Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust logo

Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust

Private foundation · Grantmaker Worthington, MN EIN: 41-1769917 Website

The Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Worthington, Minnesota. Its 2025 filing reports grants for Minnesota youth programs, scholarships, veterans services, and assistance to needy Elks members.

Key facts about Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust

In short: Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust gave $161K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Minnesota. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
41-1769917
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$161,148
Grants made (2025)
11
Average grant
$14,650
Median grant
$6,661
Total assets
$13,884
Primary geography
Minnesota (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
How to apply
The 2024 filing lists a standard admission form and recommendations from instructors as application materials and identifies Youth or Veterans as the contact area. Full details ↓
Deadline
The 2024 filing lists January; no year is specified.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 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

$14K

-42.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$161K

+20.2% YoY

Grant Count

11

+37.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$15K

-12.6% YoY

How Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust gives

  • Giving grew 27% from 2022 to 2025. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The Minnesota Elks Association states the Elks’ mission is to promote charity, justice, brotherly love, and fidelity; support members’ welfare; encourage patriotism and fellowship; and serve people and communities through benevolent programs. The association highlights youth programs, projects addressing unmet needs, and honoring veterans’ service.

The Trust’s 2025 grant purposes included promoting young people’s love of the outdoors, supporting higher education and vocational education, promoting youth activities, raising awareness of drug dangers, and serving veterans. Its 2024 filing describes its direct charitable activity as “scholarships and youth events around Minnesota.”

Grantmaking

In 2025, the Trust reported 11 grants totaling $161,148. Grant amounts ranged from $1,200 to $74,538, with a median of $6,661. Its largest reported grants were $74,538 to the MN Elks Youth Camp for promoting young people’s love of the outdoors; $20,000 for scholarships for higher education; $15,249 for a drug awareness program; and $14,231 for an individual recipient youth activities. Other grants included $11,010 for National Veterans Service and $6,661 for assistance to needy Elks members.

The Trust’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. That filing lists “Youth or Veterans” as the contact area, a standard admission form and recommendations from instructors as materials, and January as the deadline. It also says most scholarships are $2,000 for college and $500 for trade school. The filing does not specify a year for the January deadline, so it does not establish a current application cycle.

Review Cycle

The 2024 filing lists January; no year is specified.

How to Apply

The 2024 filing lists a standard admission form and recommendations from instructors as application materials and identifies Youth or Veterans as the contact area.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Minnesota. The 2024 filing describes scholarships and youth events around Minnesota.

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.

States

Cities

WorthingtonWillmar

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K1 grant2021 10 grants2022 9 grants2023 8 grants2024 11 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $98K (2021) to $161K (2025). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $161K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 5 recipients in 2025

MN Elks Youth Camp Merrifield MN: $75KMN Elks Youth Camp MerrifieldMN$75KNational Veterans Service: $11KNational Veterans Service$11KYouth Activities Camp Transport: $6KYouth Activities CampTransport$6KVo-Tech Programs: $4KVo-Tech Programs$4KLocal Lodge Veterans Program: $1KLocal Lodge Veterans Program$1K

The largest 2025 recipient was MN Elks Youth Camp Merrifield MN ($75K). Together the top 5 received $97K.

Organizations only. It also paid 6 grants to individuals ($64,400), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

39 grants across all recorded years

34<$50K5$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 34 grants of 39 (87%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
MN Elks Youth Camp Merrifield MN Worthington, MNPromote Growth in Young Peoples Love of Outdoors$74,538
6 grants to individuals Recipients not named —$64,400
National Veterans Service Worthington, MNServe Returning Veterans When They Come Home$11,010
Youth Activities Camp Transport Worthington, MNTransport Youth to from Summer Camp$6,000
Vo-Tech Programs Worthington, MNHelp Vo-Techs Build Education Programs$4,000
Local Lodge Veterans Program Worthington, MNServe Veterans in need of help$1,200

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grants reported Grant count
2025 $161,148 11
2024 $134,036 8
2023 $131,644 9
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$50K$100K$150K$200K2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$13,884$24,288$17,048
Revenue$156,710$147,361$147,328
Expenses$167,250$140,121$140,388
Qualifying Distributions—$134,037$131,644
Net Investment Income$10$11$8

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 23, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 4, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 13, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 27, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 7, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The Trust’s 2025 filing lists Daniel Fauskee as Treasurer; Susan Foster as President; James Michael as Secretary; Fred Tremper as Trustee-Metro; Bryan Lindsay as Trustee-North; James J. Dehen Jr. as Trustee-Central; and Andrew Conn as Trustee-South.

Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust is led by Susan Foster, President on every filing since 2024; none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Susan Foster

    President

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bryan Lindsay

    Trustee-North

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Fred Tremper

    Trustee-Metro

    Trustree-Metro → Trustee-Metro, 2024

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • JAMES J DEHEN Jr.

    Trustee-Central

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Andrew Conn

    Trustee-South

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • James Michael

    Secretary

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Daniel Fauskee

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (6)
  • Former: Larry Ulland (2022–2023) — Trustee-South
  • Former: CRAIG DeFORGE (2023) — President
  • Former: John Jennings (2022) — President
  • Former: Lyle Nygren (2021) — President
  • Former: Terry Mehring (2021) — Trustee-South
  • Former: William Schindele (2021) — Treasurer

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Application contact: Youth Or Veterans
Mailing address: 277 Lakehill Drive, Worthington, MN 56187
Phone: (507) 329-5963
Email: statetreasurer@mnelks.org
Website: https://www.mnelks.org

Frequently asked questions about Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust

How much does Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust give each year?

Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust gave $161K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $134K across 8 grants.

What is Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust's typical grant size?

Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $6,661, and its average grant was $14,650, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust give grants?

Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust gives mostly in Minnesota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Worthington, MN (5 grants).

Does Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust's largest grantees?

Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include MN Elks Youth Camp Merrifield MN ($74,538), National Veterans Service ($11,010) and Youth Activities Camp Transport ($6,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 6 grants to individuals ($64,400), which are not listed by name. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust?

Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust reported $14K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $157K.

What does Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust fund?

The Minnesota Elks Association states the Elks’ mission is to promote charity, justice, brotherly love, and fidelity; support members’ welfare; encourage patriotism and fellowship; and serve people and communities through benevolent programs. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust?

The 2024 filing lists a standard admission form and recommendations from instructors as application materials and identifies Youth or Veterans as the contact area. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust's EIN?

Minnesota State Elks Association Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1769917. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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