Robins Kaplan Foundation
The Robins Kaplan Foundation is a private foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota (EIN 41-1735325). Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including legal-aid and human-rights groups, a United Way, a sports organization, and a university foundation.
Robins Kaplan Foundation at a glance
In short: Robins Kaplan Foundation gave $730K across 103 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Minnesota. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $730,116
- +6.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 103
- -24.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,089
- +40.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $252,710
- -73.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (14 of 84, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (68% 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 Robins Kaplan Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation contributes only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. No application process or materials are stated.
- Contact
Mailing address: 800 Lasalle Avenue 2800, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: (612) 349-8532
Website: https://robinskaplan.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robins Kaplan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Fund for Legal Aid ($76K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $383K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
640 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 631 grants of 640 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 68% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 17% to California, 8% to Massachusetts, 3% to the District of Columbia, and 1% to Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 103 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robins Kaplan Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 84 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 65% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $688K (2024) to $1.0M (2020). In 2025 it made 103 grants totaling $730K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Fund for Legal Aid Minneapolis, MN | Charitable Operations Support | $60,600 |
| Greater Twin Cities United Way Minneapolis, MN | Charitable Operations Support | $60,000 |
| Special Olympics Massachusetts Marlborough, MA | Charitable Operations Support | $36,711 |
| Public Counsel Los Angeles, CA | Charitable Operations Support | $35,000 |
| Southern MN Regional Legal Services St. Paul, MN | Charitable Operations Support | $30,000 |
| The Advocates for Human Rights Minneapolis, MN | Charitable Operations Support | $20,000 |
| Children's Theatre Company Minneapolis, MN | Charitable Operations Support | $18,000 |
| Volunteer Lawyers Network Minneapolis, MN | Charitable Operations Support | $17,900 |
| University of California Berkeley Foundation Berkeley, CA | Charitable Operations Support | $17,500 |
| The Advocates for Human Rights Minneapolis, MN | Charitable Operations Support | $16,500 |
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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 | $252,710 | $130,168 | $813,093 | $730,116 | 103 | $805,690 | $9,309 | $30,093 |
| 2024 | $935,635 | $1,128,329 | $781,780 | $688,478 | 136 | $768,388 | $22,876 | $48,864 |
| 2023 | $589,086 | $501,828 | $826,921 | $775,184 | 122 | $820,849 | $6,829 | $43,741 |
| 2022 | $914,179 | $58,691 | $923,684 | $895,436 | 156 | $912,249 | $1,396 | $70,632 |
| 2021 | $1,779,172 | $1,621,070 | $957,005 | $893,698 | 123 | — | $959 | $89,266 |
| 2020 | $1,110,682 | $1,628,471 | $1,112,904 | $1,034,978 | 162 | — | $958 | $62,081 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robins Kaplan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $30K 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 filing and the foundation’s website do not state a current mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. The grantees describe their own work as including raising funds for Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance (The Fund for Legal Aid), advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice through legal advocacy (Public Counsel), and protecting the basic human needs of people in poverty through legal volunteers (Volunteer Lawyers Network). Other recipients include Greater Twin Cities United Way, Special Olympics Massachusetts, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, The Advocates for Human Rights, and the University of California Berkeley Foundation.
The law firm’s website describes its own pro bono and community work, including legal representation and clinics, but does not identify that work as the foundation’s mission.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 103 grants totaling $730,116. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $60,600, with a median of $5,000. Each of the listed largest grants was designated for “charitable operations support.”
The largest awards included $60,600 to The Fund for Legal Aid and $60,000 to Greater Twin Cities United Way, both in Minneapolis; $36,711 to Special Olympics Massachusetts; $35,000 to Public Counsel; and $30,000 to Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services. Other notable grants included $20,000 to The Advocates for Human Rights, $18,000 to Children’s Theatre Company, $17,900 to Volunteer Lawyers Network, $17,500 to the University of California Berkeley Foundation, and $15,000 to Equal Justice Works.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Anthony Froio as chairman. Trustees listed are Brendan Johnson, Cyrus Morton (as of March 2025), David Martinez, Jake Holdreith, Melissa D’Alelio, and Michael Collyard. Patrick Arenz, Ronald Schutz, and Steven Schumeister are listed as trustees through March 2025.
Robins Kaplan Foundation is led by Anthony Froio, Chairman since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Anthony Froio
Chairman
Trustee → Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Martinez
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jake Holdreith
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ronald Schutz
Trustee -
Chair → Trustee, 2024
Trustee → Trustee -, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven Schumeister
Trustee -
Trustee → Trustee -, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cyrus Morton
Trustee -
Trustee → Trustee -, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa D'alelio
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brendan Johnson
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Collyard
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Arenz
Trustee -
Trustee → Trustee -, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Anne Lockner (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Tara Sutton (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Thomas Schwartz (2023) — Chief Operating & Financial Officer
- Former: Scott Johnson (2022) — Trustee
- Former: Stacey Slaughter (2022) — Trustee
- Former: Jeff Gleason (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Oren Langer (2020–2021) — Trustee
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 Robins Kaplan Foundation
How much does Robins Kaplan Foundation give each year?
Robins Kaplan Foundation gave $730K across 103 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $688K across 136 grants.
What is Robins Kaplan Foundation's typical grant size?
Robins Kaplan Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,089, across 103 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robins Kaplan Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does Robins Kaplan Foundation give grants?
Robins Kaplan Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 68% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (17%) and Massachusetts (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (34 grants), St. Paul, MN (17 grants), Los Angeles, CA (8 grants) and Boston, MA (4 grants).
Does Robins Kaplan Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 103 grants with a stated purpose on Robins Kaplan Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Operations Support" (103 grants).
Who are Robins Kaplan Foundation's largest grantees?
Robins Kaplan Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Fund for Legal Aid ($75,600 across 2 grants), Greater Twin Cities United Way ($60,000) and Southern MN Regional Legal Services ($41,550 across 3 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Robins Kaplan Foundation?
Robins Kaplan Foundation reported $253K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $806K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $30K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Robins Kaplan Foundation fund?
The filing and the foundation’s website do not state a current mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robins Kaplan Foundation?
The foundation contributes 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 Robins Kaplan Foundation's EIN?
Robins Kaplan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1735325. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Robins Kaplan 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 8, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robins Kaplan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robins-kaplan-foundation-morg_57c18e0e36dd4ec297545e9945338e76
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_411735325_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robins Kaplan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robins-kaplan-foundation-morg_57c18e0e36dd4ec297545e9945338e76},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Robins Kaplan 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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