Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts
The Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts is a private foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its 2025 filing states that it makes grants to other 501(c)(3) organizations to support and encourage the arts.
Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts at a glance
In short: Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts gave $297K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $21K), mostly in Minnesota. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $297,000
- +7.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- -17.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $21,214
- +30.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $3,404,957
- +8.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- 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 October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its filing states that grants are unrestricted contributions for the general or specified purpose of each recipient charity.
- Contact
Mailing address: 80 South 8Th Street 2200, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: (612) 977-8131
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Walker West Music Adacemy ($50K). Together the top 10 received $260K.
Grant Size Distribution
84 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 80 grants of 84 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 14 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 23% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 107% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $205K (2020) to $331K (2023). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $297K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Walker West Music Adacemy St. Paul, MN | 2024 GRANT | $50,000 |
| Park Square Theatre St. Paul, MN | To Support and Encourage the Arts | $45,000 |
| Midway Contemporary Art Minneapolis, MN | To Support and Encourage the Arts | $25,000 |
| Ne Sculpture Gallery Factor Minneapolis, MN | To Support and Encourage the Arts | $25,000 |
| People Incorporated St. Paul, MN | To Support and Encourage the Arts | $25,000 |
| Skylark Opera St. Paul, MN | To Support and Encourage the Arts | $25,000 |
| Metropolitan State University Foundation St. Paul, MN | To Support and Encourage the Arts | $20,000 |
| University of Minnesota Foundation Minneapolis, MN | To Support and Encourage the Arts | $20,000 |
| Friends of the St Paul Public Library St. Paul, MN | To Support and Encourage the Arts | $15,000 |
| American Craft Council Minneapolis, MN | To Support and Encourage the Arts | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts?
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 | $3,404,957 | $602,340 | $343,881 | $297,000 | 14 | $302,798 | $570,745 | $283,685 |
| 2024 | $3,146,495 | $507,693 | $313,041 | $277,000 | 17 | $279,767 | $478,668 | $281,313 |
| 2023 | $2,951,841 | $326,141 | $362,973 | $330,500 | 17 | $334,588 | $298,212 | $252,904 |
| 2022 | $2,988,673 | $325,906 | $287,449 | $241,000 | 18 | $244,686 | $297,533 | $267,591 |
| 2021 | $2,950,216 | $594,683 | $298,694 | $265,000 | 18 | $268,839 | $561,326 | $279,370 |
| 2020 | $2,654,227 | $121,800 | $241,531 | $205,000 | 15 | — | $95,941 | $231,626 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts reported a distributable amount of $284K 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
The foundation states that each grant is made to support and encourage the arts, and that grants are unrestricted contributions for the general or specified purpose of each recipient charity.
Its grantees include organizations with varied missions. Park Square Theatre says it enriches the community through live theatre; Midway Contemporary Art supports the creation of and reflection upon visual art; and Skylark Opera Theatre provides opera and music theater performances while developing local and regional talent. Other recipients include Continental Ballet Company, which describes its work as advancing classical ballet through performances, dancer development, and education, and Highpoint Center for Printmaking, which advances printmaking through artistic and educational programs.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 14 grants totaling $297,000. Grant amounts ranged from $7,000 to $50,000, with a median grant of $20,000. Larger awards included $50,000 to Walker West Music Academy, $45,000 to Park Square Theatre, and $25,000 each to Midway Contemporary Art, NE Sculpture Gallery Factor, People Incorporated, and Skylark Opera.
Other 2025 grants included $20,000 each to Metropolitan State University Foundation and University of Minnesota Foundation; $15,000 to Friends of the St. Paul Public Library; and $10,000 each to American Craft Council, Continental Ballet Company, and Highpoint Center for Printmaking.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Calvin W Didier as director and vice-president; Linda Boss as director, president, assistant secretary; Terry Slye as assistant secretary and assistant treasurer; and Cathleen KB Gruen as director, treasurer, and secretary.
Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Calvin W. Didier
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Cathleen Kb Gruen
Director, Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Linda Boss
Director & President Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Terry Slye
Assistant Secretary & Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts
How much does Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts give each year?
Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts gave $297K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $277K across 17 grants.
What is Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts's typical grant size?
Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $21,214, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts give grants?
Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts gives mostly in Minnesota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were St. Paul, MN (8 grants) and Minneapolis, MN (5 grants).
Does Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support and Encourage the Arts" (13 grants).
Who are Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts's largest grantees?
Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts's largest 2025 grantees include Walker West Music Adacemy ($50,000), Park Square Theatre ($45,000) and Midway Contemporary Art ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts?
Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $303K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $284K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts fund?
The foundation states that each grant is made to support and encourage the arts, and that grants are unrestricted contributions for the general or specified purpose of each recipient charity. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts?
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 Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts's EIN?
Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1758708. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 3, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/harlan-boss-foundation-for-the-arts-morg_39bddbd145a34e74bae849197dd1acea
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_411758708_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/harlan-boss-foundation-for-the-arts-morg_39bddbd145a34e74bae849197dd1acea},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts'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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