The Greater Denfeld Foundation Inc is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Duluth, Minnesota, established in 1971. The foundation supports students of Duluth Denfeld High School through scholarships, awards, and educational enhancements. Since its establishment, the foundation has awarded more than $8 million to deserving Denfeld students and staff.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$8.6M
+4.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$460K
+3.3% YoY
Grant Count
146
+7.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
-3.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The Greater Denfeld Foundation's purpose is to support students of Duluth Denfeld High School by providing awards and scholarships to assist with expenses directly related to post-secondary education. In addition, donations are awarded to staff to provide valuable resources to enhance students' high school educational experiences.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Student scholarships and awards for post-secondary education
- Faculty and staff donations to enhance educational experiences
- Educational initiatives and classroom resources
Grantmaking
The foundation provides multiple types of funding:
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports students and programs in Duluth, Minnesota, with a specific focus on Denfeld High School. The foundation also operates within Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total Assets: $8,645,413
- Total Revenue: $769,000
- Total Expenses: $576,000
- Total Liabilities: $12,100
- Total Giving: $460,458
Historical Context:
- By 2001, the foundation had assets of $175,000
- In 2001, longtime teacher Marie Saltwick bequeathed $2.7 million to the foundation, funding its first renewable scholarship
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,645,413 | $8,313,606 | $8,692,530 |
| Revenue | $768,524 | $305,457 | $589,100 |
| Expenses | $576,302 | $534,265 | $515,337 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $507,351 | $476,745 | $458,463 |
| Net Investment Income | $569,409 | $227,353 | $500,276 |
| Distributable Amount | $406,735 | $399,367 | $451,366 |
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
151 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Board Chair: Gary Eckenberg
- Board Size: 16 volunteer members serving without compensation
- Contact: David Hammer (greaterdenfeldfoundation@gmail.com, 218-349-5209)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARY ECKENBERG | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| LANE HARSTAD | VICE PRESIDE | 1 | — |
| ANGELO FLORESTANO | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| HEATHER MUTCHLER | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| KERRY ANDERSON GARTHUS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| REBA COPELAND | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MATT DAVIES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARK MATUSESKI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARK MUNGER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SARAIYA PIANTEK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STEVE WESTHOM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JERRY ZANKO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PAUL TYNJALA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Greater Denfeld Foundation announced 2025 Educator Donations and continues to accept applications for scholarships and awards. The foundation recently provided funding for classroom enhancements, including Robotics 2 class expansion supplies in 2023, which enabled students to access additional motor capabilities for robot designs.
Four Members Join the GDF Board of Directors - Greater Denfeld FoundationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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