Medica Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the charitable giving arm of Medica, a Minnesota-based health plan. Established in 1992 and reestablished in 2003, the foundation is headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota. The foundation was created to support health-related needs of people in communities where Medica conducts business.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$76.2M
+7.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.8M
+34.0% YoY
Grant Count
79
-1.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$36K
+35.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The foundation seeks to improve the health of those in need by investing in community-led initiatives that advance health equity. The foundation's vision is healthy communities free of inequities, where health resources, care, and treatment are accessible and available to all.
Primary Focus Areas:
Behavioral Health — Programs that improve health outcomes for people experiencing or at risk of serious mental illness and/or substance use disorders. The foundation prioritizes culturally-responsive care and proposals that strategically align with advancing health equity. Specific priorities include:
- Behavioral health workforce development
- Co-occurring disorders treatment
- Integration of physical and behavioral health care
- Service delivery gap solutions
- Supportive and intensive case management services
Early Childhood Health — Community-led initiatives addressing early childhood health needs.
Rural Health — Community-led solutions that address health needs and social determinants of health in rural communities.
The foundation emphasizes innovative health care delivery models, trauma-sensitive practices, and strengths-based approaches to care.
Grantmaking
The foundation funds community-based organizations and programs. Grant recipients have included Mental Health Resources of St. Paul and Life House, Inc. of Duluth, Minnesota. The foundation also supports larger hospital systems, particularly those in underserved areas, as well as faith-based and Indigenous organizations.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary Service Area: Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin accept open applications.
Limited Service Area: Nebraska and Iowa grantmaking is by invitation only.
The foundation has historically concentrated more than half of all grants in Minnesota and aims to expand to additional states in the coming years.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2024 Financial Data:
- Total Revenue: $7,617,966
- Total Expenses: $3,512,890
- Total Assets: $76,228,960
- Total Liabilities: $1,800,000
The foundation maintains a strong financial position with assets significantly exceeding annual expenses.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $76,228,960 | $70,831,578 | $61,623,458 |
| Revenue | $7,617,966 | $5,992,092 | $4,948,323 |
| Expenses | $3,512,890 | $2,833,682 | $2,196,274 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $7,617,966 | $2,492,092 | $2,148,323 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Medica Foundation
Medica Foundation Grant: MN Behavioral Health
MEDICA FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $200,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Medica Foundation Grant: MN Early Childhood Health
MEDICA FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $100,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Medica Foundation Grant: MN Rural Health
MEDICA FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Contact Information:
- Phone: 952-992-3318
- Email: joann.birkholz@medica.org
- Address: 401 Carlson Parkway, Minnetonka, MN 55305
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN BUCK | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JOHN STANOCH | DIRECTOR & CHAIR | — | — |
| MARY TWINEM | DIRECTOR & VICE CHAIR | — | — |
| GAYE ADAMS MASSEY | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| UGWUJI MADUEKWE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| ELIZABETH F ERICKSON | PRESIDENT, CEO, & TREAS THRU 1/2024 | — | — |
| MARY P QUIST | SR. VP, FINANCE THRU 6/2024 | — | — |
| KRISTA DUSIL | SVP, CFO, & TREASURER | — | — |
| ALICIA REUTER | SVP & CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER, SECRETARY | — | — |
| SAMUEL LEON | FORMER DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MARK L BAIRD | FORMER SVP & CFO | — | — |
| JAMES P JACOBSON | FORMER SVP SEC & GEN COUNSEL | — | — |
| DAVID H ELLENBOGEN | FORMER SVP SEC & GEN COUNSEL | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has provided support to various community health initiatives, including a grant to support Project Peace through the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Apply for a Grant - Medica FoundationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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