Patterson Foundation
The Patterson Foundation is a private foundation based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 2000 by Patterson executives Pete Frechette and Ron Ezerski, it was established to give back to the employees, industries and communities that support Patterson Companies. Its giving includes community grants, scholarships for eligible dependents of Patterson employees, and employee-volunteer donations.
Patterson Foundation at a glance
In short: Patterson Foundation gave $1.4M across 119 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in Minnesota. 51% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,415,809
- +7.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 119
- -13.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $11,898
- +24.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $31,495,625
- +11.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 51% first-time grantees (57 of 111, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (56% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Patterson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its continuously reviewed online letter-of-inquiry process. Following LOI approval, invited organizations complete the application.
- Review Cycle
- Grant applications are due 60 to 90 days before a quarterly board meeting, typically held in April, June, October and December. The Foundation says most applications that receive funding require 60 to 140 days for consideration and approval. Its separate Mission of Mercy event grants require applications at least three months before an event and no more than eight months in advance.
- Deadline
- Grant applications are due 60 to 90 days before a quarterly board meeting, typically held in April, June, October and…
- Contact
Application contact: Lindsay Stewart Foundation Manager
Mailing address: 1031 Mendota Heights Road, St Paul, MN 55120
Phone: (651) 686-1929
Website: https://ourpattersonfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Patterson Foundation
Patterson Foundation Scholarship Grant
Patterson Foundation
Amount
US $4,750 - US $19,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Patterson Foundation: Assistance Dog Program Grants
Patterson Foundation
Amount
Up to US $35,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Patterson Foundation: Mission of Mercy Event Grants
Patterson Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Patterson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Scholarship America Inc ($653K). Together the top 10 received $947K.
Grant Size Distribution
595 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 587 grants of 595 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says grants support communities in Patterson Companies service areas throughout the United States and Canada. In 2024, 56% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, followed by Colorado (6%), Massachusetts (5%), Pennsylvania (4%) and North Carolina (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 119 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Patterson Foundation open to new grantees?
51%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 57 of 111 grantees (51%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $23K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 27% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2020) to $1.4M (2022). In 2024 it made 119 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarship America Inc St Peter, MN | Scholarships for Post Secondary Education | $652,837 |
| Hope Dental Clinic St. Paul, MN | Increasing Dental Access Grant | $41,707 |
| Care Clinic Red Wing, MN | Increasing Dental Access Grant | $40,000 |
| National Education for Assistance Dog Services Inc Princeton, MA | Increasing Access to Service Dogs | $35,000 |
| Kids in Need of Dentistry Denver, CO | Increasing Dental Access Grant | $30,000 |
| Canine Partners for Life Cochranville, PA | Increasing Access to Service Dogs | $29,800 |
| Community Dental Clinic Clearwater, FL | Increasing Dental Access Grant | $29,139 |
| America's Toothfairy National Children's Oral Health Foundation Charlotte, NC | Increasing Dental Access Grant | $25,000 |
| Can Do Canines New Hope, MN | Increasing Access to Service Dogs | $25,000 |
| Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires Great Barrington, MA | Increasing Dental Access Grant | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Patterson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $31,495,625 | $3,846,667 | $1,744,900 | $1,415,809 | 119 | $1,468,078 | $4,021,248 | $1,454,088 |
| 2023 | $28,314,928 | $1,345,792 | $1,599,697 | $1,319,616 | 138 | $1,376,188 | $911,241 | $1,311,503 |
| 2022 | $25,960,629 | $1,940,593 | $1,699,448 | $1,436,862 | 135 | $1,508,840 | $1,478,895 | $1,337,084 |
| 2021 | $31,471,348 | $3,196,851 | $1,847,711 | $1,429,043 | 152 | $1,472,606 | $2,853,906 | $1,412,399 |
| 2020 | $26,987,261 | $973,294 | $1,329,222 | $1,061,906 | 51 | — | $727,352 | $1,163,134 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation says it endeavors to make a meaningful difference in society through its scholarship and grant programs. Its grant priorities include oral health, animal health, and occupational and physical rehabilitation. Its website also describes support for agricultural youth leadership programs. Scholarships support post-secondary education for eligible dependents of Patterson Companies employees.
Oral health grants support nonprofits expanding access to consistent oral hygiene, restorative and emergency dental care for people in need. The Foundation gives priority to organizations staffed primarily by volunteer dental professionals and/or students. Assistance-dog grants support organizations providing service animals to veterans and people with disabilities; the Foundation generally limits support to organizations that are members or candidates of Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation, and currently funds organizations that breed and raise puppies for placement rather than rescue or shelter animals. The Foundation’s website describes its grants as serving eligible 501(c)(3) public charities in Patterson Companies service areas in the United States and Canada.
Grantees’ missions illustrate the kinds of organizations supported. Hope Dental Clinic says its mission is to provide dental care with a focus on reaching people most in need, regardless of ability to pay, and to use its clinic as a training facility for local students and interns. Canine Partners for Life says it provides and sustains professionally trained service and companion dogs to increase the independence and quality of life of people with disabilities or other needs. Everyone for Veterans says it provides veterans with resources, support and comprehensive dental care.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 119 grants totaling $1,415,809. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $652,837, with a median of $3,000. The largest reported award was $652,837 to Scholarship America Inc. for post-secondary scholarships. Other notable grants included $41,707 to Hope Dental Clinic and $40,000 to Care Clinic for increasing dental access; $35,000 to National Education for Assistance Dog Services for increasing access to service dogs; and $30,000 to Kids in Need of Dentistry for increasing dental access.
The Foundation generally considers single-year requests. Its standard process begins with a letter of inquiry submitted through its online grants system; organizations whose LOIs are approved are invited to submit a full application. Applicants should include the items requested in the application, including a project description and statement of need, an organizational summary with mission and goals, an organization budget, and a project budget. The Foundation excludes, among other requests, direct treatment or therapy costs, scientific research, emergency operating support, political advocacy and lobbying, and products or services sold by Patterson Companies and its subsidiaries.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Dale A. Spann as president; Karen Scott as vice president; R. Stephen Armstrong as treasurer; and Leslie Korsh as secretary. Directors listed are George Henriques, Elizabeth Dygert, Kevin Pohlman, Samantha Bergeson, Drew Brodin and Cara Cherry.
Patterson Foundation is led by Dale A. Spann, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 11 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Dale A. Spann
President
Director → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Dygert
Director
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
George L. Henriques
Director
President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Pohlman
Director
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cara Cherry
Director
On filings since 2023
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Don Zurbay
Director
On filings since 2023
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Drew Brodin
Director
On filings since 2023
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Samantha Bergeson
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leslie B. Korsh
Secretary
Vice President & Secretary → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
R. Stephen Armstrong
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Scott
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Ronald E. Ezerski (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Tim Rogan (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Mark Walchirk (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Clint Edens (2021) — Director
- Former: Meg Dietzel (2021) — Director
- Former: Eric Shirley (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Patterson Foundation
How much does Patterson Foundation give each year?
Patterson Foundation gave $1.4M across 119 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 138 grants.
What is Patterson Foundation's typical grant size?
Patterson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $3,000, and its average grant was $11,898, across 119 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Patterson Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Patterson Foundation give grants?
Patterson Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Colorado (6%) and Massachusetts (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (6 grants), Saint Paul, MN (4 grants), Red Wing, MN (3 grants) and New Hope, MN (3 grants).
Does Patterson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 45% of Patterson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (54 of 119) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Increasing Dental Access Grant" (39 grants), "Increasing Access to Service Dogs" (11 grants) and "FFA Teacher Development Grants" (9 grants).
Who are Patterson Foundation's largest grantees?
Patterson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Scholarship America Inc ($652,837), National Education for Assistance Dog Services Inc ($47,000 across 2 grants) and Hope Dental Clinic ($41,707), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Patterson Foundation?
Patterson Foundation reported $31.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Patterson Foundation fund?
The Foundation says it endeavors to make a meaningful difference in society through its scholarship and grant programs. Its grant priorities include oral health, animal health, and occupational and physical rehabilitation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Patterson Foundation?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its continuously reviewed online letter-of-inquiry process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Does Patterson Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Patterson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Patterson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/patterson-foundation-morg_80a1175f5a8a413a9eeb678ac3d19d2f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_743076772_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Patterson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/patterson-foundation-morg_80a1175f5a8a413a9eeb678ac3d19d2f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Patterson 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.
Patterson Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?