Rice County Area United Way
Rice County Area United Way is a public charity based in Northfield, Minnesota. Formed in 1972, it brings together local families, businesses, schools, and partner agencies to address foundational needs in Rice County, including financial security and basic needs, health, youth opportunity, and literacy.
Rice County Area United Way at a glance
In short: Rice County Area United Way gave $211K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $18K), mostly in Minnesota. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $210,612
- +2.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $17,551
- -6.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,750
- Total assets
- $459,940
- +6.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (70% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Rice County Area United Way
- How to Apply
-
The 2026 grant application deadline has passed.
- Review Cycle
- March 16, 2026, for the 2026 grant cycle. The next grant cycle was stated to be in spring 2028.
- Deadline
- March 16, 2026, for the 2026 grant cycle.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1651 Jefferson Parkway, Northfield, MN 55057
Phone: (507) 664-3510
Website: https://ricecountyunitedway.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Rice County Area United Way funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Northfield Community Action Center ($61K). Together the top 10 received $198K.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 59 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization describes its work as addressing needs in Rice County, Minnesota. Its website identifies local partner agencies and says its grants support critical needs in the county. The 2025 filing lists grants to recipients in Minnesota and also lists a grant to Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Missouri.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Rice County Area United Way open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 12 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $9K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 92% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−19%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $205K (2024) to $261K (2021). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $211K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Northfield Community Action Center Northfield, MN | Genl Operating Cost | $61,000 |
| Imagination Library | Donor Desig for Prog | $54,112 |
| Healthfinders Northfield, MN | Genl Operating Cost | $12,000 |
| Healthy Community Initiative Northfield, MN | Genl Operating Cost | $12,000 |
| Hope Center Faribault, MN | Genl Operating Cost | $12,000 |
| Faribault Youth Investment Faribault, MN | Genl Operating Cost | $11,500 |
| Society of St Vincent De Paul Maryland Heights, MO | Genl Operating Cost | $10,000 |
| Northfield Public Schools Northfield, MN | Genl Operating Cost | $9,000 |
| Torch Northfield, MN | Genl Operating Cost | $9,000 |
| Northfield Union of Youth Northfield, MN | Genl Operating Cost | $7,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $459,940 | $476,397 | $445,944 | $210,612 | 12 | $7,254 |
| 2024 | $430,763 | $426,248 | $410,870 | $205,422 | 11 | $3,902 |
| 2023 | $441,515 | $437,079 | $434,496 | $255,151 | 14 | $2,358 |
| 2022 | $438,065 | $462,220 | $420,462 | $258,684 | 11 | $6,935 |
| 2021 | $455,568 | $484,884 | $434,141 | $261,102 | 11 | $3,471 |
| 2020 | $360,768 | $582,580 | $477,863 | $229,052 | 9 | $2,672 |
| 2019 | $243,768 | $345,042 | $358,165 | $211,500 | 7 | $70 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to mobilize the resources and caring power of individuals, organizations, and networks to strengthen the community. Its grantmaking focuses on financial security and basic needs, healthy community, youth opportunity, and literacy. The organization says it supports wrap-around services and collaborative efforts to help people move toward stability and independence.
Examples of grantees’ work include Northfield Union of Youth, whose mission is to give area youth power and voice through a youth center and its programs; Three Rivers Community Action, which says it works with community partners to address basic human needs; and Ruth’s House of Hope, whose mission is to support women and children recovering from violence, oppression, and homelessness in Rice County through affordable housing in a safe, supportive environment.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Rice County Area United Way reported 12 grants totaling $210,612. The grants ranged from $6,000 to $61,000, with a median grant of $10,750. The organization says grants typically range from $1,000 or more to $25,000; its 2025 filing lists a $54,112 grant to Imagination Library and a $61,000 grant to Northfield Community Action Center.
Other 2025 grants included $12,000 each to Healthfinders, Healthy Community Initiative, and Hope Center; $11,500 to Faribault Youth Investment; and $10,000 to Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The organization’s partner-agency page identifies organizations working across its focus areas, including Community Action Center, Northfield Union of Youth, and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
The 2026 grant application page described a cycle for one- or two-year grants, with funding scheduled to run from July 31, 2026, through June 30, 2028. It said the cycle would be the only grant process until 2028, except for microgrants. Eligibility requirements included being a governmental agency or an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3), being organized under Minnesota law, and filing an IRS Form 990 if required. The page did not specify application materials.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Laura Riehle-Merrill as Executive Director and Gordon Liu as Treasurer. It also lists Danette Marquardt, Rachel Matney, Anne Walter, and Nathan Walker as directors; Megan Maschoff as Marketing Director; Kathy Glampe in Nominations; Peter Scheffert as Vice President; and Dave Campbell as Chief Bookkeeper.
Rice County Area United Way's 2025 filing lists 11 officers; 1 of 11 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Danette Marquardt
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anne Walter
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Sylvester
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nathan Walker
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rachel Matney
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Riehle-Merrill
Executive Di
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$79K (2025)
Dave Campbell
Cheif Bookst
Director → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Cheif Bookst, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gordon Liu
Treasurer
Board Chair → Director, 2023
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathy Glampe
Nominations
Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2024
Board Chair → Nominations, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Megan Maschoff
Marketing Di
Director → Marketing Di, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Scheffert
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (25)
- Former: Elizabeth Child (2021–2024) — Executive Di
- Former: Francisco Murillo (2024) — Director
- Former: Melissa Lutz (2024) — Vice Chair
- Former: Christina Sinkler-Miller (2021–2023) — Board Chair
- Former: Linda Laughlin (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Zach Pruitt (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Mila Schweisthal (2023) — Director
- Former: Vicki Serreno (2023) — Director
- Former: Dave Webb (2022) — Vice Chair
- Former: Tory Borovsky (2022) — Director
- Former: Anne Marie Leland (2019–2021) — Vice Chair
- Former: Greg Closser (2019–2021) — Board Chair
- Former: Nancy Johnson-Maloney (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Penny Hillemann (2019–2021) — Executive Di
- Former: Narren Brown (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Ryan Knott (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Franklin Hartwell (2021) — Director
- Former: Kim Briske (2021) — Director
- Former: Christina Sauer (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Elise Eslinger (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Katie Fick (2019–2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Patti Quilling (2019–2020) — President
- Former: Randy Reister (2020) — Director
- Former: Tanya Montour (2019) — Director
- Former: Thad Monroe (2019) — Director
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $79K, to Laura Riehle-Merrill (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about Rice County Area United Way
How much does Rice County Area United Way give each year?
Rice County Area United Way gave $211K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $205K across 11 grants.
What is Rice County Area United Way's typical grant size?
Rice County Area United Way's median grant in 2025 was $10,750, and its average grant was $17,551, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Rice County Area United Way that year got $9K on average.
Where does Rice County Area United Way give grants?
Rice County Area United Way gives mostly in Minnesota: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Northfield, MN (6 grants) and Faribault, MN (4 grants).
Does Rice County Area United Way give general operating support?
Yes: 92% of Rice County Area United Way's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Rice County Area United Way's largest grantees?
Rice County Area United Way's largest 2025 grantees include Northfield Community Action Center ($61,000), Imagination Library ($54,112) and Healthfinders ($12,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Rice County Area United Way?
Rice County Area United Way reported $460K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $476K.
What does Rice County Area United Way fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to mobilize the resources and caring power of individuals, organizations, and networks to strengthen the community. Its grantmaking focuses on financial security and basic needs, healthy community, youth opportunity, and literacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Rice County Area United Way?
The 2026 grant application deadline has passed. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Rice County Area United Way's EIN?
Rice County Area United Way's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-6025711. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 17, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 18, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 11, 2024)
Live grants for the work Rice County Area United Way funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Rice County Area United Way's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Rice County Area United Way funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/rice-county-area-united-way-morg_14d4105f218748329e8cdf8b65a97654
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_416025711_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Rice County Area United Way funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/rice-county-area-united-way-morg_14d4105f218748329e8cdf8b65a97654},
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 Rice County Area United Way'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.
Rice County Area United Way down — hundreds of funders to go?