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The Carter Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Wayzata, MN EIN: 20-3311749 Website

The Carter Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wayzata, Minnesota. Its stated mission is to preserve and promote people’s God-given rights through education, rescue and rehabilitation, child protection, evangelism and missions.

Key facts about The Carter Family Foundation

In short: The Carter Family Foundation gave $923K across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $34K), mostly in Minnesota. 56% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
20-3311749
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$923,472
Grants made (2024)
27
Average grant
$34,203
Median grant
$2,486
New grantees (estimate)
56% first-time grantees (15 of 27, 2024)
Total assets
$12,586,814
Primary geography
Minnesota (90% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
How to apply
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… Full details ↓
Deadline
None.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$12.6M

-0.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$923K

-20.3% YoY

Grant Count

27

-43.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$34K

+41.7% YoY

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.

Is The Carter Family Foundation open to new grantees?

56%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 15 of 27 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $33K; repeat grants $36K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $2K 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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation describes its vision as living as ambassadors of God’s grace in local communities, America and the world. Its mission fields include advancing a Biblical worldview and critical thinking; rescuing and restoring people affected by human trafficking, sexual exploitation and religious persecution; supporting first responders, veterans and Gold Star families; and supporting children, mothers in crisis, orphans and adoption into families.

Its 2024 grantees represent a range of activities. For example, the Kirsch Foundation describes its mission as funding initiatives to save lives, including evaluating medical interventions. Aerial Recovery says it works in disaster relief, anti-human trafficking, animal rescue and humanitarian aid. Young Life describes a ministry focused on introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ, while Charity Classic says it facilitates golf for young women in southwest Kansas.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $923,472. Awards ranged from $32 to $455,000, with a median grant of $2,486. Its largest reported grants included $455,000 to Minneapolis Foundation, $260,000 to Metropolitan State University Foundation to support natural-science students, and $95,288 to Westminster Church. Other notable grants included $52,575 to the Kirsch Foundation, $10,000 each to CCH Freedom and Saidiana, and $7,680 to Mighty Cause Charitable Foundation.

Review Cycle

None.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota. California received 6%, and Nebraska, Florida and Texas each received 1%.

Grant Distribution by State

34states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.

Cities

MinneapolisSaint PaulWashingtonNew YorkPark RapidsBig SkyEdinaRosevilleGallatin GatewayPlymouthCoon RapidsNorth Fort MyersPeachtree CitySugar LandAustinClearwaterCoeur d'AleneFinlandHoustonMountain View

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M52 grants2020 54 grants2021 48 grants2022 48 grants2023 27 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $923K (2024) to $1.5M (2021). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $923K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Minneapolis Foundaton: $455KMinneapolis Foundaton$455KMetropolitan State University Foundation: $260KMetropolitan State UniversityFoundation$260KWestminster Church: $95KWestminster Church$95KThe Kirsch Foundation: $53KThe Kirsch Foundation$53KCCH Freedom: $10KCCH Freedom$10KSaidiana: $10KSaidiana$10KMighty Cause Charitable Foundation: $8KMighty Cause CharitableFoundation$8KCCA Captiva: $5KCCA Captiva$5KCharity Classic: $3KCharity Classic$3KInformed Consent Network: $3KInformed Consent Network$3K

The largest 2024 recipient was Minneapolis Foundaton ($455K). Together the top 10 received $901K.

Grant Size Distribution

229 grants across all recorded years

199<$50K10$50–100K10$100–250K10$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 199 grants of 229 (87%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Minneapolis Foundaton Minneapolis, MNTo support the Organization's mission.$455,000
Metropolitan State University Foundation St. Paul, MNTo support students in natural science at Metropolitan State Universtiy.$260,000
Westminster Church Minneapolis, MNTo support the Organization's mission.$95,288
The Kirsch Foundation Mountain View, CATo support the Organization's mission.$52,575
CCH Freedom St. Paul, MNTo support the Organizaiton's mission.$10,000
Saidiana Edina, MNTo support the Organization's mission.$10,000
Mighty Cause Charitable Foundation Whiteclay, NETo support the Organization's mission.$7,680
CCA Captiva Captiva, FLTo support the Organziation's mission.$4,686
Charity Classic Urbandale, INTo support the Organization's mission.$3,000
Informed Consent Network Austin, TXTo support the Organization's mission.$2,610

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $12,586,814 $3,190,585 $1,047,205 $923,472
2023 $12,639,625 $294,051 $1,236,593 $1,158,694
2022 $12,396,198 $1,070,064 $1,434,453 $1,372,233
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M$8M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$12,586,814$12,639,625$12,396,198
Revenue$3,190,585$294,051$1,070,064
Expenses$1,047,205$1,236,593$1,434,453
Qualifying Distributions$925,281$1,164,327$1,376,591
Net Investment Income$2,992,370$221,780$152,659
Distributable Amount$136,318$646,471$320,839

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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.

Contact

Application contact: Carter Family Foundation
Mailing address: 130 Spur Circle, Wayzata, MN 55391
Phone: (612) 868-7745
Website: https://carterfamily.foundation

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 $33K 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) and St. Paul, 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), Metropolitan State University Foundation ($260,000) and Westminster Church ($95,288), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 88% 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 foundation describes its vision as living as ambassadors of God’s grace in local communities, America and the world. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Carter Family Foundation?

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… 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 September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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