Minnesota State High School League
The Minnesota State High School League is a nonprofit voluntary association based in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Founded in 1916, it provides leadership and extracurricular opportunities through interscholastic athletics and fine arts for member schools, students, and school communities. The League says it receives no state funding and relies primarily on state tournament ticket sales, broadcast rights, and corporate partnerships.
Minnesota State High School League at a glance
- Total assets
- $12,161,831
- -4.5% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $14,068,461
- -3.4% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $430,605
- -12.6% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $13,701,863
- -1.9% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Minnesota State High School League
- Contact
Mailing address: 2100 Freeway Blvd, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
Phone: (763) 560-2262
Website: https://mshsl.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Minnesota State High School League funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
31 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 30 grants of 31 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The League’s membership and activities are described as serving schools throughout Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
How Minnesota State High School League gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2022). 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 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $40K (2019) to $441K (2021). In 2022 it made 15 grants totaling $256K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MSHSL Region 1A Rochester, MN | Support the general operating accounts of the organization. | $27,798 |
| MSHSL Region 5A Saint Cloud, MN | Support the general operations of the organization. | $21,083 |
| MSHSL Region 4AA Willernie, MN | Support the general operations of the organization. | $19,404 |
| MSHSL Region 3A Madison Lake, MN | Support the general operations of the organization. | $19,011 |
| MSHSL Region 5AA Blaine, MN | Support the general operations of the organization. | $17,408 |
| MSHSL Region 7AA Cloquet, MN | Support the general operations of the organization. | $16,802 |
| MSHSL Region 7A Esko, MN | Support the general operations of the organization. | $16,377 |
| MSHSL Region 6A Battle Lake, MN | Support the general operations of the organization. | $16,270 |
| MSHSL Region 2AA Loretto, MN | Support the general operations of the organization. | $16,074 |
| MSHSL Region 2A LeSueur, MN | Support the general operations of the organization. | $16,016 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $12,161,831 | $14,068,461 | $13,701,863 | — | — | $430,605 |
| 2024 | $12,732,746 | $14,565,897 | $13,971,140 | — | — | $492,740 |
| 2023 | $11,300,368 | $13,316,744 | $13,380,405 | — | — | $290,999 |
| 2022 | $9,002,158 | $13,682,036 | $10,287,142 | $255,890 | 15 | $558 |
| 2021 | $6,775,860 | $10,103,240 | $7,910,297 | $441,161 | 16 | $3,231 |
| 2020 | $4,355,135 | $8,984,975 | $9,512,752 | $40,000 | Total only | $-79,369 |
| 2019 | $4,288,678 | $10,655,046 | $10,734,293 | $40,000 | 1 | $58,014 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The League’s mission is to provide educational opportunities for students through interscholastic athletic and fine arts programs and to provide leadership and support for member schools. Its 2024 filing also says it conducts state-level competition in athletics and fine arts.
The filing describes programs in activities including hockey, football, basketball, baseball, cross-country running, golf, gymnastics, speech, one-act play, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, dance team, skiing, track and field, wrestling, lacrosse, debate, music, robotics, clay target, and adapted athletics. It also describes support for member schools through catastrophic, tournament, and concussion insurance; competition rules and membership policies; and training, education, testing, insurance, and awards for officials, judges, and coaches. The League provides four-year scholarships to individual students and runs other student recognition programs.
Grantmaking
The available information does not establish a general grant program for outside applicants. The 2025, 2024, and 2023 IRS filing data each report zero grants. A December 2025 League meeting synopsis separately reports that the MSHSL Foundation allocated $755,000 among 306 member schools to increase student access where there are economic barriers, and provided $420,000 for 150 member-school requests related to health and safety or leadership training, plus $25,000 to the Together in Partnership initiative. These amounts are described as Foundation allocations, not grants made by the League in the IRS filing data.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Erich Martens as Executive Director; Bob Madison, Charles Campbell, Lisa Quednow, and Phil Archer as Associate Directors; and Laura Machenthun as Director of Technology. It also lists Richard Matter as Former Director of Finance and Kristi Peterson, LeRoy Staples Fairbanks, and Brad ODonnell as board members. Fairbanks is identified as Treasurer.
The League’s 2024 filing describes a 22-member Board of Directors responsible for managing the League’s affairs. It says board members are elected by member schools in local regions, elected by executive boards of respective associations, or, for four seats, appointed by the Governor of Minnesota.
Minnesota State High School League is led by Erich Martens, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 7 of 29 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Erich Martens
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$153K (2019) → $244K (2025)
Don Peschel
Board of Director & President
Board of Director → Board of Director & Vice President, 2024
Board of Director & Vice President → Board of Director & President, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Machenthun
Director of Technology
Assistant Director → Director of Technology, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$128K (2022) → $146K (2025)
Casey Indra
Board of Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeanna Lilleberg
Board of Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brent Schimek
Board of Director & Vice President
Board of Director → Board of Director & Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
LeRoy Staples Fairbanks
Board of Director & Treasurer
Board of Director → Board of Director & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brad ODonnell
Board of Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jed Helwig
Board of Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joe Fittante
Board of Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Keith Cornell
Board of Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Hennen
Board of Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Renee Corneille
Board of Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Daren Messmore
Board of Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Gengler
Board of Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tavia bachmann
Board of Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bob Madison
Associate Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$141K (2019) → $179K (2025)
Richard Matter
Former Director of Finance
Assistant Director → Director of Finance, 2023
Director of Finance → Former Director of Finance, 2025
On filings since 2019
$128K (2019) → $197K (2025)
Charles Campbell
Associate Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$149K (2023) → $163K (2025)
Lisa Quednow
Associate Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$158K (2024) → $163K (2025)
Phil Archer
Associate Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$163K (2025)
Dave Rocheleau
Board of Directors
Board of Director → Board of Directors, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jake Timm
Board of Directors
Board of Director → Board of Directors, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kristi Peterson
Board of Directors
Board of Director → Board of Directors, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Gitch
Board of Directors
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matt Braten
Board of Directors
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Obie Kipper Jr.
Board of Directors
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yusuff Abdullah
Board of Directors
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Zach Prax
Board of Directors
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (42)
- Former: Bill Tauer (2021–2024) — Board of Director & Treasurer
- Former: Ceil McDonald (2021–2024) — Board of Director
- Former: Dawn Engebretson (2021–2024) — Board of Director
- Former: Gary Revenig (2021–2024) — Board of Director
- Former: James Smokrovich (2021–2024) — Board of Director & President
- Former: Julie Anderson (2021–2024) — Board of Director
- Former: May Thao-Schuck (2022–2024) — Board of Director
- Former: Lisa Lissimore (2019–2023) — Associate Director
- Former: Amanda Kaus (2020–2023) — Board of Director
- Former: John Ostrowski (2020–2023) — Board of Director & Treasurer
- Former: John Vraa (2020–2023) — Board of Director
- Former: Matt Heier (2020–2023) — Board of Director
- Former: Troy Stein (2020–2023) — Board of Director & President
- Former: Amy Doherty (2022–2023) — Assistant Director
- Former: Suzy Guthmueller (2022–2023) — Board of Director
- Former: Astein Osei (2023) — Board of Director
- Former: M Denarvise Thorton Jr. (2023) — Board of Directors
- Former: Dustin Bosshart (2019–2022) — Board of Director
- Former: Tom Jerome (2019–2022) — Board of Director & President
- Former: Walt Hautala (2019–2022) — Board of Director
- Former: Sandra Setter Larsen (2022) — Board of Directors
- Former: Teri Staloch (2022) — Board of Director
- Former: Blaine Novak (2019–2021) — Board of Director & President
- Former: Frank White (2019–2021) — Board of Director
- Former: Jody Redman (2019–2021) — Associate Director
- Former: Kirby Ekstrom (2019–2021) — Board of Directors
- Former: Mike Domin (2019–2021) — Board of Director
- Former: Russ Reetz (2019–2021) — Board of Director
- Former: Thomas Perry (2019–2021) — Associate Director
- Former: Todd Waterbury (2019–2021) — Board of Director
- Former: Bonnie Spohn-Schmaltz (2019–2020) — President-Board of Director
- Former: David Stead (2019–2020) — Former Executive Director
- Former: Eric Leytola (2019–2020) — Board of Director
- Former: Jill Johnson (2019–2020) — Board of Director
- Former: Joel Boyd (2019–2020) — Board of Director
- Former: Kristen DeClerk-Thompson (2019–2020) — Board of Director
- Former: Rob Carpentier (2019–2020) — Board of Director
- Former: Bill Adams (2019) — Board of Director
- Former: Brian Hegseth (2019) — Board of Director
- Former: Craig Anderson (2019) — Vice President & Board of Director
- Former: Eric Christenson (2019) — Treasurer & Board of Director
- Former: Kristen Amundson (2019) — Board of 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $244K, to Erich Martens (Executive Director). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Minnesota State High School League
How large is Minnesota State High School League?
Minnesota State High School League reported $12.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $14.1M.
What does Minnesota State High School League fund?
The League’s mission is to provide educational opportunities for students through interscholastic athletic and fine arts programs and to provide leadership and support for member schools. Its 2024 filing also says it conducts state-level competition in athletics and fine arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Minnesota State High School League?
Minnesota State High School League has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check mshsl.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does Minnesota State High School League make grants?
The League’s membership and activities are described as serving schools throughout Minnesota.
What is Minnesota State High School League's EIN?
Minnesota State High School League's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-0694702. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 11, 2021)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Minnesota State High School League's focus areas in our free grants database
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Minnesota State High School League down — hundreds of funders to go?