Pachel Foundation
The Pachel Foundation is a private foundation based in Duluth, Minnesota. It supports charitable and arts institutions in Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.
Pachel Foundation at a glance
In short: Pachel Foundation gave $81K across 25 grants in 2026 (avg $3K), mostly in Minnesota. 44% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $80,649
- -23.0% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 25
- +25.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $3,226
- -38.4% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $2,105
- Total assets
- $895,544
- +0.7% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (11 of 25, 2026)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (89% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Pachel Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation reviews applications semi-annually. Applicants must be qualified tax-exempt organizations and submit a copy of their 501(c)(3) tax-exemption letter. The website asks applicants to complete the application cover sheet with contact information and send it by U.S. mail. As of August 1, 2025, applications are accepted only from organizations the foundation has funded previously.
- Review Cycle
- March 31 or September 30.
- Deadline
- March 31 or September 30.
- Contact
Application contact: Pachel Foundation- Aili Ratike
Mailing address: PO Box 16450, Duluth, MN 55802-0450
Phone: (218) 625-1255
Website: https://www.pachelfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Pachel Foundation
Who Pachel Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Duluth Playhouse ($16K). Together the top 10 received $53K.
Grant Size Distribution
103 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 103 grants of 103 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it supports charitable and arts institutions in Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. In filing year 2026, 89% of grant dollars went to Minnesota recipients, 9% to Wisconsin recipients, and 2% to Idaho recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Pachel Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 11 of 25 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 48% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−10%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 118% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). 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 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $60K (2024) to $105K (2025). In 2026 it made 25 grants totaling $81K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Duluth Playhouse Duluth, MN | General Use | $15,500 |
| Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra Dulut, MN | General Use | $8,000 |
| Minneapolis HOC Inc Minneapolis, MN | General Use | $5,000 |
| University of WI Superior Alumni & Superior, WI | General Use | $5,000 |
| Denfeld High School Speech Team Duluth, MN | General Use | $3,500 |
| Starbase Minnesota Inc Duluth, MN | General Use | $3,500 |
| Borealis Chamber Artists Duluth, MN | General Use | $3,400 |
| Loaves and Fishes Duluth, MN | General Use | $3,144 |
| Matinee Musicale Inc Duluth, MN | General Use | $3,000 |
| Duluth East Touchdown Duluth, MN | General Use | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Pachel Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $895,544 | $120,084 | $113,521 | $80,649 | 25 | $80,649 | $44,239 | $68,211 |
| 2025 | $888,981 | $77,055 | $129,944 | $104,803 | 20 | $104,803 | $38,645 | $65,290 |
| 2024 | $941,870 | $49,784 | $83,625 | $60,197 | 18 | $60,197 | $41,338 | $62,576 |
| 2023 | $975,711 | $133,011 | $112,998 | $89,937 | 22 | $89,937 | $125,183 | $60,658 |
| 2022 | $955,698 | $115,324 | $101,865 | $79,858 | 18 | $79,858 | $106,837 | $70,858 |
| 2021 | $942,239 | $61,683 | $125,224 | $104,479 | 19 | — | $52,771 | $71,099 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pachel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $68K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that it supports charitable and arts institutions in Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. Its 2026 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Duluth Playhouse describes its mission as operating a community theatre and providing theatre education and classes in the Duluth area. STARBASE Minnesota says it inspires and educates Minnesota youth in STEM, while Chequamegon Humane Association says it promotes animal welfare in the Chequamegon Bay area and beyond.
Other 2026 recipients describe work in youth mentorship, environmental education, animal welfare, and providing beds to children in need. These are the recipients’ stated missions, not a separate list of foundation priorities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation awarded 25 grants totaling $80,649. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $15,500, with a median of $2,105. Notable awards included $15,500 to Duluth Playhouse, $8,000 to Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, $5,000 each to Minneapolis HOC and University of Wisconsin–Superior Alumni, and $3,500 each to Denfeld High School Speech Team and STARBASE Minnesota. The listed grants generally stated “general use” as their purpose.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Kay Biga as president, Jan Biga as secretary, and Patrick Spott as treasurer.
Pachel Foundation is led by Kay Biga, President on every filing since 2021; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2026 is compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Kay Biga
President
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
$12K (2021) → $18K (2026)
Jan Biga
Secretary
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Patrick Spott
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $18K, to Kay Biga (President).
Frequently asked questions about Pachel Foundation
How much does Pachel Foundation give each year?
Pachel Foundation gave $81K across 25 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $105K across 20 grants.
What is Pachel Foundation's typical grant size?
Pachel Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $2,105, and its average grant was $3,226, across 25 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Pachel Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Pachel Foundation give grants?
Pachel Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Wisconsin (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Duluth, MN (16 grants) and Hermantown, MN (2 grants).
Does Pachel Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 96% of Pachel Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Pachel Foundation's largest grantees?
Pachel Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Duluth Playhouse ($15,500), Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra ($8,000) and Minneapolis HOC Inc ($5,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Pachel Foundation?
Pachel Foundation reported $896K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $81K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $68K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Pachel Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it supports charitable and arts institutions in Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. Its 2026 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Pachel Foundation?
The foundation reviews applications semi-annually. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Pachel Foundation's EIN?
Pachel Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0665970. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Pachel Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Pachel Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/pachel-foundation-morg_58fd393a12884630be8b4e82229cad80
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_260665970_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Pachel Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/pachel-foundation-morg_58fd393a12884630be8b4e82229cad80},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Pachel Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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