The Northwest Minnesota Foundation is a public charity and community foundation established in 1986, headquartered in Bemidji, Minnesota. The organization serves as a force and resource for Northwest Minnesota, partnering with donors, grantees, and businesses in collaboration with the community. It operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$103.4M
+6.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.5M
Grant Count
182
Avg Grant Size
$36K
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The Northwest Minnesota Foundation invests resources, facilitates collaboration, and promotes philanthropy to make the region a better place to live and work.
Vision: Northwest Minnesota will be a place where communities and people work together to foster opportunity, promote philanthropy, and enrich the lives of all residents.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Community Development
- Senior Living
- Animal Shelters
- Environmental Conservation and Recreation
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $5,000 to $500,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation serves 12 northwestern Minnesota counties and also funds initiatives in North Dakota and Tennessee. Specific communities served include areas across Bemidji, Polk, Hubbard, and other counties in the region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $103,397,318 (as of 2024)
Annual Revenue: $13,002,983 (2024)
Total Expenses: $12,711,702 (2024)
Staffing: 32 employees (as of 2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $103,397,318 | $96,817,979 | $91,824,995 |
| Revenue | $13,002,983 | $7,810,635 | $19,432,128 |
| Expenses | $12,711,702 | $8,791,846 | $10,217,253 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,158,429 | $923,652 | $7,031,975 |
| 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
50 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
26 open opportunities from Northwest Minnesota Foundation
Art and Jane Snustad Scholarship
NORTHWEST MINNESOTA FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Bemidji 31 Education Foundation Fund
NORTHWEST MINNESOTA FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Bemidji Area Arts Endowment
NORTHWEST MINNESOTA FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Greater Bemidjiinc ($440,000), 4-directions Development ($250,000), Firefly Center for the Arts and Wellbeing ($244,135).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| YOUTH EMERGENCY SHELTER & SUPPORTS PARK RAPIDS, MN | YOUTH OUTREACH PROGRAM | $5,500 |
| CENTURY PTA-HELPING HANDS PARK RAPIDS, MN | FIELD TRIP | $10,000 |
| STEPHEN AMERICAN LEGION POST 390 STEPHEN, MN | LEGION KITCHEN UPDATES | $8,000 |
| ST PHILLIPS CATHOLIC CHURCH BEMIDJI, MN | CHURCH CHILDCARE CENTER | $152,000 |
| DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION SEVIERVILLE, TN | BOOKS FOR ARGYLE SCHOOL | $6,500 |
| FACE IT TOGETHER BEMIDJI BEMIDJI, MN | GRANT FROM INNOVATION FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| FIREFLY CENTER FOR THE ARTS AND WELLBEING FOSSTON, MN | FIREFLY CENTER FOR ART & WELLBEING REMODELING | $244,135 |
| FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BEMIDJI, MN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $8,500 |
| FOSSTON COMMUNITY LIBRARY & ARTS ASSOC FOSSTON, MN | THEATER UPGRADES | $6,000 |
| FOSSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DIST #601 FOSSTON, MN | SCHOOL PROGRAMS SUPPORT | $16,464 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Karen White - President
- Philip Knutson - Regional Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEB ZAK | CHAIR | 4 | — |
| JASON CARLSON | VICE CHAIR | 4 | — |
| TODD BECKEL | TREASURER | 4 | — |
| CHERI GUNVALSON | SECRETARY | 4 | — |
| ANTONIO FRANKLIN | DIRECTOR (THRU 7/23) | 4 | — |
| KAITLYN GRENIER | DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| JILL JOHNSON | DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| MIKE LAROQUE | DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| CONNIE LINDSTROM | DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| MICHELLE PAQUIN | DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| BRUCE REEVES | DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| JACK SWANSON | DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| KRISTI THORFINNSON | DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| KAREN WHITE | PRESIDENT | 40 | $190,736 |
| SHANNON MARTINUEAU JESME | SENIOR VP OF FINANCE AND ADMIN. | 40 | $136,676 |
| MICHAEL NEUSSER | VP OF OPERATIONS | 40 | $117,656 |
| NATHAN DORR | VP OF ADVOCACY | 40 | $105,985 |
| NATHANIEL HASKELL | SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER | 40 | $103,934 |
Contact Information
- Address: 201 3rd Street NW, Bemidji, MN 56601
- Phone: 218-759-2057 or 800-659-7859
- Website: www.nwmf.org
- Email: info@nwmf.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Northwest Minnesota Foundation fund?
**Mission:** The Northwest Minnesota Foundation invests resources, facilitates collaboration, and promotes philanthropy to make the region a better place to live and work. **Vision:** Northwest Minnesota will be a place where communities and people work together to foster opportunity, promote philanthropy, and enrich the lives of all residents. **Primary Focus Areas:** • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Community Development • Senior Living • Animal Shelters
How do I apply for a grant from Northwest Minnesota Foundation?
**Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $5,000 to $500,000. **Types of Funding:** • Component, community, and scholarship funds • Donor-advised funds • Endowed funds • Community funds **Recent Activity:** • In fiscal year 2024, the Foundation dispersed $2.1 million through its component, community, and scholarship funds • Awarded $333,000 in cumulative scholarships to 262 scholarship recipients • Granted $1.73 million to support communities and donor giving interests • In the fourth quarter …
Where does Northwest Minnesota Foundation make grants?
The Foundation serves 12 northwestern Minnesota counties and also funds initiatives in North Dakota and Tennessee. Specific communities served include areas across Bemidji, Polk, Hubbard, and other counties in the region.
What size grants does Northwest Minnesota Foundation award?
In 2024, Northwest Minnesota Foundation awarded 182 grants totaling $6.5M — an average of about $36K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Northwest Minnesota Foundation's EIN?
Northwest Minnesota Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1556013. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Northwest Minnesota Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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