Stearns Foundation Inc
Stearns Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Hutchinson, Minnesota. Its 2026 filing lists grants to Minnesota organizations for purposes including library support, scholarships, community music, and other local programs.
Stearns Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Stearns Foundation Inc gave $11K across 10 grants in 2026 (avg $1K), mostly in Minnesota. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $10,675
- +16.0% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 10
- -16.7% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $1,068
- +39.2% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $250
- Total assets
- $211,897
- +1.4% vs 2025
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (100% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Stearns Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applications should be submitted to the foundation, specifying how the proceeds would be used and the benefit. The filing names Corey Stearns as the contact and states there are no deadlines. It says contributions are made to charitable or public service organizations on a local or regional basis.
- Contact
Application contact: Corey Stearns
Mailing address: PO Box 50, Hutchinson, MN 55350
Phone: (320) 587-7176
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Stearns Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Hutchinson Library System ($5K). Together the top 10 received $11K.
Grant Size Distribution
56 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 56 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars listed for filing year 2026 went to recipients in Minnesota. The 2025 filing describes the foundation’s contributions as serving organizations on a local or regional basis.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Stearns Foundation Inc gives
- Giving grew 47% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2022) to $11K (2026). In 2026 it made 10 grants totaling $11K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson Library System Hutchinson, MN | General Program Support | $5,000 |
| Hutchinson Area Dollars for Scholar Hutchinson, MN | Scholarships for High School Student | $2,500 |
| Riversong Music Festival Hutchinson, MN | Support of Community Music Festival | $1,250 |
| Hutchinson Public Library Hutchinson, MN | General Support for Public Library | $525 |
| Parents for Seniors Hutchinson, MN | General Program Support | $250 |
| Hutchinson Health Foundation Hutchinson, MN | General Program Support | $250 |
| Junior Achievement Hutchinson, MN | Classroom Sponsorship | $250 |
| Hutchinson Farmers Market Hutchinson, MN | Farmers Market Sponsor | $250 |
| Tim Orth Memorial Foundation Hutchinson, MN | General Program Support | $200 |
| ISD 423 Foundation Hutchinson, MN | Staff Appreciation Program | $200 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $211,897 | $17,716 | $14,775 | $10,675 | 10 | $10,675 | $17,716 | $12,023 |
| 2025 | $208,956 | $15,252 | $13,037 | $9,200 | 12 | $9,200 | $15,252 | $11,374 |
| 2024 | $206,741 | $13,981 | $11,405 | $8,150 | 14 | $8,150 | $13,981 | $10,348 |
| 2023 | $204,165 | $9,598 | $9,383 | $7,275 | 10 | $7,275 | $9,598 | $9,756 |
| 2022 | $203,950 | $29,737 | $7,780 | $6,000 | 10 | $6,000 | $29,737 | $9,630 |
| 2021 | $181,993 | $-16,397 | $9,524 | $7,650 | 10 | — | $6,629 | $8,268 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stearns Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $12K for 2026 — 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 2026 grants show support for organizations and programs including libraries, high school scholarships, a community music festival, a farmers market, and staff appreciation.
Hutchinson Health Foundation describes its mission as seeking community funding for health care programs in the Hutchinson community. Tim Orth Memorial Foundation describes its mission as providing assistance to children with medical needs. These are the grantees’ own descriptions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation gave 10 grants totaling $10,675. Grants ranged from $200 to $5,000, with a median of $250. Notable grants included $5,000 to Hutchinson Library System for general program support, $2,500 to Hutchinson Area Dollars for Scholar for high school student scholarships, and $1,250 to Riversong Music Festival to support its community music festival. Other listed grants included $525 to Hutchinson Public Library and $250 each to Parents for Seniors, Hutchinson Health Foundation, Junior Achievement, and Hutchinson Farmers Market.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Corey Stearns as president, Kris Haag as secretary, and Kim Schutt as director.
Stearns Foundation Inc is led by Corey Stearns, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Corey Stearns
President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Kim Schutt
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Kris Haag
Secretary
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "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 Stearns Foundation Inc
How much does Stearns Foundation Inc give each year?
Stearns Foundation Inc gave $11K across 10 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $9K across 12 grants.
What is Stearns Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Stearns Foundation Inc's median grant in 2026 was $250, and its average grant was $1,068, across 10 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Stearns Foundation Inc give grants?
Stearns Foundation Inc gives mostly in Minnesota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Hutchinson, MN (10 grants).
Does Stearns Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 50% of Stearns Foundation Inc's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Stearns Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Stearns Foundation Inc's largest 2026 grantees include Hutchinson Library System ($5,000), Hutchinson Area Dollars for Scholar ($2,500) and Riversong Music Festival ($1,250), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 82% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Stearns Foundation Inc?
Stearns Foundation Inc reported $212K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $11K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12K (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 Stearns Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2026 grants show support for organizations and programs including libraries, high school scholarships, a community music festival, a farmers market, and staff appreciation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Stearns Foundation Inc?
The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Stearns Foundation Inc's EIN?
Stearns Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1609446. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
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 2021 (received by the IRS August 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 21, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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