Minnesota Power Foundation
Minnesota Power Foundation is a private foundation based in Duluth, Minnesota. It supports organizations and projects intended to improve quality of life in communities where Minnesota Power conducts business, with giving focused on areas including education, the environment, community services, youth development, arts and culture, and health and human services.
Minnesota Power Foundation at a glance
In short: Minnesota Power Foundation gave $655K across 143 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Minnesota. 61% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $654,700
- -24.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 143
- -14.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,578
- -11.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $961,025
- +14.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 61% first-time grantees (72 of 118, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (99% 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 Minnesota Power Foundation
- How to Apply
The website’s program listing says grants over $5,000 are reviewed by the board of directors and identifies 501(c)(3) organizations and accredited schools operating within the foundation’s designated service area as…
The website’s program listing says grants over $5,000 are reviewed by the board of directors and identifies 501(c)(3) organizations and accredited schools operating within the foundation’s designated service area as eligible.
- Review Cycle
- Grant applications are accepted and reviewed throughout the year, according to the foundation’s filing. The website’s program listing says the board meets quarterly to review grants over $5,000.
- Deadline
- Grant applications are accepted and reviewed throughout the year, according to the foundation’s filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Minnesota Power Foundation
Mailing address: 30 West Superior Street, Duluth, MN 55802
Phone: (218) 355-3169
Website: https://mnpower.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Minnesota Power Foundation
Who Minnesota Power Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Head of the Lakes United Way ($100K). Together the top 10 received $360K.
Grant Size Distribution
754 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 740 grants of 754 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s filing says its highest priority is 501(c)(3) organizations within its service territory. In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 1% to Wisconsin, and less than 1% to North Dakota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 143 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Minnesota Power Foundation open to new grantees?
61%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 72 of 118 grantees (61%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 25% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $510K (2020) to $871K (2024). In 2025 it made 143 grants totaling $655K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Head of the Lakes United Way Duluth, MN | Foundation Grant | $99,500 |
| Second Harvest Northland Duluth, MN | MPF Board - Final Installment | $50,000 |
| United Way of 1000 Lakes Grand Rapids, MN | Foundation Grant | $41,000 |
| United Way of Northeastern MN Chisholm, MN | Foundation Grant | $30,000 |
| Boral Waters Community Foundation Duluth, MN | Positively Powerful Scholarship Program | $25,000 |
| Lake Superior Zoo Duluth, MN | Capybara Barn | $20,000 |
| Veterans Resilience Projects Minnetonka, MN | Minnesota Power Foundation Grant | $20,000 |
| YMCA - Duluth Duluth, MN | Food Access Grant | $20,000 |
| United Way of Pine and Carlton Counties Cloquet, MN | Foundation Grant | $16,000 |
| Duluth Library Foundation St Duluth, MN | Foundation Grant | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Minnesota Power 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 | $961,025 | $789,614 | $680,126 | $654,700 | 143 | $672,751 | $32,239 | $46,668 |
| 2024 | $840,837 | $803,852 | $893,473 | $870,790 | 168 | $888,007 | $48,506 | $47,561 |
| 2023 | $930,458 | $790,757 | $812,713 | $797,200 | 160 | $811,129 | $39,173 | $52,841 |
| 2022 | $952,414 | $758,507 | $594,784 | $631,500 | 143 | $594,569 | $8,292 | $45,744 |
| 2021 | $788,691 | $500,049 | $631,297 | $613,430 | 140 | $630,839 | — | $39,469 |
| 2020 | $919,939 | $802,976 | $527,724 | $509,695 | 148 | — | $2,456 | $37,605 |
| 2019 | $644,687 | $512,073 | $572,861 | $561,200 | 158 | — | $11,753 | $37,360 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Minnesota Power Foundation reported a distributable amount of $47K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated commitment is to improving quality of life in communities where the company conducts business. Its stated focus areas are education, environment, community services, youth development, arts and culture, and health and human services.
The foundation prioritizes 501(c)(3) nonprofits within its service territory that propose well-defined projects or programs meeting criteria such as improving community quality of life, having broad support, taking an innovative and cost-effective approach, avoiding duplication of existing efforts, and increasing public awareness. The program listing also identifies accredited schools as eligible recipients.
Examples of supported organizations include Head of the Lakes United Way, whose mission is to unite caring people and mobilize resources to empower individuals and strengthen communities; Second Harvest Northland, whose mission is to end hunger together in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin; and the Duluth Library Foundation, which says it champions the Duluth Public Library and works to increase its capacity to serve the region.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 143 grants totaling $654,700. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $99,500, with a median of $1,000. Notable awards included $99,500 to Head of the Lakes United Way, $50,000 to Second Harvest Northland, $41,000 to United Way of 1000 Lakes, and $30,000 to United Way of Northeastern Minnesota. Other awards included $25,000 to Boral Waters Community Foundation for its Positively Powerful Scholarship Program and $20,000 to the YMCA–Duluth for a food access grant.
The foundation’s filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applicants are asked to provide organizational details and history, including the mission statement and any Minnesota Power involvement; describe the requested project, program, or use of funds; state the amount requested and provide a detailed project budget; identify other funding partners and their confirmed or tentative commitments; and list Minnesota Power or ALLETE employees currently volunteering with the organization. In general, awards are one-time grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Bethany Owen as president, Kelly Desormey as vice president, and Jeffery Scissions as treasurer. Directors listed are Frank Fredrickson, Jennifer Cady, John Muehlbauer, Melissa Weglarz, Lori Hoyum, Eric Clement, and Jodi Piekarski.
Minnesota Power Foundation is led by Bethany Owen, President since 2021 (on filings since 2019); none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bethany Owen
President
Vice President → President, 2021
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Muehlbauer
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Weglarz
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lori Hoyum
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Clement
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frank Fredrickson
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jodi Piekarski
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Cady
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Desormey
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffery Scissions
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Aimee Curtis (2019–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Gary Wheelock (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Jeffrey Scissons (2019–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Mike Perala (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Michael Conradi (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Kristopher Buran (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Kate Van Daele (2024) — Secretary
- Former: Kristopher Braun (2022) — Director
- Former: Todd Simmons (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Justin Nelson (2021) — Director
- Former: Travis Tammi (2021) — Director
- Former: Al Hodnik (2019–2020) — President
- Former: Laura Schauer (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Nancy Norr (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Jerry Frederick (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Minnesota Power Foundation
How much does Minnesota Power Foundation give each year?
Minnesota Power Foundation gave $655K across 143 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $871K across 168 grants.
What is Minnesota Power Foundation's typical grant size?
Minnesota Power Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $4,578, across 143 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Minnesota Power Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Minnesota Power Foundation give grants?
Minnesota Power Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Duluth, MN (49 grants), Grand Rapids, MN (16 grants), Little Falls, MN (14 grants) and Cloquet, MN (5 grants).
Does Minnesota Power Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 143 grants with a stated purpose on Minnesota Power Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Positively Powerful" (35 grants), "Contribution Committee" (29 grants) and "Contributions Committee" (22 grants).
Who are Minnesota Power Foundation's largest grantees?
Minnesota Power Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Head of the Lakes United Way ($99,500), Second Harvest Northland ($71,700 across 5 grants) and United Way of 1000 Lakes ($41,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Minnesota Power Foundation?
Minnesota Power Foundation reported $961K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $673K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $47K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Minnesota Power Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated commitment is to improving quality of life in communities where the company conducts business. Its stated focus areas are education, environment, community services, youth development, arts and culture, and health and human services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Minnesota Power Foundation?
The website’s program listing says grants over $5,000 are reviewed by the board of directors and identifies 501(c)(3) organizations and accredited schools operating within the foundation’s designated service area as… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Minnesota Power Foundation's EIN?
Minnesota Power Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2560595. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 20, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Minnesota Power Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Minnesota Power Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/minnesota-power-foundation-morg_5c65cbf6884d47aab53d275ec8fa1975
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_562560595_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Minnesota Power Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/minnesota-power-foundation-morg_5c65cbf6884d47aab53d275ec8fa1975},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-08. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Minnesota Power Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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