The American Center for Philanthropy
The American Center for Philanthropy (ACP) is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Northfield, Minnesota. Established in 2001 as the Minnesota Center for Philanthropy, the organization adopted its current name in 2006. ACP operates as a public charity focused on increasing charitable giving by providing donors with information, guidance, and mechanisms to direct their philanthropic contributions effectively.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$40.8M
-1.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.8M
+51.3% YoY
Grant Count
103
-8.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$66K
+66.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
ACP's mission is to support individuals and nonprofit organizations in the transfer of social capital to meaningful and effective purposes, helping donors experience the power and joy of giving.
The organization promotes philanthropy by providing effective, efficient, and flexible means for individuals to carry out their personal charitable objectives through donor-advised funds. Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
ACP made 652 grants to charitable organizations during 2024. Recent major grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
ACP directs grants primarily to Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $40,834,964
- Total Revenue: $9,662,924
- Total Expenses: $7,461,735
- Total Giving: $7,200,733
The organization has maintained a donor-advised fund and reported conflict of interest transactions on its most recent tax filing.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $40,834,964 | $41,244,300 | $38,246,702 |
| Revenue | $9,662,924 | $5,365,464 | $8,948,755 |
| Expenses | $7,461,735 | $5,316,889 | $3,919,915 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $5,013,978 | $2,121,876 | $1,211,625 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Central Carolina Community Foundation ($296,317), Hamline University ($161,774), Christ Community Naples ($130,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 5 STONE MEDIA GROUP WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN | MULTIPLE GRANTS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES | $6,000 |
| ADOPTACLASSROOMORG ST PAUL, MN | MULTIPLE GRANTS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES | $12,000 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS BOONE, IA | MULTIPLE GRANTS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES | $9,000 |
| ANCHORED LLC ANDOVER, MN | MULTIPLE GRANTS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES | $25,000 |
| ASIAN HOPE INC FOREST, VA | MULTIPLE GRANTS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| AUGSBURG UNIVERSITY MINNEAPOLIS, MN | MULTIPLE GRANTS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES | $50,000 |
| BEAR LAKE-HAUGEN FIRE FIGHTERS INC HAUGEN, WI | MULTIPLE GRANTS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES | $35,000 |
| BEREA COLLEGE BEREA, KY | MULTIPLE GRANTS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES | $14,018 |
| BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH NORTHFIELD, MN | MULTIPLE GRANTS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES | $7,250 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE TWIN CITIES ST PAUL, MN | MULTIPLE GRANTS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES | $6,250 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GREGORY A CARLSON | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| RICHARD ESTENSON | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| ARTHUR MONAGHAN | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| BLAKE ABDELLA | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ANDY HAUSKINS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JIM WEINZETTEL | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The American Center for Philanthropy fund?
ACP's mission is to support individuals and nonprofit organizations in the transfer of social capital to meaningful and effective purposes, helping donors experience the power and joy of giving. The organization promotes philanthropy by providing effective, efficient, and flexible means for individuals to carry out their personal charitable objectives through donor-advised funds. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from The American Center for Philanthropy?
ACP made 652 grants to charitable organizations during 2024. Recent major grants include: • Northfield Shares: $2,183,949 • DAFgiving360: $2,111,600 • Central Carolina Community Foundation: $296,317 Total giving in 2024 reached $7,200,733. Typical award ranges from $5,024 to $2,183,949. The organization's primary operating program involves the administration, advisement, and directing of charitable dollars contributed by donors through its donor-advised fund structure.
Where does The American Center for Philanthropy make grants?
ACP directs grants primarily to Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida.
What size grants does The American Center for Philanthropy award?
In 2024, The American Center for Philanthropy awarded 103 grants totaling $6.8M — an average of about $66K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The American Center for Philanthropy's EIN?
The American Center for Philanthropy's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-2010078. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The American Center for Philanthropy's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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