The Carter Family Foundation
The Carter Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wayzata, Minnesota. It made 27 grants totaling $923,472 in filing year 2024, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Minnesota.
The Carter Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Carter Family Foundation gave $923K across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $34K), mostly in Minnesota. 52% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $923,472
- -20.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 27
- -43.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $34,203
- +41.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,486
- Total assets
- $12,586,814
- -0.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 52% first-time grantees (14 of 27, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (90% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Carter Family Foundation
- How to Apply
The filing says applicants should review the foundation’s mission statement and submit a letter of interest describing the program’s focus, how it aligns with the foundation’s goals, and the amount and specific use of…
The filing says applicants should review the foundation’s mission statement and submit a letter of interest describing the program’s focus, how it aligns with the foundation’s goals, and the amount and specific use of the requested grant. The foundation says it will notify applicants within three weeks if it is willing to review a full proposal. Awards must be consistent with the foundation’s mission statement.
- Contact
Application contact: Carter Family Foundation
Mailing address: 130 Spur Circle, Wayzata, MN 55391
Phone: (612) 868-7745
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Carter Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Minneapolis Foundaton ($455K). Together the top 10 received $643K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($260,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
229 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 199 grants of 229 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota. The remaining reported shares went to California (6%), Nebraska (1%), Florida (1%), and Texas (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Carter Family Foundation open to new grantees?
52%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 27 grantees (52%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $68K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 33% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 39% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 679% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $923K (2024) to $1.5M (2021). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $923K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis Foundaton Minneapolis, MN | To support the Organization's mission. | $455,000 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $260,000 |
| Westminster Church Minneapolis, MN | To support the Organization's mission. | $95,288 |
| The Kirsch Foundation Mountain View, CA | To support the Organization's mission. | $52,575 |
| CCH Freedom St. Paul, MN | To support the Organizaiton's mission. | $10,000 |
| Saidiana Edina, MN | To support the Organization's mission. | $10,000 |
| Mighty Cause Charitable Foundation Whiteclay, NE | To support the Organization's mission. | $7,680 |
| CCA Captiva Captiva, FL | To support the Organziation's mission. | $4,686 |
| Charity Classic Urbandale, IN | To support the Organization's mission. | $3,000 |
| Informed Consent Network Austin, TX | To support the Organization's mission. | $2,610 |
Ready to take the next step with The Carter Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,586,814 | $3,190,585 | $1,047,205 | $923,472 | 27 | $925,281 | $2,992,370 | $136,318 |
| 2023 | $12,639,625 | $294,051 | $1,236,593 | $1,158,694 | 48 | $1,164,327 | $221,780 | $646,471 |
| 2022 | $12,396,198 | $1,070,064 | $1,434,453 | $1,372,233 | 48 | $1,376,591 | $152,659 | $320,839 |
| 2021 | $14,446,133 | $5,157,041 | $1,574,684 | $1,519,413 | 54 | $1,521,228 | $217,011 | $304,691 |
| 2020 | $9,964,582 | $5,546,034 | $1,329,808 | $1,288,569 | 52 | — | $142,071 | $254,041 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Carter Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $136K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The filing does not state a mission. Its grants show support for education and natural science, among other work. For example, the Metropolitan State University Foundation received $260,000 to support students in natural science at Metropolitan State University. The university foundation describes its own mission as generating public and private support and awareness for the university.
Other supported organizations describe varied missions. The Kirsch Foundation, which received $52,575, says its purpose is to save lives by providing resources to evaluate medical interventions, including those related to COVID-19. Aerial Recovery, which received $2,505, describes work in disaster relief, anti-human trafficking, animal rescue, and humanitarian aid. Big Sky Community Organization, which received $2,500, says it provides recreational programs, outdoor spaces, and community partnerships in Big Sky.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $923,472. Individual grants ranged from $32 to $455,000, with a median of $2,486. The largest awards included $455,000 to Minneapolis Foundation, $260,000 to Metropolitan State University Foundation, $95,288 to Westminster Church, and $52,575 to The Kirsch Foundation. The filing describes the first, third, and fourth grants as supporting the recipient organization’s mission; the Metropolitan State University Foundation grant was for natural-science students.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Diana Clarke-Carter as Director and Chief Executive Officer, Robert Lowell Carter as Director and Officer, and Alison Clarke Carter Brown as Director and Executive Director.
The Carter Family Foundation is led by Diana Clarke-Carter, Director & Chief Executive Officer since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Diana Clarke-Carter
Director & Chief Executive Officer
Director & Chief Executive → Director & Chief Executive Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alison Clarke Carter Brown
Director & Executive Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Lowell Carter
Director & Officer
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/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.
Frequently asked questions about The Carter Family Foundation
How much does The Carter Family Foundation give each year?
The Carter Family Foundation gave $923K across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 48 grants.
What is The Carter Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Carter Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,486, and its average grant was $34,203, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Carter Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Carter Family Foundation give grants?
The Carter Family Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (2 grants).
Does The Carter Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on The Carter Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To support the Organization's mission." (22 grants) and "To support the Organizaiton's mission." (3 grants).
Who are The Carter Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Carter Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Minneapolis Foundaton ($455,000), Westminster Church ($95,288) and The Kirsch Foundation ($52,575), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($260,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Carter Family Foundation?
The Carter Family Foundation reported $12.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $925K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $136K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Carter Family Foundation fund?
The filing does not state a mission. Its grants show support for education and natural science, among other work. For example, the Metropolitan State University Foundation received $260,000 to support students in natural science at Metropolitan State University. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Carter Family Foundation?
The filing says applicants should review the foundation’s mission statement and submit a letter of interest describing the program’s focus, how it aligns with the foundation’s goals, and the amount and specific use of… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Carter Family Foundation's EIN?
The Carter Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3311749. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Carter Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Carter Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-carter-family-foundation-morg_c000398bb77a451fb61a0b81b6d9fd8d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_203311749_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Carter Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-carter-family-foundation-morg_c000398bb77a451fb61a0b81b6d9fd8d},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Carter Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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