Tankenoff Families Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Minneapolis, MN EIN: 41-1905115

The Tankenoff Families Foundation is a private foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including Jewish community life and security, literature, journalism, human services, and children’s cancer research.

Key facts about Tankenoff Families Foundation

In short: Tankenoff Families Foundation gave $887K across 70 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Minnesota. 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
41-1905115
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$886,735
Grants made (2025)
70
Average grant
$12,668
Median grant
$4,000
New grantees (estimate)
16% first-time grantees (11 of 70, 2025)
Total assets
$11,188,596
Primary geography
Minnesota (81% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$11.2M

-2.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$887K

+14.0% YoY

Grant Count

70

+2.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$13K

+10.7% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tankenoff Families Foundation reported a distributable amount of $889K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Tankenoff Families Foundation open to new grantees?

16%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 11 of 70 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $14K. How we count

Medians: $810 first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 79% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 46% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 100% of 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.

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 included support for organizations whose own missions span several areas. Minneapolis Jewish Federation says it promotes philanthropy, addresses local and global Jewish needs, and plans for a thriving and secure Jewish future. Secure Community Network says it works to create a comprehensive security shield over the Jewish community. Open Book describes itself as a community gathering place for creativity, conversation, and collaboration rooted in literary and book arts. MinnPost says it produces independent journalism for Minnesotans. Other 2025 recipients include organizations whose stated missions involve Jewish engagement, children’s cancer research, and support for children and young adults with shortened life expectancies and their families.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 70 grants totaling $886,735. Grants ranged from $50 to $175,000, with a median grant of $4,000. Its largest awards included $175,000 to Minneapolis Jewish Federation, $100,000 to American Israel Education Foundation, $77,000 to Jewish Family & Children’s Services of MN, and $75,000 to Jewish Community Relations Council. Other notable grants included $50,000 each to Open Book and Secure Community Network, and $30,000 to Herzl Camp.

How to Apply

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

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 11% to recipients in Washington, DC, 6% to New York, and 1% each to Wisconsin and New Jersey.

Grant Distribution by State

13states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 70 itemized grants.

Cities

MinneapolisSaint PaulEdinaSt Louis ParkMinnetonkaGolden ValleyHopkinsNew YorkEaganGolfMadisonTampaWashingtonBrooklyn CenterEnglewoodMilwaukeeBurnsvilleNew BrightonOconomowocRobbinsdale

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M73 grants2020 73 grants2021 79 grants2022 82 grants2023 68 grants2024 70 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $608K (2022) to $1.4M (2023). In 2025 it made 70 grants totaling $887K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Minneapolis Jewish Federation: $175KMinneapolis Jewish Federation$175KAmerican Israel Education Foundation: $100KAmerican Israel EducationFoundation$100KJewish Family & Children's Services of MN: $77KJewish Family & Children'sServices of MN$77KJewish Community Relations Council: $75KJewish Community RelationsCouncil$75KOpen Book: $50KOpen Book$50KSecure Community Network: $50KSecure Community Network$50KHerzl Camp: $30KHerzl Camp$30KPrism Minneapolis: $25KPrism Minneapolis$25KMinnesota Hillel Foundation: $20KMinnesota Hillel Foundation$20KSabes JCC of Minneapolis: $20KSabes JCC of Minneapolis$20K

The largest 2025 recipient was Minneapolis Jewish Federation ($175K). Together the top 10 received $622K.

Grant Size Distribution

372 grants across all recorded years

348<$50K14$50–100K8$100–250K1$250–500K1$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 348 grants of 372 (94%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Minneapolis Jewish Federation Minnetonka, MNCharitable$175,000
American Israel Education Foundation Washington, DCCharitable$100,000
Jewish Family & Children's Services of MN Minnetonka, MNCharitable$77,000
Jewish Community Relations Council Minneapolis, MNCharitable$75,000
Open Book Minneapolis, MNCharitable$50,000
Secure Community Network New York, NYCharitable$50,000
Herzl Camp St Louis Park, MNCharitable$30,000
Prism Minneapolis Golden Valley, MNCharitable$25,000
Minnesota Hillel Foundation Minneapolis, MNCharitable$20,000
Sabes JCC of Minneapolis Minneapolis, MNCharitable$20,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grants awarded Grant count
2025 $886,735 70
2024 $777,803 68
2023 $1,433,528 82
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M$4M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$11,188,596$11,507,513$11,638,592
Revenue$620,061$702,616$1,177,161
Expenses$956,252$833,695$1,483,704
Qualifying Distributions$889,401$780,059$1,437,570
Net Investment Income$563,250$668,173$382,752
Distributable Amount$889,292$902,147$853,078

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Scott M. Tankenoff, Chairman of the Board/President; Leoda Swanson, Vice President/Treasurer; Marsha J. Tankenoff, Vice President; and Helene Tankenoff, Secretary.

Tankenoff Families Foundation is led by Scott M. Tankenoff, Chairman of the Board & President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Scott M. Tankenoff

    Chairman of the Board & President

    Vice President → Chairman of the Board & President, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Helene Tankenoff

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Leoda Swanson

    Vice President & Treasurer

    Treasurer → Vice President & Treasurer, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Marsha J. Tankenoff

    Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Gary L. Tankenoff (2020–2022) — Chairman & President

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.

Contact

Mailing address: 2424 Kennedy Street Ne, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Phone: (612) 371-0123

Frequently asked questions about Tankenoff Families Foundation

How much does Tankenoff Families Foundation give each year?

Tankenoff Families Foundation gave $887K across 70 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $778K across 68 grants.

What is Tankenoff Families Foundation's typical grant size?

Tankenoff Families Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $12,668, across 70 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Tankenoff Families Foundation that year got $6K on average.

Where does Tankenoff Families Foundation give grants?

Tankenoff Families Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (11%) and New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (32 grants), Edina, MN (6 grants), Minnetonka, MN (4 grants) and St Louis Park, MN (4 grants).

Does Tankenoff Families Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 70 grants with a stated purpose on Tankenoff Families Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (70 grants).

Who are Tankenoff Families Foundation's largest grantees?

Tankenoff Families Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Minneapolis Jewish Federation ($175,000), American Israel Education Foundation ($100,000) and Jewish Family & Children's Services of MN ($77,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Tankenoff Families Foundation?

Tankenoff Families Foundation reported $11.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $889K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $889K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Tankenoff Families Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose own missions span several areas. Minneapolis Jewish Federation says it promotes philanthropy, addresses local and global Jewish needs, and plans for a thriving and secure Jewish future. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Tankenoff Families 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 Tankenoff Families Foundation's EIN?

Tankenoff Families Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1905115. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Tankenoff Families Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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