The Constellation Fund
The Constellation Fund is a 501(c)(3) philanthropic organization and grantmaking foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 2018, the organization is dedicated to combating poverty in the Twin Cities region through evidence-based grantmaking and rigorous analysis of nonprofit effectiveness. The organization employs 17 staff members and operates with a commitment to using modern analytics alongside on-the-ground insights to allocate philanthropic resources effectively.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$8.1M
+9.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.5M
-2.2% YoY
Grant Count
26
-3.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$135K
+1.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Constellation Fund's mission is to fight poverty in the Twin Cities by raising the living standards of individuals living below the poverty line in the seven-county metropolitan area. The organization describes itself as "evidence-directed, heart-driven, and community-informed."
The fund focuses on four primary impact areas:
- Education
- Employment
- Health
- Housing
The organization uses quantitative metrics alongside qualitative analysis to select grantee partners, developing metrics based on the best available evidence to project long-term quality-of-life impact and benefit-cost ratios.
Grantmaking
In fiscal year 2025, the Constellation Fund invested over $3.5 million into 26 poverty-fighting organizations across its four impact areas. Typical grant awards range from $25,000 to $400,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Constellation Fund focuses its grantmaking on the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area in Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent (2025):
- Total Assets: $8,060,983
- Total Revenue: $8,272,116
- Total Expenses: $7,558,621
- Total Giving: $3,507,086
2024:
- Total Assets: $7,35M
- Total Revenue: $5.2M
- Total Expenses: $6.51M
- Total Liabilities: $39.3k
The organization has experienced significant growth, with staff increasing by 54.5% year-over-year (adding 6 employees).
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,060,983 | $7,351,191 | $9,015,015 |
| Revenue | $8,272,116 | $5,204,924 | $6,538,143 |
| Expenses | $7,558,621 | $6,507,390 | $5,318,413 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $197,663 | $179,081 | $-6,901 |
| 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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
138 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Way to Grow ($232,086), Christian Cupboard Emergency Food Shelf ($225,000), Dougherty Family College ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ready Set Smile PA Minneapolis, MN | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Great Minnesota Schools Minneapolis, MN | General operating support | $100,000 |
| BARR Center Virginia Beach, VA | General operating support | $160,000 |
| Annex Teen Clinic Robbinsdale, MN | General operating support | $125,000 |
| Augsburg University Minneapolis, MN | Project/programmatic support for Augsburg Family Scholars | $125,000 |
| Southside Family Nurturing Center Minneapolis, MN | General operating support | $50,000 |
| Centro Tyrone Guzman Minneapolis, MN | General operating support | $125,000 |
| Dougherty Family College St Paul, MN | Project/programmatic support for student support services | $200,000 |
| EMERGE Community Development Minneapolis, MN | Project/programmatic support for career training | $100,000 |
| Teen Hope Ministries Rochester, MN | Teen HOPE and Pathways Programs | $125,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Andrew Dayton – Founder
- Saanii Hernandez – President
- Jose Diaz – Chief Impact Officer
- Allison O'Toole – Chief Growth Officer (joined October 2025)
- Matt Morton – Executive Director of the Constellation Lab (CoLab), holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford with focus on evidence-based social intervention
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Dayton | CEO/Treasurer/Secretary | 40 | — |
| Tim Welsh | Board Chairperson | 0.5 | — |
| Eric Dayton | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Wendy Nelson | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Marcia Page | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Lynne Redleaf | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Susan Bass Roberts | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Pahoua Yang Hoffman | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| John O'Neil | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Doug Baker | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Dr Fayneese Miller | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Katie Clark Sieben | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Tim Connelly | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Susan Corridoni | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Kathleen MacLennan | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Renay Dossman | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Sofia Terzic | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Saanii Hernandez | President | 40 | $178,031 |
| Matthew Morton | Executive Director | 40 | $248,173 |
| Jose Diaz PhD | Chief Economist | 40 | $133,475 |
| Chris Wentzlaff | VP of Advancement | 40 | $168,682 |
| Danyale Green | Beyond Dollars Program Director | 40 | $108,954 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Constellation Fund established a companion research entity called the Constellation Lab (CoLab) to conduct long-term research identifying the most effective poverty-fighting solutions. This research initiative was developed over more than a year in partnership with Matt Morton and focuses on collecting extensive data and conducting insightful evaluations. The research arm addresses a gap in long-term outcome data that individual nonprofits often struggle to gather independently.
Constellation's Second Annual 'CLEAN' Awards Provide Nearly $1.1 MillionThe organization's grantmaking approach has been characterized as an effort to "disrupt philanthropy" through its use of modern analytics and evidence-based decision-making in identifying and supporting high-impact nonprofit partners.
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**Organization Details:**
**EIN:** 82-4027046
**Tax-Exempt Status:** Since November 2018
**Address:** 323 Washington Ave N Ste 200, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2206
**Phone:** 612-263-1737
**Website:** www.constellationfund.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Constellation Fund fund?
The Constellation Fund's mission is to fight poverty in the Twin Cities by raising the living standards of individuals living below the poverty line in the seven-county metropolitan area. The organization describes itself as "evidence-directed, heart-driven, and community-informed." The fund focuses on four primary impact areas: • **Education** • **Employment** • **Health** • **Housing** The organization uses quantitative metrics alongside qualitative analysis to select grantee partners, develo…
How do I apply for a grant from The Constellation Fund?
In fiscal year 2025, the Constellation Fund invested over $3.5 million into 26 poverty-fighting organizations across its four impact areas. Typical grant awards range from $25,000 to $400,000. The organization supports the following nonprofits in their poverty-fighting work: • Al-Maa'uun • American Indian OIC – Takoda Institute • Annex Teen Clinic • Augsburg Family Scholars • Centro Tyrone Guzman • Children's Dental Services • CommonBond Communities – Youth & Teen Programming • Dougherty Family…
Where does The Constellation Fund make grants?
The Constellation Fund focuses its grantmaking on the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area in Minnesota.
What size grants does The Constellation Fund award?
In 2025, The Constellation Fund awarded 26 grants totaling $3.5M — an average of about $135K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Constellation Fund's EIN?
The Constellation Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-4027046. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Constellation Fund'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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