The Patterson Foundation is a nonprofit grantmaking organization headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 2000 by Patterson Companies executives Pete Frechette and Ron Ezerski, the Foundation was established to give back to the employees, industries, and communities that support Patterson Companies. The organization operates with a staff of 6 employees and focuses on making meaningful differences in society through scholarship programs, community grants, and employee volunteerism initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$31.5M
+11.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+7.3% YoY
Grant Count
119
-13.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
+24.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Patterson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Patterson Foundation endeavors to make a meaningful difference in society through post-secondary scholarships for Patterson Companies employees' children, community grants, and volunteerism programs.
The Foundation's primary funding areas include:
Oral Health: Programs that expand access to restorative and emergency dental care for individuals in need. Priority is given to organizations staffed primarily by volunteer dental professionals and/or students. Support includes funding for start-up costs and one-time projects that expand organizational capacity.
Animal Health & Service Animals: Funding for organizations that provide assistance dogs to veterans, first responders, and individuals with disabilities. Support is limited to organizations that are members or candidates of Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF).
Agricultural Youth Leadership: Support for youth leadership programs, including FFA (Future Farmers of America) teacher development grants and agricultural youth leadership initiatives.
Employee Volunteerism: The Dollars for Doers program, launched in 2019, provides $100 donations to nonprofits whenever two or more Patterson employees volunteer together at the same organization.
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation primarily funds organizations in Minnesota, Colorado, and Iowa. Scholarships are available to eligible dependents of Patterson employees in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $31,495,625 (as of most recent filing)
Annual Giving: $1,415,809 (most recent fiscal year)
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, tax-exempt since May 2003
EIN: 74-3076772
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $31,495,625 | $28,314,928 | $25,960,629 |
| Revenue | $3,846,667 | $1,345,792 | $1,940,593 |
| Expenses | $1,744,900 | $1,599,697 | $1,699,448 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,468,078 | $1,376,188 | $1,508,840 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,021,248 | $911,241 | $1,478,895 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,454,088 | $1,311,503 | $1,337,084 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Patterson Foundation
Patterson Foundation Scholarship Grant
PATTERSON FOUNDATION
Amount
US $4,750 - US $19,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Patterson Foundation: Assistance Dog Program Grants
PATTERSON FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $35,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Patterson Foundation: Mission of Mercy Event Grants
PATTERSON FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Care Clinic ($40,000), Canine Partners for Life ($29,800), Community Dental Clinic ($29,139).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN ACADEMY OF COSMETIC DENTISTRY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION MONONA, WI | INCREASING DENTAL ACCESS GRANT | $20,000 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY ATLANTA, GA | GENERAL OPERATIONS GIVING WEEK 20TH ANNIVERSARY GRANTS | $1,000 |
| AMERICA'S TOOTHFAIRY NATIONAL CHILDREN'S ORAL HEALTH FOUNDATION CHARLOTTE, NC | INCREASING DENTAL ACCESS GRANT | $25,000 |
| AMERICA'S VETDOGS - THE VETERAN'S K-9 CORPS SMITHTOWN, NY | INCREASING DENTAL ACCESS GRANT | $5,000 |
| ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE OF IOWA INC DES MOINES, IA | GENERAL OPERATIONS GIVING WEEK 20TH ANNIVERSARY GRANTS | $1,000 |
| ASSISTANCE DOGS INTERNATIONAL MAUMEE, OH | INCREASING ACCESS TO SERVICE DOGS | $10,000 |
| AWAKENING GRACE FOUNDATION ORANGE CITY, IA | GENERAL OPERATIONS GIVING WEEK 20TH ANNIVERSARY GRANTS | $1,000 |
| BEACON OF HOPE COMMUNITY SERVICES INC LEOMINSTER, MA | GENERAL OPERATIONS GRANT IN SUPPORT OF VOLUNTEER MATCH | $200 |
| BLAZE ORANGE YOUNG SPORTING CLUB OLNEY, IL | GENERAL OPERATIONS GRANT IN SUPPORT OF VOLUNTEER MATCH | $1,000 |
| BOY SCOUT TROOP 3221 ATWATER, MN | GENERAL OPERATIONS GRANT IN SUPPORT OF VOLUNTEER MATCH | $500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Foundation was founded by Patterson Companies executives Pete Frechette and Ron Ezerski in 2000.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| R STEPHEN ARMSTRONG | TREASURER | 0.75 | — |
| GEORGE HENRIQUES | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| LESLIE KORSH | SECRETARY | 0.4 | — |
| ELIZABETH DYGERT | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| DALE A SPANN | PRESIDENT | 0.75 | — |
| KEVIN POHLMAN | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| KAREN SCOTT | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.4 | — |
| SAMANTHA BERGESON | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| DREW BRODIN | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| CARA CHERRY | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| DON ZURBAY | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Patterson Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024. The organization has expanded its grantmaking scope over time:
Patterson Foundation announces Q1 grant awards**2015**: Expanded to support the animal and veterinary business unit with donations for nonprofits raising and training service animals for veterans, first responders, and people with disabilities.
**2019**: Created the Dollars for Doers program, a volunteer donation incentive that encourages Patterson employees to donate their time and efforts to their communities.
**2021**: Expanded further to support agricultural youth leadership programs through the animal health business unit.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Patterson Foundation fund?
The Patterson Foundation endeavors to make a meaningful difference in society through post-secondary scholarships for Patterson Companies employees' children, community grants, and volunteerism programs. The Foundation's primary funding areas include: • **Oral Health**: Programs that expand access to restorative and emergency dental care for individuals in need. Priority is given to organizations staffed primarily by volunteer dental professionals and/or students. Support includes funding for s…
How do I apply for a grant from Patterson Foundation?
**Grant Amounts**: Typical awards range from $100 to $652,837. **Active Grant Opportunities**: • Patterson Foundation Scholarship • Patterson Foundation: Oral Health Grants • Patterson Foundation: Assistance Dog Program Grants **Recent Giving**: In 2022, the Foundation donated more than $1.5 million, a giving record at that time. These funds were distributed among 45 nonprofits in the US and Canada, scholarships, FFA teacher development grants, and more than 65 Dollars for Doers donations. **Hi…
Where does Patterson Foundation make grants?
The Foundation primarily funds organizations in Minnesota, Colorado, and Iowa. Scholarships are available to eligible dependents of Patterson employees in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.
What size grants does Patterson Foundation award?
In 2024, Patterson Foundation awarded 119 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Patterson Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Patterson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Patterson Foundation's EIN?
Patterson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-3076772. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Patterson 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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