth development, health, housing, and human services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from FR Bigelow Foundation?
The Community Solutions program has an open, rolling application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is FR Bigelow Foundation's EIN?
FR Bigelow Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0232651. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). FR Bigelow Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/fr-bigelow-foundation-morg_d42ed8a66aa34086bdddd04e45bd5f01
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_510232651_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{FR Bigelow Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/fr-bigelow-foundation-morg_d42ed8a66aa34086bdddd04e45bd5f01},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from FR Bigelow Foundation'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.
FR Bigelow Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?