Ordean Foundation
The Ordean Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1933 and officially incorporated on December 19, 1933, in Duluth, Minnesota. The foundation was created through the will of Albert Ordean, who called for the establishment of a corporation to furnish relief and charity "without discrimination as to age, sex, color, or religion." The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and serves as a major philanthropic force in the Duluth community.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.5M
+2.8% YoY
Grant Count
50
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$31K
+2.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Ordean Foundation's mission is to inspire, encourage, and support effective community efforts to confront poverty and nurture a healthier community for all residents.
The foundation approaches its mission through two primary strategies:
Basic Needs Support:
- Food, shelter, and clothing
- Physical and mental health care
- Personal safety
Poverty Cycle Breaking:
- Social justice initiatives
- Youth development
- Education
- Job training
The foundation also funds treatment, care, and rehabilitation programs for persons who are chronically or temporarily mentally ill, or whose physical capacity is impaired by injury, illness, birth defects, age, alcoholism, or similar causes.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 33 grants in 2024, totaling approximately $1.322 million in grants beyond the major grants listed below:
Grant Range
of approximately $20,000
Average Grant
of approximately $20,000
Review Cycle
per year with deadlines of April 15 (Spring) and August 15 (Fall)
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Ordean Foundation awards grants to qualified organizations located in, serving, or directly impacting residents of the City of Duluth and/or adjacent communities in St. Louis County. While not an absolute requirement, the foundation prefers to partner with organizations that are physically based in Duluth and have a long-term commitment to the community. Proposals from organizations not located in Duluth for projects that duplicate services already provided by Duluth-based nonprofits will not be funded.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending December 2024:
- Total Revenue: $2,293,654
- Total Expenses: $2,242,145
- Net Income: $51,509
- Total Assets: $42,247,109
- Total Liabilities: $356,000
Historical Context:
- Initial endowment (1933): $2.1 million (the second largest estate filed in St. Louis County at the time)
- Total grants awarded to local nonprofits since early 1970s: $55 million+
Staffing:
- 2 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| 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
216 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Ordean Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors:
- Marsha Hystead, Chair
- Tony Yung, Vice Chair
- Ariuna Taivan, Ph.D.
- Maria Isley, Secretary
- Traci Morris, Past Board Chair
- Stacy Johnson
- Richard Howell
- Christine Davis
- Anne Holy
- Ivy Vainio
- Catherine Carter Huber
Staff:
- Don Ness, Executive Director
- Pamela Arola, Operations Manager
Don Ness previously served 16 years in elected leadership, culminating as Mayor of Duluth with a 91 percent job approval rating. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth in business administration and economics, and a Master's in Management from the College of St. Scholastica.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DONALD NESS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $195,188 |
| TRACI MORRIS | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| MARCUS JONES | VICE CHAIR (TERMED 3/2024) | 1 | — |
| MARSHA HYSTEAD | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| MARIA ISLEY | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ARIUNA TAIVAN | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| CHRISTINE DAVIS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANNE HOLY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RICHARD HOWELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STACY JOHNSTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN STRANGE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| IVY VAINIO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TONY YUNG | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has demonstrated active engagement with the Duluth community through strategic partnerships and grant awards. Notable recent activities include:
Ordean Foundation gift to program director becomes $100,000 grant for FamilyA $100,000 grant to the Family Freedom Center, resulting from retiring board member Joe Everett's decision to direct his gift to the organization
Ordean Foundation gift to program director becomes $100,000 grant for FamilyA $90,000 gift to the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) for holiday support
Ordean Foundation gifts $90,000 to AICHO for the holidays - WDIO.comContinued support for Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center, which provides services to women, children, and survivors affected by physical, emotional, sexual, and economic abuse
Ongoing partnership with organizations addressing youth development, housing, and community health
The foundation celebrated its 90th anniversary with the production of commemorative videos, including an animated story of its founding and legacy.
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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