The Raft Charitable Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1998 and based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it has been tax-exempt since March 2009. The foundation operates with minimal staff and focuses on distributing grants to charitable organizations across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$22.6M
+6.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
+0.0% YoY
Grant Count
32
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$48K
+0.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports a diverse range of charitable causes including:
- Education (K-12, higher education, and public libraries)
- Arts and culture
- Human services
- Health and wellness
- Environment and animals
- Information and communications
The foundation has a particular emphasis on supporting nonprofits in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest and Plains states region.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on a preselected-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications for funding. The foundation does not maintain a website, which limits public transparency regarding grantmaking guidelines.
Grant Range
$10,000–$260,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Minnesota, with additional support for nonprofits in:
- Wisconsin
- Arkansas
- Washington, D.C.
- Various Upper Midwest and Plains states
Specific communities supported include Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, Roseville, Shoreview, Columbia Heights, Woodbury, Cumberland, and Little Rock.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $22.6 million
- Total revenue: $3.1 million
- Total expenses: $1.77 million
- Total liabilities: $0
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $21.3 million
- Total revenue: $1.37 million
- Total expenses: $1.73 million
- Investment income and dividends: $739,297
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $632,082
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $22,618,100 | $21,301,036 | $21,662,815 |
| Revenue | $3,096,141 | $1,371,379 | $1,321,493 |
| Expenses | $1,774,511 | $1,729,426 | $1,776,463 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,660,162 | $1,647,056 | $1,686,196 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,020,323 | $1,304,409 | $1,251,831 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,780,136 | $1,589,923 | $1,614,910 |
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
149 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Trustees:
- Dorsey Whitney Trust Company LLC (3 hours per week, $162,000 annual compensation)
- Faye L. Youngren (1 hour per week, no compensation)
The foundation operates with minimal paid staff beyond trustee support.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DORSEY WHITNEY TRUST COMPANY LLC | TRUSTEE | 3 | $183,562 |
| FAYE L YOUNGREN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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