Garden Valley Education Foundation
Garden Valley Education Foundation is a private foundation based in Erskine, Minnesota. Its 2025 filing says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Garden Valley Education Foundation at a glance
- Total assets
- $71,907
- +84.6% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $33,474
- +233.3% vs 2024
- Qualifying distributions (2025)
- $500
- -98.9% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $525
- -98.9% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Garden Valley Education Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 201 Ross Avenue, Erskine, MN 56535
Phone: (218) 687-5251
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Garden Valley Education Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
21 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 21 grants of 21 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
How Garden Valley Education Foundation gives
- In 2025 it paid out 18% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2023) to $45K (2024). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $45K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Clearbrook-Gonvick School District Clearbrook, MN | Technology Grant | $5,000 |
| Fertile-Beltrami School District Fertile, MN | Technology Grant | $5,000 |
| Goodridge School District Goodridge, MN | Technology Grant | $5,000 |
| Thief River Falls School District Thief River Falls, MN | Technology Grant | $5,000 |
| Grygla School District Grygla, MN | Technology Grant | $5,000 |
| Red Lake County Central Schools Oklee, MN | Technology Grant | $5,000 |
| Warren-Alvarado-Oslo School District Warren, MN | Technology Grant | $5,000 |
| Win-E-Mac School District Erskine, MN | Technology Grant | $5,000 |
| Bagley School District Bagley, MN | Technology Grant | $4,903 |
| Foundation for Rural Service Arlington, VA | Scholarship Program | $500 |
Ready to take the next step with Garden Valley Education Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $71,907 | $33,474 | $525 | — | — | $500 | $173 | $2,722 |
| 2024 | $38,960 | $10,044 | $45,933 | $45,403 | 10 | $45,903 | $118 | $2,795 |
| 2023 | $74,849 | $11,878 | $6,025 | $5,500 | 2 | $6,000 | $232 | $3,536 |
| 2022 | $68,996 | $69,683 | $45,527 | $45,000 | 9 | $45,500 | $148 | $2,801 |
| 2021 | $44,840 | $10,407 | $525 | — | — | $500 | $37 | $1,980 |
| 2020 | $34,958 | $9,813 | $26 | — | — | — | $50 | $1,480 |
| 2019 | $25,172 | $12,898 | $40,528 | $40,500 | 9 | — | $152 | $1,918 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Garden Valley Education Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3K for 2025 — 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 is provided. One documented recipient, Foundation For Rural Service, describes its mission as advancing understanding of rural issues to sustain and enhance quality of life in America, and says its vision is to harness the rural communications industry to enrich lives.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 10 grants totaling $45,403 in 2024 and two grants totaling $5,500 in 2023. It reported no grants in 2025. In 2024, it gave $500 to Foundation For Rural Service, an Arlington, Virginia, organization.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Casey Holland, director; Ron Kiesow, president; Jim DeVries, vice president; Larry Djernes, secretary; Tim J Brinkman, general manager; Arlene J Novak, director; Byron V Ness, treasurer; James O Ferden, director; Lee Hoaas, director; and Allen L Paulson, director.
Garden Valley Education Foundation is led by Ron Kiesow, President since 2025 (on filings since 2022); none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ron Kiesow
President
Vice President → President, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Allen L. Paulson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Arlene J. Novak
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Casey T. Holland
Director
Vice President → President, 2023
President → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James O. Ferden
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lee Hoaas
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Byron V. Ness
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry J. Djernes
Secretary
Secretary → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tim J. Brinkman
General Manager
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Devries
Vice President
Director → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Cassie Holland (2022) — President
- Former: Leland A. Hoaas (2019–2021) — President
- Former: Ronald Kiesow (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Jerry T. Freitag (2019) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Garden Valley Education Foundation
How large is Garden Valley Education Foundation?
Garden Valley Education Foundation reported $72K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $500 in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3K (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 Garden Valley Education Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. One documented recipient, Foundation For Rural Service, describes its mission as advancing understanding of rural issues to sustain and enhance quality of life in America, and says its vision is to harness the rural communications industry to enrich lives. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Garden Valley Education Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Garden Valley Education Foundation's EIN?
Garden Valley Education Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1682056. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Garden Valley Education 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 23, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Garden Valley Education Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Minnesota
The Winston-Salem Foundation
Winston-Salem, NC
The Winston-Salem Foundation funds charitable organizations serving Forsyth County, North Carolina, across areas including education, housing, economic opportunity, civic engagement, arts, health, and human services. Its 2024 median grant was $25,000; specific programs offer grants ranging from small grants of up to $2,000 to capital grants of up to $100,000. The profile describes application-based programs but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$630.1M
Grants
823
Total Given
$90.4M
Valley Telephone Cooperative Foundation
Willcox, AZ
The foundation supports education, youth development, and community improvement in rural southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, including classroom resources, student enrichment, scholarships, and permanent community projects. Its programs offer up to $1,000, $5,000, or $10,000, while 2024 grants ranged from $200 to $25,000 and had a median of $1,250. It does not specify an application process for non-scholarship grants; scholarships are limited to eligible cooperative patrons and family members.
Assets
$3.0M
Grants
75
Total Given
$168K
Molalla Communications Educational Foundation Inc
Molalla, OR
Molalla Communications Educational Foundation supports education, scholarships for graduates of regional schools, and local charitable organizations and activities, primarily in Oregon, especially Molalla and nearby communities. In 2025 it made 141 grants ranging from $100 to $138,000, with a median of $3,000; the available information describes a scholarship application but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited general requests.
Assets
$6.4M
Grants
141
Total Given
$588K
Enmr Education Foundation
Clovis, NM
ENMR Education Foundation funds college scholarships for eligible ENMR Telephone Cooperative members and their immediate families, plus technology and public-safety grants for schools, local governments, and nonprofits in the cooperative’s service area in New Mexico and Texas. Its 2025 grants ranged from $600 to $6,596, with a median award of $2,000. The filing directs applicants to forms on the foundation’s website but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$4.5M
Grants
87
Total Given
$200K
The Young Family Foundation
Ganado, TX
The Young Family Foundation funds scholarships for graduates of four local high schools, along with community projects supporting education, youth activities, and local services in the YK Communications service area of Texas. Its 2025 grants ranged from $500 to $8,762, with a median award of $2,000; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.9M
Grants
36
Total Given
$103K
The Minneapolis Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
The Minneapolis Foundation funds civic, social, and economic needs, including economic mobility, education, health, the environment, arts, and human services, with most grant dollars going to Minnesota. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. It says no funding opportunities are currently open; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
1,565
Total Given
$121.7M
More similar funders
More Funders in Minnesota
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Garden Valley Education 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.
Garden Valley Education Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?