Hiawatha Education Foundation
The Hiawatha Education Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) family foundation established in December 1987 and located in Winona, Minnesota. The foundation focuses on supporting educational initiatives, particularly in the pre-school and Montessori education space.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$61.2M
+6.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.0M
+30.9% YoY
Grant Count
34
+6.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$87K
+23.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is giving to public and private tax-exempt Minnesota schools that are considering new or expanded pre-school Montessori programs, particularly for at-risk children. The foundation also supports educational programs more broadly across its grantmaking portfolio.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s & Activity:**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds in Minnesota, with a stated geographic focus on the state. However, grantmaking has also extended to Texas and Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $61,177,084 | 2024 |
| Total Revenues | $9,177,849 | 2024 |
| Total Expenses | $3,162,027 | 2024 |
| Total Giving | $2,951,350 | 2024 |
| Total Assets | $57.6M | 2023 |
| Total Liabilities | $2,090 | 2023 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $61,177,084 | $57,639,478 | $48,726,859 |
| Revenue | $9,177,849 | $2,880,042 | $3,773,465 |
| Expenses | $3,162,027 | $2,452,736 | $2,859,548 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,951,350 | $2,254,250 | $2,595,989 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,901,971 | $2,681,556 | $3,509,906 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,701,416 | $2,467,954 | $2,729,412 |
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
159 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
- Robert Kierlin - Listed as a primary contact and supporter of the foundation
- Monique Duncan - Secretary and Executive Director (as of 2023)
- Phillip B Duncan - Treasurer (as of 2024)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBERT KIERLIN DEC'D 21025 | PRESIDENT | 3 | — |
| LARA KIERLIN | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| MONIQUE DUNCAN | SECRETARY/EXECUTIVE DIRECT | 30 | $40,000 |
| PHILLIP B DUNCAN | TREASURER/CFO | 30 | $40,000 |
| TODD WERNER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 225 Main Street, Winona, MN 55987-3502
Phone: 507-205-2611
Email: dwittwer84@gmail.com (Dianna Wittwer)
EIN: 36-3537959
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Similar funders by location and focus area
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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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