The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving, sharing, and connecting people to Minnesota's history. The organization maintains 26 historic sites and museums throughout the state and serves nearly one million visitors annually.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$338.5M
+8.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.6M
-12.6% YoY
Grant Count
153
-13.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$43K
+0.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Using the power of history to transform lives, the Minnesota Historical Society preserves Minnesota's past, shares the state's stories, and connects people with history through:
- Historic Sites and Museums: Operation of 26 historic sites and museums statewide, welcoming over 886,000 visitors in FY24. Notable sites include Mill City Museum, Minnesota History Center, and Split Rock Lighthouse. Recent exhibits include "Many Voices, Many Stories, One Place" at Historic Fort Snelling, "Reframing our Stories" at the Minnesota History Center, and "The Life and Art of Charles M. Schulz."
- Libraries and Collections: Extensive library and archival collections
- Educational Programs: Innovative educational initiatives and public programming
- Book Publishing: Publishing through MNHS Press
Grantmaking
MNHS administers grants through the Legacy Amendment program to support history organizations throughout Minnesota:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Minnesota statewide, with 26 historic sites and museums distributed throughout the state.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
FY 2024:
- Total Revenue: $96,755,531
- Total Expenses: $71,067,324
- Total Assets: $338,487,820
FY 2023:
- Total Revenue: $91.5M
- Total Expenses: $65.8M
- Total Assets: $313M
- Total Liabilities: $9.59M
Staffing: 685 employees (FY 2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $338,487,820 | $312,635,056 | $275,417,631 |
| Revenue | $96,755,531 | $91,494,356 | $63,620,828 |
| Expenses | $71,067,324 | $65,750,419 | $55,381,723 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $22,260,021 | $4,233,463 | $4,838,271 |
| 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
8 open opportunities from Minnesota Historical Society
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Director: Kent Whitworth
- Interim Chief Development Officer: Brenda Raney
- Executive Vice President, Mission Delivery: Avi Viswanathan
- Chief Financial Officer: Frederick Neher
- Chief Marketing Officer: Lory Sutton
- Director, Collections: Cecily Marcus
- Deputy Director: Michael Fox
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| S Kent Whitworth | Director & Chief Executive Officer | 40 | $275,472 |
| Jennifer Jones | Executive Vice President Strategy | 40 | $192,876 |
| Jennifer Pogatchnik | Vice President Advancement | 40 | $166,678 |
| Fred Neher | Vice President Finance | 40 | $165,844 |
| Brenda Raney | Senior Vice President Library, Research & Collections | 40 | $161,543 |
| Kevin Maijala | Senior Vice President Education & Interpretation | 40 | $161,435 |
| Benjamin Leonard | Senior Vice President Historic Sites | 40 | $151,169 |
| Brian Juntti | Executive Vice President Shared Services | 40 | $145,914 |
| Anton Treuer | Board Member | 1 | $13,228 |
| Peter Reyes | President and Board Member | 1 | — |
| David Hakensen | Past President and Board Member | 1 | — |
| Thomas Forsythe and Board Member | Treasurer | — | — |
| Ford W Bell | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Barbara Burwell | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Grant Davis | Board Member | 1 | — |
| M Mitchell Davis | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Elizabeth Driscoll Hlavka | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Joanell Dyrstad | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Richard E Engebretson | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Carolyn Essig | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Stephanie L Fehr | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Dustin Heckman | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Monica Little | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Linda B Mona | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Jennifer Murray | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Richard C Nash | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Krista E O'Malley | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Sharon Sayles Belton | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Daniel Schmechel | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Diana Schutter | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Roger Sit | Board Member | 1 | — |
| John Tunheim | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Noelle Turner | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Gwen Westerman | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Tim Walz | Ex-Officio Board Member | — | — |
| Peggy Flanagan | Ex-Officio Board Member | — | — |
| Julie Blaha | Ex-Officio Board Member | 1 | — |
| Keith Ellison | Ex-Officio Board Member | — | — |
| Steve Simon | Ex-Officio Board Member | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
MNHS has announced multiple rounds of Legacy Amendment grants supporting history organizations throughout Minnesota in 2024-2025, including large and small grant programs. The organization continues to expand its exhibits and programming, with recent major exhibits opening at the Minnesota History Center and new interpretive exhibits at Historic Fort Snelling featuring complex historical narratives.
Legacy Amendment Supports $610,846 in Small Grants to History ...Subject 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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