The Birkey Family Foundation
The Birkey Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including colleges, arts organizations, community organizations, and humanitarian organizations.
Key facts about The Birkey Family Foundation
In short: The Birkey Family Foundation gave $151K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in Iowa. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 45-3956449
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $151,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- Average grant
- $10,067
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,996,303
- Primary geography
- Iowa (73% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.0M
+3.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$151K
+28.9% YoY
Grant Count
15
+200.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
-57.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Birkey Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $109K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Birkey Family Foundation gives
- 27% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 37% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 139% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Lakes Area Music Festival says it connects performers and audiences through classical music and education; the Itasca Community College Foundation says it supports students and the college; and the International Rescue Committee says it responds to humanitarian crises and helps people affected by conflict and disaster.
Other 2024 grantees describe missions that include empowering communities (Initiative Foundation), improving life in marginalized communities (Questscope), supporting displaced people (Alight), advancing racial justice and human rights (Southern Poverty Law Center), and building homes and communities (Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $151,000 through 15 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $110,000, with a median grant of $1,000. The largest listed grants were $110,000 to Coe College, $10,000 each to Heartland Symphony Orchestra and Lakes Area Music Festival, and $5,000 each to Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Itasca Community College Foundation, and United Way 1000. Other listed grants included $1,000 each to Community Presbyterian Church, Doctors Without Borders, and International Rescue Committee, and $500 each to Initiative Foundation, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Questscope.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with The Birkey Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 73% of grant dollars went to recipients in Iowa and 25% to recipients in Minnesota. The remaining reported shares were 1% to New York and 0% each to Alabama and Arkansas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $71K (2020) to $151K (2024). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $151K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Coe College ($110K). Together the top 10 received $149K.
Grant Size Distribution
32 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 28 grants of 32 (88%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA | General | $110,000 |
| Heartland Symphony Orchestra Little Falls, MN | General | $10,000 |
| Lakes Area Music Festival Brainerd, MN | General | $10,000 |
| Grand Rapids Community Foundation Grand Rapids, MN | General | $5,000 |
| Itasca Community College Foundation Grand Rapids, MN | General | $5,000 |
| United Way 1000 Grand Rapids, MN | General | $5,000 |
| Community Presbyterian Church Grand Rapids, MN | General | $1,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | General | $1,000 |
| International Rescue Committee New York, NY | General | $1,000 |
| Initiative Foundation Little Falls, MN | General | $500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $151,000 | 15 |
| 2023 | $117,100 | 5 |
| 2022 | $95,100 | 3 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,996,303 | $1,921,007 | $1,511,577 |
| Revenue | $224,295 | $535,797 | $23,979 |
| Expenses | $152,563 | $117,433 | $95,423 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $151,000 | $117,100 | $95,100 |
| Net Investment Income | $224,109 | $18,537 | $23,979 |
| Distributable Amount | $108,684 | $104,185 | $100,537 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 19, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Peter Birkey was listed as a trustee on the 2024 filing.
The Birkey Family Foundation is led by Peter Birkey, Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Peter Birkey
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 37450 Sage Road, Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Phone: (218) 999-7094
Frequently asked questions about The Birkey Family Foundation
How much does The Birkey Family Foundation give each year?
The Birkey Family Foundation gave $151K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $117K across 5 grants.
What is The Birkey Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Birkey Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $10,067, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Birkey Family Foundation give grants?
The Birkey Family Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Minnesota (25%). The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MN (4 grants), Little Falls, MN (2 grants), Brainerd, MN (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Birkey Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Birkey Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Birkey Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Birkey Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Coe College ($110,000), Heartland Symphony Orchestra ($10,000) and Lakes Area Music Festival ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 86% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Birkey Family Foundation?
The Birkey Family Foundation reported $2.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $151K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $109K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Birkey Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Birkey Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 The Birkey Family Foundation's EIN?
The Birkey Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-3956449. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Birkey Family 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.
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