River Road Foundation
River Road Foundation is a private foundation based in Eagan, Minnesota. Its filing says it primarily makes grants to educational, cultural, youth, environmental, education, and community-support organizations in Minnesota.
River Road Foundation at a glance
In short: River Road Foundation gave $520K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $23K), mostly in Minnesota. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $520,001
- -1.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- -4.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,609
- +2.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $6,871,572
- -2.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (74% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to River Road Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Applications may be submitted in letter form outlining the request, with supporting materials the applicant desires, through Charitable Services Group. The foundation says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It makes no grants to individuals or organizations requiring expenditure responsibility.
- Review Cycle
- November 1.
- Deadline
- November 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Charitable Services Group
Mailing address: 800 Nicollet Mall Ste 800, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: (612) 303-2847
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who River Road Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was St Paul Academy and Summit School ($145K). Together the top 10 received $440K.
Grant Size Distribution
128 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 100 grants of 128 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s filing says it primarily makes grants to organizations in Minnesota. In 2025, grant dollars were reported by recipient state as Minnesota 74%, New York 10%, Oregon 10%, Massachusetts 2%, and Wisconsin 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
Cities
Is River Road Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 23 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. How we count
- 91% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 75% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $430K (2020) to $550K (2023). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $520K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Paul Academy and Summit School Saint Paul, MN | General Operating | $145,000 |
| Colgate University Hamilton, NY | General Operating | $50,000 |
| Hallie Q Brown Community Center St. Paul, MN | General Operating | $50,000 |
| Migizi Communications Inc Minneapolis, MN | General Operating | $50,000 |
| Neighborhood House Portland, OR | General Operating | $50,000 |
| Friends of the Mississippi River Saint Paul, MN | General Operating | $35,000 |
| The Family Partnership Minneapolis, MN | General Operating | $30,000 |
| American Camper Association Pine River, MN | General Operating | $10,001 |
| Minneapolis Institute of Arts Minneapolis, MN | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of MN ND and SD St. Paul, MN | General Operating | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with River Road 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,871,572 | $562,919 | $741,412 | $520,001 | 23 | $533,240 | $386,452 | $708,932 |
| 2024 | $7,047,573 | $2,236,957 | $685,147 | $530,001 | 24 | $561,222 | $2,113,174 | $584,358 |
| 2023 | $5,495,826 | $242,432 | $678,648 | $549,501 | 27 | $574,870 | $143,676 | $495,564 |
| 2022 | $5,933,141 | $334,118 | $662,434 | $529,501 | 27 | $556,220 | $228,775 | $486,142 |
| 2021 | $6,262,659 | $261,738 | $568,749 | $430,001 | 27 | $458,095 | $140,970 | $552,309 |
| 2020 | $6,570,865 | $306,880 | $564,089 | $430,001 | 26 | — | $171,606 | $463,426 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, River Road Foundation reported a distributable amount of $709K 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
The foundation does not state a mission in the available information. Its filing describes its grantmaking as primarily supporting educational, cultural, youth, environmental, education, and community-support organizations in Minnesota.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of work. MIGIZI Communications says it supports the educational, social, economic, and cultural development of American Indian youth. Friends of the Mississippi River says it engages people to protect, restore, and enhance the Mississippi River and its watershed in the Twin Cities region. Hallie Q. Brown Community Center says its work includes providing access to human services, promoting African American heritage, and developing community leadership. These are descriptions of the grantees’ missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 23 grants totaling $520,001. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $145,000, with a median of $10,000. Previous reported totals were $530,001 across 24 grants in 2024 and $549,501 across 27 grants in 2023.
The largest 2025 grant was $145,000 to St. Paul Academy and Summit School for general operating support. Other large grants included $50,000 each to Colgate University, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, MIGIZI Communications, and Neighborhood House in Portland, Oregon; and $35,000 to Friends of the Mississippi River. The foundation also awarded $30,000 to The Family Partnership and $10,000 each to the American Camper Association, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, Textile Center, and Walker Art Center. These grants were listed for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Bruce A Lilly as president and director, Bruce Lilly Jr as treasurer, and Robert P Lilly as vice president.
River Road Foundation is led by Bruce A. Lilly, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bruce A. Lilly
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Bruce Lilly Jr.
Treasurer
Treasurer` → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Robert P. Lilly
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Ruby Pediangco (2020–2024) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 River Road Foundation
How much does River Road Foundation give each year?
River Road Foundation gave $520K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $530K across 24 grants.
What is River Road Foundation's typical grant size?
River Road Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $22,609, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does River Road Foundation give grants?
River Road Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (10%) and Oregon (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Saint Paul, MN (8 grants), Minneapolis, MN (5 grants) and Cable, WI (2 grants).
Does River Road Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of River Road Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (23 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are River Road Foundation's largest grantees?
River Road Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include St Paul Academy and Summit School ($145,000), Colgate University ($50,000) and Hallie Q Brown Community Center ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is River Road Foundation?
River Road Foundation reported $6.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $533K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $709K (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 River Road Foundation fund?
The foundation does not state a mission in the available information. Its filing describes its grantmaking as primarily supporting educational, cultural, youth, environmental, education, and community-support organizations in Minnesota. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from River Road Foundation?
Applications may be submitted in letter form outlining the request, with supporting materials the applicant desires, through Charitable Services Group. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is River Road Foundation's EIN?
River Road Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-2008605. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 28, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in River Road Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
IBM International Foundation
Armonk, NY
The IBM International Foundation funds education and workforce programs that build 21st-century and technology job skills, including initiatives for underserved students and job seekers. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $8.48 million, with a median of $100,000, and went to organizations across several U.S. states, especially Delaware and Massachusetts. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$357.7M
Grants
16
Total Given
$11.7M
Longview Foundation
Milwaukee, WI
Longview Foundation primarily supports global education, including teacher preparation, K–12 initiatives, and programs that bring international perspectives into U.S. education. Its teacher-preparation grants are typically $10,000–$22,000, with up to $30,000 for multi-institution initiatives; its 2024 filing says all grant dollars went to Wisconsin recipients. It does not accept unsolicited requests; full proposals are by invitation only.
Assets
$17.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$3.2M
Patrick and Aimee Butler Family
St. Paul, MN
The Patrick and Aimee Butler Family supports nonprofits in the arts, environment, and human services, prioritizing Minneapolis and Saint Paul; environmental grants can support work anywhere in Minnesota. In 2024, grants ranged from $3,000 to $150,000, with a median of $27,500; Special Projects Grants are at least $100,000. Its 2024 filing says it does not accept unsolicited requests, though its website describes a letter-of-inquiry process for Community Grants.
Assets
$102.3M
Grants
88
Total Given
$2.9M
Ch Robinson Worldwide Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
The foundation funds community needs, supply-chain and logistics initiatives, and environmental sustainability, with a Twin Cities program focused on hunger, shelter, K–12 education, and workforce development. Its 2024 grants ranged from $750 to $2.69 million, with a median of $5,000; its Twin Cities program focuses on Minneapolis–St. Paul, while grants also went to organizations elsewhere. The Strategic Industry program is invitation-only, while the Twin Cities program has an application process.
Assets
$18.2M
Grants
87
Total Given
$4.0M
Gannett Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Gannett Foundation’s 2025 grants supported a range of organizations, with listed awards generally between $1,500 and $2,500, though the available figures do not establish a typical grant size or geographic focus. The foundation has wound down: its 2026 filing reports no grants or assets, and no current application process or acceptance of unsolicited requests is stated.
Assets
—
Grants
32
Total Given
$65K
Knox Foundation
Milwaukee, WI
The foundation supports educational, cultural, youth, environmental education, and community organizations, with filings describing its focus as Minnesota-based organizations, though it also made grants in several other states in 2024. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $150,000, with a median of $5,000. It accepts requests by letter, with optional supporting materials; the stated deadline is November 1.
Assets
$8.5M
Grants
38
Total Given
$548K
More similar funders
More Funders in Minnesota
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). River Road Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/river-road-foundation-morg_b107b4dd07ab4b3499184992f0bd46c9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_412008605_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{River Road Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/river-road-foundation-morg_b107b4dd07ab4b3499184992f0bd46c9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 River Road 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.
River Road Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?