Raft Charitable Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Sioux Falls, SD EIN: 37-6439235

Raft Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Minnesota.

Raft Charitable Foundation at a glance

In short: Raft Charitable Foundation gave $1.6M across 31 grants in 2025 (avg $53K), mostly in Minnesota. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$1,630,000
+5.2% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
31
-3.1% vs 2024
Average grant
$52,581
+8.6% vs 2024
Median grant
$30,000
Total assets
$24,673,627
+9.1% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
0% first-time grantees (0 of 31, 2025)
Primary geography
Minnesota (85% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Raft Charitable Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Contact

Mailing address: 401 E 8Th St Ste 319, Sioux Falls, SD 57103-7031
Phone: (605) 336-6832

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Raft Charitable Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Hamline University of Minnesota: $260KHamline University ofMinnesota$260KMinnesota Teen Challenge Inc: $230KMinnesota Teen Challenge Inc$230KThe Salvation Army: $100KThe Salvation Army$100KMinnesota Public Radio: $100KMinnesota Public Radio$100KMany Rivers Montessori: $100KMany Rivers Montessori$100KAmerican Red Cross: $100KAmerican Red Cross$100KFirst United Methodist Church of Duluth: $50KFirst United Methodist Churchof Duluth$50KUnited Fund of Cumberland Inc: $50KUnited Fund of Cumberland Inc$50KScience Museum of Minnesota: $50KScience Museum of Minnesota$50KMinnesota Historical Society: $50KMinnesota Historical Society$50K

The largest 2025 recipient was Hamline University of Minnesota ($260K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.

Grant Size Distribution

152 grants across all recorded years

105<$50K22$50–100K20$100–250K5$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 105 grants of 152 (69%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 85% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 7% to recipients in Washington, D.C., 7% to Wisconsin, and 1% to Arkansas.

Grant Distribution by State

4states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.

Cities

MinneapolisSt. PaulDuluthCumberlandShoreviewWashingtonLittle RockRosevilleWoodburyColumbia Heights

Is Raft Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?

0%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 0 of 31 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count

  • 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 94% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M28 grants2019 28 grants2020 27 grants2021 30 grants2022 32 grants2023 32 grants2024 31 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2020) to $1.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 31 grants totaling $1.6M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Hamline University of Minnesota St. Paul, MN100,000 Unrestricted;$260,000
Minnesota Teen Challenge Inc Minneapolis, MN100,000 General Fund;$230,000
The Salvation Army Roseville, MNGeneral Operating$100,000
Minnesota Public Radio St. Paul, MNWSCN in Duluth$100,000
Many Rivers Montessori Duluth, MNGeneral Operating; Building$100,000
American Red Cross Washington, DCDuluth-Area Support;$100,000
First United Methodist Church of Duluth Duluth, MNPastor's Fund; General$50,000
United Fund of Cumberland Inc Cumberland, WIGeneral Operating$50,000
Science Museum of Minnesota St. Paul, MNGeneral Operating$50,000
Minnesota Historical Society St. Paul, MNGeneral Operating$50,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$24,673,627$3,937,299$1,876,113$1,630,00031$1,745,766$3,794,888$1,862,421
2024$22,618,100$3,096,141$1,774,511$1,550,00032$1,660,162$3,020,323$1,780,136
2023$21,301,036$1,371,379$1,729,426$1,550,00032$1,647,056$1,304,409$1,589,923
2022$21,662,815$1,321,493$1,776,463$1,585,00030$1,686,196$1,251,831$1,614,910
2021$22,125,349$2,368,250$1,651,312$1,437,00027$1,546,749$2,293,187$1,783,590
2020$21,410,657$1,448,289$1,603,830$1,425,00028—$1,383,078$1,531,666
2019$21,563,325$1,158,235$1,655,298$1,490,50028—$1,094,357$1,516,798

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Raft Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including education, public media, libraries, history and culture, science, and human services. These descriptions reflect the grantees’ work, not a stated foundation mission. For example, Minnesota Teen Challenge says its mission is to help teens and adults gain freedom from chemical addictions and other life-controlling problems. Minnesota Public Radio describes its mission as creating the future of public media by amplifying voices to inform, include, and inspire. Many Rivers Montessori says it provides Montessori education from 16 months through eighth grade, with a focus on the whole child and an inclusive community.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $1,630,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $260,000, with a median of $30,000. Larger awards included $260,000 to Hamline University of Minnesota, $230,000 to Minnesota Teen Challenge, and $100,000 each to The Salvation Army, Minnesota Public Radio, Many Rivers Montessori, and the American Red Cross. Reported purposes included general operating support, building support, Duluth-area support, and support for Minnesota Public Radio’s WSCN in Duluth.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Dorsey Whitney Trust Company LLC and Faye L. Youngren as trustees.

Raft Charitable Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Dorsey Whitney Trust Company LLC

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    3 hrs/week

    $153K (2019) → $193K (2025)

  • Faye L. Youngren

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Dorsey Whitney Trust Company LLC — Trustee: $193KDorsey Whitney Trust…Trustee$193K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $193K, to Dorsey Whitney Trust Company LLC (Trustee).

Frequently asked questions about Raft Charitable Foundation

How much does Raft Charitable Foundation give each year?

Raft Charitable Foundation gave $1.6M across 31 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.6M across 32 grants.

What is Raft Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?

Raft Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $52,581, across 31 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Raft Charitable Foundation give grants?

Raft Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (7%) and Wisconsin (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (7 grants), Duluth, MN (7 grants), St. Paul, MN (6 grants) and Cumberland, WI (3 grants).

Does Raft Charitable Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 84% of Raft Charitable Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (26 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Raft Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?

Raft Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Hamline University of Minnesota ($260,000), Minnesota Teen Challenge Inc ($230,000) and The Salvation Army ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Raft Charitable Foundation?

Raft Charitable Foundation reported $24.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Raft Charitable Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including education, public media, libraries, history and culture, science, and human services. These descriptions reflect the grantees’ work, not a stated foundation mission. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Raft Charitable Foundation?

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Raft Charitable Foundation's EIN?

Raft Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-6439235. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Raft Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, 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

(3)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
  2. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Raft Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/raft-charitable-foundation-morg_45e83d983ad5475897514e851123a77d

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_376439235_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Raft Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/raft-charitable-foundation-morg_45e83d983ad5475897514e851123a77d},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Raft Charitable 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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