Growing Hope Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Owatonna, MN EIN: 27-0523799

Growing Hope Foundation is a private foundation focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Owatonna, MN. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $890K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $8K. Net investment income was $13K.

Growing Hope Foundation at a glance

In short: Growing Hope Foundation gave $8K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Minnesota. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$8,474
+30.4% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
2
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$4,237
+30.4% vs 2024
Median grant
$4,237
Total assets
$890,042
+1.3% vs 2024
Primary geography
Minnesota (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Growing Hope Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top recipient in 2025

Youth For Christ: $200Youth For Christ$200

The largest 2025 recipient was Youth For Christ ($200).

Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($8,274), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

37 grants across all recorded years

37<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 37 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

13states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.

Cities

Albert LeaMinneapolisNew YorkAmesFlintSan FranciscoBrooklynCambridgeDenverColorado SpringsAustinHazel CrestMemphisMontgomeryOttumwaOwatonnaPeoriaRichmondTacomaUrbandale

How Growing Hope Foundation gives

  • Giving fell 69% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 218% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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

$0$20K$40K$60K15 grants2019 11 grants2020 19 grants2021 10 grants2022 4 grants2023 2 grants2024 2 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $7K (2024) to $47K (2020). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $8K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
1 grant to individuals Recipients not named —$8,274
Youth For Christ Albert Lea, MNTo contribute to their general fund as they support mentoring young people$200
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$890,042$99,590$90,618$8,4742$89,103$13,068—
2024$878,731$88,977$87,318$6,5002$94,248$14,949$43,142
2023$877,771$83,752$94,309$11,9004$83,700$16,043$43,797
2022$692,078$119,656$99,293$27,00010$85,117$9,480$33,536
2021$671,715$115,312$105,490$41,27519$96,759$10,076$29,855
2020$595,393$110,802$98,788$47,00011—$10,911$29,559
2019$583,379$90,802$83,003$30,88915—$9,003$29,104

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Growing Hope Foundation is led by Julie Fiske, President & Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 7 of 9 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Julie Fiske

    President & Executive Director

    On filings since 2019

    30 hrs/week

    $32K (2019) → $52K (2025)

  • Tom Thompson

    Director

    Director - → Director, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    $200 (2022) → $700 (2025)

  • Joe Heinrichs

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    $200 (2023) → $1K (2025)

  • Dave Gaylor

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $600 (2025)

  • Eileen Newhouse

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $600 (2025)

  • Troy Klecker

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $300 (2025)

  • Evin Lantz

    Treasurer

    Director → Treasurer, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    $400 (2024) → $1K (2025)

  • Jerry N Epland

    Vice President

    On filings since 2019

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lois Epland

    Secretary

    On filings since 2019

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (3)
  • Former: Christopher Fiske (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: Arlene Little (2019–2022) — Director -
  • Former: Martin Little (2019–2022) — Treasurer -

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Julie Fiske — President/Executive Director: $52KJulie FiskePresident/Executive Director$52KEvin Lantz — Treasurer: $1KEvin LantzTreasurer$1KJoe Heinrichs — Director: $1KJoe HeinrichsDirector$1KTom Thompson — Director (through Sept 2025): $700Tom ThompsonDirector (through Sept 2025)$700Eileen Newhouse — Director (as of Aug 2025): $600Eileen NewhouseDirector (as of Aug 2025)$600Dave Gaylor — Director (as of Aug 2025): $600Dave GaylorDirector (as of Aug 2025)$600Troy Klecker — Director (as of Dec 2025): $300Troy KleckerDirector (as of Dec 2025)$300

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $52K, to Julie Fiske (President/Executive Director). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Growing Hope Foundation

How much does Growing Hope Foundation give each year?

Growing Hope Foundation gave $8K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $7K across 2 grants.

How large is Growing Hope Foundation?

Growing Hope Foundation reported $890K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $100K.

What is Growing Hope Foundation?

Growing Hope Foundation is a private foundation focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Owatonna, MN. It holds $890K in total assets as of 2025.

Where does Growing Hope Foundation operate?

Growing Hope Foundation has awarded grants in Alabama, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Iowa, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington.

What is Growing Hope Foundation's EIN?

Growing Hope Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0523799. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 5, 2025)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
  3. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 20, 2020)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 18, 2021)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 24, 2022)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 30, 2023)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 28, 2024)

Live grants for the work Growing Hope Foundation funds

Food, Agriculture & Nutrition Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.

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Browse active grant opportunities in Growing Hope Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Growing Hope 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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