John J and Nora a Foster Foundation
The John J and Nora a Foster Foundation is a private foundation based in Stillwater, Minnesota. In its 2025 filing, it reported making 20 grants totaling $40,000 to charitable organizations.
John J and Nora a Foster Foundation at a glance
In short: John J and Nora a Foster Foundation gave $40K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Minnesota. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $40,000
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,000
- -11.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $654,876
- -2.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (6 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (84% 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 John J and Nora a Foster Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4663 Mcdonald Drive N, Stillwater, MN 55082
Phone: (651) 503-1507
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John J and Nora a Foster Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was New Beginnings ($7K). Together the top 10 received $28K.
Grant Size Distribution
74 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 74 grants of 74 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 84% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 6% to Kansas, 5% to Florida, and 5% to South Dakota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Is John J and Nora a Foster Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 20 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 113% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 125% 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 $19K (2022) to $40K (2025). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $40K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New Beginnings Grand Rapids, MN | General Support | $6,500 |
| St Peters Lutheran Gibbon, MN | Parsonage Maint & Repairs | $3,500 |
| New Life Family Services Minneapolis, MN | General Support | $3,000 |
| Granite House Stillwater, MN | General Support | $2,500 |
| Birth Right of Hutchinson Hutchinson, KS | General Support | $2,500 |
| Camp Victory Zumbro Falls, MN | General Support | $2,000 |
| Lakeview Health Foundation Stillwater, MN | General Support | $2,000 |
| Trinity First Lutheran Church Minneapolis, MN | General Support | $2,000 |
| Campus Crusade for Christ Orlando, FL | Minister Sponsorship | $2,000 |
| Minnesota Family Institute Saint Paul, MN | General Support | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with John J and Nora a Foster Foundation?
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 | $654,876 | $46,203 | $61,557 | $40,000 | 20 | $45,288 | $30,039 | $36,307 |
| 2024 | $669,909 | $20,678 | $53,388 | $36,000 | 16 | $38,550 | $7,578 | $35,325 |
| 2023 | $701,977 | $330,990 | $40,684 | $27,000 | 13 | $29,600 | $119,366 | $24,876 |
| 2022 | $532,961 | $127,269 | $30,896 | $18,800 | 12 | $20,660 | $98,379 | $21,678 |
| 2021 | $449,230 | $102,161 | $32,448 | $25,000 | 13 | $25,175 | $84,539 | $23,745 |
| 2020 | $379,517 | $12,715 | $29,250 | $22,450 | 13 | — | $5,915 | $21,489 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John J and Nora a Foster Foundation reported a distributable amount of $36K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included general support and specific purposes such as parsonage maintenance and repairs and minister sponsorship.
Among its 2025 grantees, New Life Family Services describes itself as a faith-based Minnesota nonprofit providing life-affirming pregnancy, parenting, and adoption support. Granite House says it supports individuals and families living with severe and permanent brain injury. Minnesota Family Institute describes its work as strengthening Minnesota families by advancing biblical principles in the public arena. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 20 grants totaling $40,000. Grants ranged from $500 to $6,500, with a median grant of $2,000.
The largest reported grants included $6,500 to New Beginnings in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, for general support; $3,500 to St Peters Lutheran in Gibbon, Minnesota, for parsonage maintenance and repairs; and $3,000 to New Life Family Services in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for general support. Other grants included $2,500 each to Granite House in Stillwater, Minnesota, for general support and Birth Right of Hutchinson in Hutchinson, Kansas, for general support. The foundation also gave $2,000 each to Camp Victory, Lakeview Health Foundation, Trinity First Lutheran Church, Campus Crusade for Christ, Minnesota Family Institute, Enkrateia House of Hope, and The Specialty Crop Collaborative.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Nora A Foster as president; John J Foster as secretary/treasurer; William Grant as board member; and Colleen Grant as executive director.
John J and Nora a Foster Foundation is led by Nora A. Foster, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nora A. Foster
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Colleen Grant
Executive Di
Executive Director → Executive Di, 2022
On filings since 2021
$300 (2021) → $2K (2025)
John J. Foster
Secretary
Secretary & Treasurer → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
William Grant
Board Member
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Rebecca L. Martini (2020–2022) — Board Member
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $2K, to Colleen Grant (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about John J and Nora a Foster Foundation
How much does John J and Nora a Foster Foundation give each year?
John J and Nora a Foster Foundation gave $40K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $36K across 16 grants.
What is John J and Nora a Foster Foundation's typical grant size?
John J and Nora a Foster Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,000, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John J and Nora a Foster Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does John J and Nora a Foster Foundation give grants?
John J and Nora a Foster Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 84% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Kansas (6%) and Florida (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (3 grants), Stillwater, MN (2 grants), Saint Paul, MN (2 grants) and Burnsville, MN (2 grants).
Does John J and Nora a Foster Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 85% of John J and Nora a Foster Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are John J and Nora a Foster Foundation's largest grantees?
John J and Nora a Foster Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include New Beginnings ($6,500), St Peters Lutheran ($3,500) and New Life Family Services ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John J and Nora a Foster Foundation?
John J and Nora a Foster Foundation reported $655K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $45K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $36K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John J and Nora a Foster Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included general support and specific purposes such as parsonage maintenance and repairs and minister sponsorship. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John J and Nora a Foster Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John J and Nora a Foster Foundation's EIN?
John J and Nora a Foster Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-0761572. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does John J and Nora a Foster Foundation 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 July 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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