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
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Hiawatha Education Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cotter Schools ($1,350,000), Cornerstone Montessori School ($119,000), Siembra Montessori ($115,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACACIA MONTESSORI APPLE VALLEY, MN | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $99,550 |
| BLUFFVIEW MONTESSORI SCHOOL WINONA, MN | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $4,500 |
| CHILDREN'S WORKSHOP MONTESSORI LONG LAKE, MN | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $25,800 |
| COMMON ROOTS MONTESSORI ST PAUL, MN | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $19,400 |
| CORNERSTONE MONTESSORI SCHOOL ST PAUL, MN | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $119,000 |
| COSMOS MONTESSORI MINNEAPOLIS, MN | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $48,600 |
| COTTER SCHOOLS WINONA, MN | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $1,350,000 |
| CREEKSIDE MONTESSORI SCHOOL MINNEAPOLIS, MN | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $86,100 |
| HOPE LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL WINONA, MN | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $50,000 |
| TRINITY EPISCOPAL SCHOOL AUSTIN, TX | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $50,000 |
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
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Hiawatha Education Foundation fund?
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.
How do I apply for a grant from Hiawatha Education Foundation?
**Grant Sizes & Activity:** • Typical grant awards range from $650 to $1,350,000 • In 2024, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $2,951,350 • Recent notable grants include: • Cotter Schools: $1,350,000 (2024) • Cornerstone Montessori Elementary School: $119,000 (2024) • St Elizabeth's Community Development Foundation: $100,000 (2024) **Financial Capacity:** • Total assets: $61,177,084 (2024) • Total revenues: $9,177,849 (2024) • Total expenses: $3,162,027 (2024)
Where does Hiawatha Education Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds in Minnesota, with a stated geographic focus on the state. However, grantmaking has also extended to Texas and Tennessee.
What size grants does Hiawatha Education Foundation award?
In 2024, Hiawatha Education Foundation awarded 34 grants totaling $3.0M — an average of about $87K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Hiawatha Education Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Hiawatha Education Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Hiawatha Education Foundation's EIN?
Hiawatha Education Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3537959. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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