Minnesota Corn Growers Association
The Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) is a 501(c)(5) agricultural membership organization based in Burnsville, Minnesota. With nearly 7,000 members, it is one of the largest grassroots farm organizations in the United States. MCGA works to identify and promote opportunities for Minnesota's 24,000 corn farmers while building connections with the non-farming public. The organization operates in close partnership with the Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council under the collective name Minnesota Corn.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.1M
+6.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$486K
-38.0% YoY
Grant Count
21
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
-38.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Identify and promote opportunities for corn growers while enhancing quality of life.
Vision Statement: Minnesota's corn farmers will become the most sustainable and environmentally responsible corn farmers in the United States.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Investing in third-party research focused on water quality and soil health
- Targeted consumer outreach and education about corn farming
- Developing new uses for corn and value-added opportunities
- Promoting sustainability programs and best practices for nitrogen management
- Supporting innovation in corn production
- Fostering new uses for corn in sustainable polymers, ethanol, and bio-based chemicals
- Strengthening partnerships across agricultural and community organizations
Program Teams:
- Member and Consumer Engagement (MCE) Team: Promotes and educates about corn and corn farming through partnerships with venues including the Minnesota State Fair, MN Landscape Arboretum, and Farm America. Sponsors work with more than 100 community, state, regional, and national groups. Supports activities of fifty-two county corn organizations and coordinates four district field managers who participate in more than 200 events annually.
- Utilization Team (UT): Tasked with building value-added opportunities for all corn farmers in Minnesota.
Grantmaking
MCGA provides grants and funding support to various agricultural and educational initiatives:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
MCGA's funding and activities primarily focus on Minnesota, with some activity extending to Wisconsin and North Dakota. The organization maintains county-level organizations across Minnesota organized into multiple districts, with district field managers serving specific regions throughout the state.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024 (most recent tax filing):
- Total Assets: $4,060,281
- Total Revenue: $5,564,983
- Total Expenses: $5,616,571
- Total Liabilities: $1,331,000
- Number of Employees: 23
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(5) since September 1982 (EIN: 41-1369512)
Note: Donations to this organization are not tax deductible due to its 501(c)(5) classification.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,060,281 | $3,818,427 | $3,976,064 |
| Revenue | $5,564,983 | $5,635,866 | $6,629,781 |
| Expenses | $5,616,571 | $5,784,893 | $6,738,061 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $69,167 | $39,307 | $346 |
| 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
128 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
Key personnel mentioned include:
- Adam Birr: Executive Director
- Maciej Kazula: Research Director
- Richard Syverson: Board Member
- Harold Wolle: Board Member
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dana Allen-Tully | President | 15 | $12,162 |
| James Kanten | Vice President | 5 | $7,050 |
| Wesley Beck | Treasurer | 5 | $6,470 |
| Todd Wentzel | Secretary | 5 | $5,500 |
| Bryan Biegler | Board Member | 2 | $5,445 |
| Angela Guentzel | Board Member | 2 | $5,910 |
| Tom Haag | Board Member | 2 | $14,025 |
| Blair Hoseth | Board Member | 2 | $9,868 |
| Brad Neumann | Board Member | 2 | $4,315 |
| John Swanson | Board Member | 2 | $5,745 |
| Robert Tate | Board Member | 2 | $5,528 |
| Brian Thalmann | Board Member | 2 | $16,675 |
| DJ Van Klompenburg | Board Member | 2 | $4,800 |
| Harold Wolle | Board Member | 2 | $15,685 |
| Clayton Johnson | Board Member | 2 | $3,540 |
| Ellyn Oelfke | Board Member | 2 | $3,555 |
| Nick Peterson | Board Member | 2 | $3,685 |
| Richard Syverson | Board Member | 2 | $14,450 |
| Adam Birr | Executive Director/CEO | 50 | $248,118 |
| Wuraola Olusanya-Oyebamiji | Sr. Finance Director/CFO | 50 | $97,902 |
| Amanda Bilek | Sr. Public Policy Director | 50 | $118,923 |
| Barbara Boelk | Sr. Communications Director | 50 | $115,440 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2025 Annual Report:** Published January 2026, highlighting advocacy and policy efforts and corn checkoff investments in projects aimed at building new markets for Minnesota's corn crop
**Innovation Grants Program:** Actively driving on-farm results
Innovation Grants Drive On-Farm Results - Minnesota Corn Growers Association**Biofuel Infrastructure Grant Program:** Opened for applications in 2025, with previous recipients announced in 2022
Biofuel infrastructure grant program opens for applications - Minnesota Corn**2026 Scholarship Program:** Opened for applications in October 2025
Minnesota Corn 2026 scholarship program opens for applications - MinnesotaContact Information
Address: 500 E Travelers Trail, Suite 600, Burnsville, MN 55337
Phone: (952) 233-0333
Fax: (952) 233-0420
Email: info@mncorn.org
Website: www.mncorn.org
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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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