Frels Family Foundation
Frels Family Foundation is a private foundation based in North Oaks, Minnesota. Its charitable activities consist of grants to other existing 501(c)(3) organizations. In 2024, 85% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota.
Frels Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Frels Family Foundation gave $360K across 29 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in Minnesota. 3% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $360,000
- -43.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 29
- -52.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,414
- +18.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,885,136
- -4.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 3% first-time grantees (1 of 29, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (85% 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 Frels Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 8 Black Lake Road, North Oaks, MN 55127
Phone: (651) 224-8478
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Frels Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was St John the Evangelist Catholic ($40K). Together the top 10 received $200K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
171 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 171 grants of 171 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, recipients in Minnesota received 85% of grant dollars. Recipients in Wisconsin received 8%, Florida 3%, Virginia 3%, and Alabama 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Frels Family Foundation open to new grantees?
3%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 29 grantees (3%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 97% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 64% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 115% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $220K (2021) to $641K (2023). In 2024 it made 29 grants totaling $360K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St John the Evangelist Catholic St. Paul, MN | Operating Support | $40,000 |
| Robbinsdale Women's Center Collegeville, MN | Operating Support | $25,000 |
| St John's School of Theology Seminary Watertown, WI | Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Ramsey County Historical Society St. Paul, MN | Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Bellis Minneapolis, MN | Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Church of Saint Agnes Minneapolis, MN | Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Cradle of Hope Birmingham, MN | Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Francision Brothers of Peace Columbia Heights, MN | Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Signs and Wonders for Our Times Melrose, MN | Operating Support | $15,000 |
| St Odilia Catholic School New Hope, MN | Operating Support | $15,000 |
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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 | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,885,136 | $241,635 | $411,713 | $360,000 | 29 | $386,004 | $217,426 | $337,116 |
| 2023 | $4,081,572 | $182,063 | $692,047 | $641,000 | 61 | $641,050 | $132,655 | $305,339 |
| 2022 | $4,582,826 | $160,187 | $434,438 | $429,000 | 36 | $429,724 | $156,973 | $306,980 |
| 2021 | $4,930,278 | $88,076 | $226,679 | $220,000 | 21 | $220,000 | $112,818 | $299,778 |
| 2020 | $5,767,376 | $116,524 | $251,513 | $250,000 | 24 | — | $115,011 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Frels Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $337K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that its activities consist of grants to other existing 501(c)(3) organizations. Its 2024 grantees include organizations with varied missions. For example, Ramsey County Historical Society describes its mission as “preserving our past, informing our present, inspiring our future,” while People Incorporated says it supports mental health and wellness through collaboration and integrated care. Cradle of Hope says it provides financial aid to women and babies in crisis, and Bellis describes offering emotional support to people affected by termination of parental rights or legal custody.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 29 grants totaling $360,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $40,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest listed awards included $40,000 to St John the Evangelist Catholic for operating support, $25,000 each to Robbinsdale Women’s Center and St John’s School of Theology Seminary for operating support, and $20,000 to Ramsey County Historical Society for operating support. Other listed recipients included Bellis, Church of Saint Agnes, Cradle of Hope, and Neighborhood House.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists William B Frels as president, Bonita M Frels as vice president, Randall W Frels as secretary, and Blake J Frels as treasurer.
Frels Family Foundation is led by William B. Frels, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
William B. Frels
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Blake J. Frels
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Bonita M. Frels
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Randall W. Frels
Secretary
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Randle W. Frels (2020) — Secretary
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 Frels Family Foundation
How much does Frels Family Foundation give each year?
Frels Family Foundation gave $360K across 29 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $641K across 61 grants.
What is Frels Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Frels Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,414, across 29 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Frels Family Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Frels Family Foundation give grants?
Frels Family Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Wisconsin (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were St. Paul, MN (7 grants), Minneapolis, MN (4 grants) and New Hope, MN (2 grants).
Does Frels Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Frels Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (29 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Frels Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Frels Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include St John the Evangelist Catholic ($40,000), Robbinsdale Women's Center ($25,000) and St John's School of Theology Seminary ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Frels Family Foundation?
Frels Family Foundation reported $3.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $386K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $337K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Frels Family Foundation fund?
The foundation states that its activities consist of grants to other existing 501(c)(3) organizations. Its 2024 grantees include organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Frels Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Frels Family Foundation's EIN?
Frels Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-5629574. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Frels Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 4, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Frels Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Frels Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/frels-family-foundation-morg_13435191fb6e432483a77913a0cea49f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_455629574_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Frels Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/frels-family-foundation-morg_13435191fb6e432483a77913a0cea49f},
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 Frels Family 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.
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