Gale Family Foundation
The Gale Family Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 2007 and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation operates as a grantmaking entity that provides general unrestricted cash contributions to public charities across the United States.
Key facts about Gale Family Foundation
- EIN
- 56-2676045
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,491,700
- Grants made (2024)
- 42
- Average grant
- $35,517
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 45% first-time grantees (19 of 42, 2024)
- Total assets
- $16,559,769
- Primary geography
- New Mexico (64% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Gale Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Gale Family Foundation's 42 itemized 2024 grants were New Mexico (64%), New York (17%) and California (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Fe, NM (28 grants), New York City, NY (2 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Gale Family Foundation open to new grantees?
45%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 42 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 40% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 28% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Gale Family Foundation
- How to evaluate Gale Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$16.6M
-21.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
-24.0% YoY
Grant Count
42
-2.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$36K
-22.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gale Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants to a diverse range of organizations across multiple sectors. Recent grantees have included Occidental College, Santa Fe International Literary Festival, Fractured Atlas, and the Minneapolis Foundation.
Grant Range
Approximately $25,000
Ready to take the next step with Gale Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, including:
Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Utah, Wisconsin, and additional communities such as Eau Claire and Viroqua.
Primary funding states include New Mexico, New York, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 42 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2024):
- Total Assets: $16.6 million
- Total Revenue: $595,227
- Total Expenses: $1,729,948
- Total Giving: $1,491,700
Prior Year Data (2023):
- Total Assets: Approximately $21.2 million (per alternative source)
- Total Distributions: $2 million
The foundation maintains no liabilities and demonstrates consistent annual grantmaking activity.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,559,769 | $21,178,236 | $20,766,344 |
| Revenue | $595,227 | $688,328 | $630,292 |
| Expenses | $1,729,948 | $2,214,566 | $2,327,665 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,502,878 | $1,963,133 | $2,059,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,060,254 | $2,277,811 | $457,984 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,528,740 | $1,779,075 | $1,790,401 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
220 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Occidental College ($150,000), Santa Fe Prepartory School ($145,000), Fractured Atlas ($125,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE Las Angeles, CA | GENERAL UNRESTRICTED | $150,000 |
| SANTA FE PREPARTORY SCHOOL Santa Fe, NM | GENERAL UNRESTRICTED | $145,000 |
| FRACTURED ATLAS New York City, NY | GENERAL UNRESTRICTED | $125,000 |
| SANTA FE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL Santa Fe, NM | GENERAL UNRESTRICTED | $125,000 |
| LENSIC PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Santa Fe, NM | GENERAL UNRESTRICTED | $115,000 |
| GROWING UP NEW MEXICO Santa Fe, NM | GENERAL UNRESTRICTED | $60,000 |
| LAND LIGHT FOUNDATION New York, NY | GENERAL UNRESTRICTED | $52,000 |
| MUSEUM OF NEW MEXICO FOUNDATION Santa Fe, NM | GENERAL UNRESTRICTED | $51,200 |
| INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN INDIAN ARTS (IAIA) Santa Fe, NM | GENERAL UNRESTRICTED | $50,000 |
| MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ARTS Minneapolis, MN | GENERAL UNRESTRICTED | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members:
- Ed Gale – President/Director
- Maria Gale – Director
- Samuel Gale – Treasurer/Director
- James Patrick Gale – Director
- Sarah Gale – Director
- Gordon Heinson – Director
All board members serve without compensation, reflecting a commitment to volunteer leadership.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ed Gale | President/Director | 1 | — |
| Maria Gale | Director | — | — |
| Samuel Gale | Treasurer/Director | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from Gale Family Foundation?
The foundation makes grants to a diverse range of organizations across multiple sectors. Recent grantees have included Occidental College, Santa Fe International Literary Festival, Fractured Atlas, and the Minneapolis Foundation. **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $2,500–$275,000 • Grant type: General unrestricted cash contributions to public charities • Recent annual grant activity: 41 grants awarded in 2024 • Median grant size: Approximately $25,000 The foundation appears to be…
Where does Gale Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, including: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Utah, Wisconsin, and additional communities such as Eau Claire and Viroqua. Primary funding states include New Mexico, New York, and California.
What size grants does Gale Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Gale Family Foundation awarded 42 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $36K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Gale Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Gale Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Gale Family Foundation's EIN?
Gale Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2676045. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.