The BWBR Foundation
The BWBR Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in St Paul, MN. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $913K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 71 grants totaling $64K. Net investment income was $83K.
Key facts about The BWBR Foundation
- EIN
- 26-1280877
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $63,617
- Grants made (2024)
- 71
- Average grant
- $896
- Median grant
- $1,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (17 of 71, 2024)
- Total assets
- $912,816
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (52% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated April 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The BWBR Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The BWBR Foundation's 71 itemized 2024 grants were Minnesota (52%), Wisconsin (25%) and Nebraska (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were St Paul, MN (12 grants), Minneapolis, MN (10 grants), Madison, WI (8 grants) and Milwaukee, WI (3 grants). 97% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The BWBR Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 17 of 71 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $835; repeat grants $915. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 68% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+16%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 115% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The BWBR Foundation
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$913K
+3.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$64K
-3.9% YoY
Grant Count
71
+14.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$896.014
-16.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The BWBR Foundation reported a distributable amount of $57K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About The BWBR Foundation
Based on IRS filings
The BWBR Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in St Paul, MN. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $913K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 71 grants totaling $64K. Net investment income was $83K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 71 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $912,816 | $880,636 | $831,312 |
| Revenue | $115,580 | $127,098 | $119,369 |
| Expenses | $83,900 | $79,774 | $76,106 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $65,369 | $66,566 | $62,762 |
| Net Investment Income | $82,544 | $6,471 | $3,129 |
| Distributable Amount | $57,026 | $48,297 | $43,331 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
272 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Canvas Health Inc ($2,000), University of MN Foundation ($2,000), Carleton College ($1,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CANVAS HEALTH INC Oakdale, MN | GENERAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $2,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MN FOUNDATION Minneapolis, MN | GENERAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $2,000 |
| CARLETON COLLEGE Northfield, MN | GENERAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $1,500 |
| HEARTS AND HAMMERS - TWIN CITIES INC Roseville, MN | GENERAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $1,167 |
| ACE MADISON Milwaukee, WI | GENERAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $1,000 |
| ACE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM OF THE TWIN CITIES INC Minneapolis, MN | GENERAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $1,000 |
| ALLINA HEALTH FOUNDATION Minneapolis, MN | GENERAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $1,000 |
| ARCHITECTURAL FOUNDATION OF NEBRASKA Lincoln, NE | GENERAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $1,000 |
| AURORA HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION Milwaukee, WI | GENERAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $1,000 |
| AVERA HEALTH FOUNDATION Sioux Falls, SD | GENERAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greg Fenton | President | 0.5 | — |
| Ryan Johansen | Secretary | 0.5 | — |
| Rebekah Erler | Treasurer | 0.5 | — |
| Steve Erickson | Director | 0.5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The BWBR Foundation?
The BWBR Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in St Paul, MN. It holds $913K in total assets as of 2024.
How large is The BWBR Foundation?
As of 2024, The BWBR Foundation holds $913K in total assets with $116K in annual revenue. It awarded 71 grants totaling $64K in 2024.
Where does The BWBR Foundation operate?
The BWBR Foundation has awarded grants in District of Columbia, Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin.
What size grants does The BWBR Foundation award?
In 2024, The BWBR Foundation awarded 71 grants totaling $64K — an average of about $896.014 per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The BWBR Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The BWBR Foundation reported a distributable amount of $57K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The BWBR Foundation's EIN?
The BWBR Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1280877. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.