Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation
The Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation is a private foundation based in Bloomington, Minnesota. Its stated mission is to promote health equity and social justice, advance the human-animal bond, and enhance land and marine ecosystems.
Key facts about Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation
In short: Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation gave $1.5M across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $60K), mostly in Minnesota. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 86-3717265
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,547,970
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- Average grant
- $59,537
- Median grant
- $40,717
- Total assets
- $11,761,016
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.8M
+1692.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
+550.4% YoY
Grant Count
26
+271.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$60K
+75.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $558K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation gives
- 13% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 620% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 315% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation identifies health equity for seniors, women and girls, and other underserved populations; human rights and social justice; and programs and research that protect people’s health and well-being as priorities. It also describes priorities related to human-animal interactions, animal rehabilitation and habitat preservation, humane treatment of animals, and protection of endangered and threatened species.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of work. SEMCAC, which received $479,337, describes its mission as addressing poverty, disease, malnutrition, unemployment, energy shortages, and other community needs in Minnesota counties. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which received $50,000, describes its mission as providing comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care while protecting individual privacy and rights. Other 2025 grants supported assistance dogs through Helping Paws, horse welfare through Equamore Foundation, and a sanctuary for cats with special needs through Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 26 grants totaling $1,547,970 in 2025. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $479,337, with a median of $40,716.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 3% to New York, and 1% to Oregon; Wisconsin accounted for 0% as reported. The largest listed 2025 grant went to a Minnesota organization.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $215K (2022) to $1.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Semcac ($479K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
43 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 19 grants of 43 (44%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Semcac Rushford, MN | Support non-emergency medical transportation for underserved rural mn populations. | $479,337 |
| Allina Foundationcourage Kenny Grant #2 Minneapolis, MN | Support Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Research. | $138,700 |
| Advocates for Human Rights Grant #1 Minneapolis, MN | Emergency Legal Assistance for Underresourced Clients | $100,000 |
| Tubman Grant #2 Minneapolis, MN | Support Programming for Underresourced Human Services Clients. | $100,000 |
| Wayside Recovery Grant #1 St Louis Park, MN | Support recovery programs for underresourced pregnant and parenting persons. | $100,000 |
| Senior Community Services Grant #1 Minnetonka, MN | Support development and delivery of technology education and support services for low-income seniors. | $90,000 |
| The Power of People Leadership Institute Minneapolis, MN | Support Entrepreneurship Among Underserved Populations. | $60,000 |
| Advocates for Human Rights Grant #2 Minneapolis, MN | Matching Gift: 2025 Fundraising Campaign | $50,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Federation of America New York, NY | Develop and deliver digital tools to improve program access for underserved populations. | $50,000 |
| Planned Parenthood-North Central States St. Paul, MN | Support maternal and child health to improve health outcomes for underserved persons. | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants reported | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,547,970 | 26 |
| 2024 | $238,000 | 7 |
| 2023 | $300,000 | 5 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,761,016 | $656,003 | $23,434 |
| Revenue | $19,569,956 | $1,682,413 | $151,122 |
| Expenses | $1,875,749 | $346,205 | $301,978 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,759,664 | $324,639 | $300,925 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,884,705 | $694,557 | $982 |
| Distributable Amount | $558,127 | $5,221 | $4,959 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- 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 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mary Ruth Weisel as director; Elizabeth E. Michaelis as CEO/director; Deb Taylor as executive vice president/director; and Robert J. Michaelis as CFO/director. The foundation’s website identifies Mary Ruth Weisel, M.D., as its founder and states that she died in May 2025.
Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation is led by Elizabeth E. Michaelis, CEO & Director since 2025 (on filings since 2022); 3 of 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth E. Michaelis
CEO & Director
Co-Director → President & Director, 2024
President & Director → CEO & Director, 2025
On filings since 2022
20 hrs/week
$49K (2025)
Deb Taylor
Executive Vice President & Director
On filings since 2024
20 hrs/week
$3K (2024) → $19K (2025)
Robert J. Michaelis
CFO & Director
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
$43K (2025)
Mary Ruth Weisel
Director
Co-Director → Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "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 $49K, to Elizabeth E Michaelis (CEO/Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 3800 American Blvd West 1500, Bloomington, MN 55431
Phone: (952) 830-9913
Website: https://www.weiselfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation
How much does Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation give each year?
Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation gave $1.5M across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $238K across 7 grants.
What is Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation's typical grant size?
Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $40,717, and its average grant was $59,537, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation give grants?
Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (13 grants), St. Paul, MN (3 grants), St Louis Park, MN (2 grants) and Minnetonka, MN (2 grants).
Does Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 26 grants with a stated purpose on Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation's largest grantees?
Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Semcac ($479,337), Allina Foundationcourage Kenny Grant #2 ($138,700) and Advocates for Human Rights Grant #1 ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation?
Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation reported $11.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $558K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation fund?
The foundation identifies health equity for seniors, women and girls, and other underserved populations; human rights and social justice; and programs and research that protect people’s health and well-being as priorities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that 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 Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation's EIN?
Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-3717265. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.
Does Mary Ruth Weisel Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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