Northern Star Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker St. Paul, MN EIN: 41-6030832

Northern Star Foundation is a private foundation, based in St. Paul, MN. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $3.9M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 7 grants totaling $212K. Net investment income was $294K.

Key facts about Northern Star Foundation

In short: Northern Star Foundation gave $212K across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $30K), top state Minnesota. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
41-6030832
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$212,000
Grants made (2025)
7
Average grant
$30,286
Median grant
$15,000
Total assets
$3,928,525
Primary geography
Minnesota (47% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$3.9M

+1.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$212K

+0.0% YoY

Grant Count

7

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$30K

+0.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Northern Star Foundation reported a distributable amount of $239K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Northern Star Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

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

Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Northern Star Foundation?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 7 itemized grants.

Cities

Palm BeachSt. PaulWest Palm BeachTallahasseeW Palm BeachConcordKyleNew YorkWashingtonWinter Park

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K7 grants2019 6 grants2021 5 grants2022 4 grants2023 7 grants2024 7 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $212K (2022) to $232K (2021). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $212K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 7 recipients in 2025

Hamm Clinic: $100KHamm Clinic$100KPeggy Adams Animal Rescue League: $50KPeggy Adams Animal RescueLeague$50KNature Conservancy - Florida Chapter: $16KNature Conservancy - FloridaChapter$16KASPCA: $15KASPCA$15KHumane Society of the US: $15KHumane Society of the US$15KPalm Beach Island Cats Inc: $10KPalm Beach Island Cats Inc$10K1000 Friends of Florida: $6K1000 Friends of Florida$6K

The largest 2025 recipient was Hamm Clinic ($100K). Together the top 7 received $212K.

Grant Size Distribution

29 grants across all recorded years

17<$50K6$50–100K6$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 17 grants of 29 (59%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Hamm Clinic St. Paul, MNGeneral Fund - Community Projects$100,000
Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League West Palm Beach, FLGeneral Fund - Community Projects$50,000
Nature Conservancy - Florida Chapter Winter Park, FLGeneral Fund - Community Projects$16,000
ASPCA New York, NYGeneral Fund - Community Projects$15,000
Humane Society of the US Washington, DCGeneral Fund - Community Projects$15,000
Palm Beach Island Cats Inc Palm Beach, FLGeneral Fund - Community Projects$10,000
1000 Friends of Florida Tallahassee, FLGeneral Fund - Community Projects$6,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$250K$500K$750K$1M2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$3,928,525$3,877,079$4,005,744
Revenue$313,557$137,141$-598,157
Expenses$264,596$265,514$261,909
Qualifying Distributions$240,860$240,467$240,126
Net Investment Income$293,906$113,674$107,369
Distributable Amount$238,500$232,094$213,765

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS December 9, 2019)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 29, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 14, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 27, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 25, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 24, 2025)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Northern Star Foundation is led by Candace S. Hamm, President since 2021 (on filings since 2019); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Candace S. Hamm

    President

    Vice President & Secretary → President, 2021

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Edward H. Hamm Jr.

    Vice President & Treasurer

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Katherine Haskins

    Assistant Treasurer

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Alexandra Hamm Ryan

    Vice President & Secretary

    On filings since 2021

    No compensation reported

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 Northern Star Foundation

How much does Northern Star Foundation give each year?

Northern Star Foundation gave $212K across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $212K across 7 grants.

What is Northern Star Foundation's typical grant size?

Northern Star Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $30,286, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Northern Star Foundation give grants?

Northern Star Foundation's top state is Minnesota, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (39%) and New York (7%).

Does Northern Star Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Northern Star Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (7 of 7) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Northern Star Foundation's largest grantees?

Northern Star Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Hamm Clinic ($100,000), Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League ($50,000) and Nature Conservancy - Florida Chapter ($16,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 78% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Northern Star Foundation?

Northern Star Foundation reported $3.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $241K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $239K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Northern Star Foundation's EIN?

Northern Star Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-6030832. 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.

Your AI grants department

Here's the math on researching Northern Star Foundation by hand.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Northern Star Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders that support many of the same organizations

Hersey Foundation

St. Paul, MN

The Hersey Foundation funds community, conservation, education, and religious activities, with 2025 grants ranging from $1,000 to $700,000 and a median of $75,000. Its 2025 grants went to organizations in Minnesota, Florida, New York, Rhode Island, and South Dakota. It gives only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$23.8M

Grants

8

Total Given

$1.2M

Donald Grant & Ann Martin Calder Foundat

Hobe Sound, FL

The foundation supports charitable organizations across varied fields, with 2025 grants going to recipients in Maine, Illinois, Virginia, Florida, Washington, DC, and other states; all were for general support. Its 2025 grants ranged from $200 to $36,000, with a median of $2,000. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$1.7M

Grants

11

Total Given

$92K

IBM International Foundation

Armonk, NY

The IBM International Foundation funds education and workforce programs that build 21st-century and technology job skills, including initiatives for underserved students and job seekers. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $8.48 million, with a median of $100,000, and went to organizations across several U.S. states, especially Delaware and Massachusetts. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$357.7M

Grants

16

Total Given

$11.7M

Clark Family Foundation Inc

New York, NY

The foundation supports a varied range of charitable organizations; its 2025 grants went to recipients in Arizona, Virginia, Washington, DC, Florida, and New York. It awarded 22 grants totaling $325,000, ranging from $1,000 to $113,000, with a median of $5,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$2.1M

Grants

22

Total Given

$325K

The Krimendahlsaint-Amand Foundation

New York, NY

The Krimendahlsaint-amand Foundation funds arts and cultural organizations, schools, and health and community organizations, with most 2025 grant dollars going to New York, followed by Florida. Its 2025 grants ranged from $250 to $75,000, with a median of $2,772. It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected organizations.

Assets

$5.1M

Grants

54

Total Given

$542K

The Saint Paul's School Foundation

Covington, LA

To provide financial assistance and to raise funds to finance scholarships and grants to st. Paul's school, a private elementary & secondary school exempt under irc section 501(c)(3).

Assets

$2.4M

Grants

1

Total Given

$50K

The Griffin Family Charitable Foundation Inc

Highland, MD

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

—

Grants

2

Total Given

$4K

Jonathan and Meredith Meeks Foundation

Wilmington, DE

Assets

$14.5M

Grants

3

Total Given

$520K

The George and Karen James Family Founda

Jackson, WY

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$449K

Grants

6

Total Given

$62K

Haque Family Foundation

Oak Brook, IL

The Haque Family Foundation’s reported grants support organizations involved in legal services, environmental protection, health and medical aid, Palestinian rights education, and mental health, though it states no specific funding focus or geographic area. Its 2024 grants averaged about $359, with a total of $6,100 across 17 grants; it funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$1.1M

Grants

17

Total Given

$6K

W L Lyons Brown Foundation

Louisville, KY

The W L Lyons Brown Foundation’s 2025 grants supported varied charitable work, with 66% of grant dollars going to Kentucky and 33% to Tennessee; its reported grants ranged from $2,000 to $11.38 million, with a median of $12,000, though totals included large distributions during dissolution. It gave only to preselected organizations, did not accept unsolicited requests, and its final filing indicates it has wound down and stopped grantmaking.

Assets

—

Grants

21

Total Given

$34.1M

Winn Foundation Trust

Waldo, FL

Assets

$150K

Grants

21

Total Given

$4.2M

More Funders in Minnesota

Northern Star Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?