The Five Wings Arts Council logo

The Five Wings Arts Council

Public charity · Grantmaker Staples, MN EIN: 41-1994039 Website

The Five Wings Arts Council is a public charity based in Staples, Minnesota. It supports arts development through grants and services for community organizations and individual artists in a five-county region and the Leech Lake Tribal community.

Key facts about The Five Wings Arts Council

In short: The Five Wings Arts Council gave $535K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), mostly in Minnesota. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
41-1994039
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$535,208
Grants made (2025)
27
Average grant
$19,823
Median grant
$15,000
New grantees (estimate)
33% first-time grantees (9 of 27, 2025)
Total assets
$48,580
Primary geography
Minnesota (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$49K

-63.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$535K

+13.3% YoY

Grant Count

27

+17.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$20K

-3.5% YoY

Is The Five Wings Arts Council open to new grantees?

33%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 9 of 27 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $21K. How we count

Medians: $11K first-time, $20K repeat.

  • 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 74% from 2022 to 2025. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 council’s stated mission is to encourage and promote arts creation, appreciation, and education through grant programs and technical assistance, enhancing quality of life for Minnesota residents in Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena counties.

Its programs support community arts activities and organizations, as well as individual artists. Community grant applicants may include eligible nonprofit organizations, public schools, and government units. The council also offers grants for arts access projects and small arts activities; its website describes the Small Grant Program as intended for a first-time arts producer or presenter, or a sudden opportunity for a previously funded applicant.

The supported organizations’ missions vary. For example, Great River Arts Association says it provides arts experiences and services to enrich lives in Morrison County and surrounding communities. Lakes Area Music Festival describes its work as connecting performers and audiences through classical music and education. Central Lakes College Foundation says it promotes student success by addressing financial barriers to higher education.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the council reported 27 grants totaling $535,208. Grants ranged from $7,000 to $40,000, with a median of $15,000. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota.

Review Cycle

of January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15. Small Grants of up to $1,000 are available to eligible arts organizations, community groups, and schools; the website states that no cash match is required. It also describes individual artist grants, including professional development and project grants, funded through McKnight Foundation awards.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The council serves Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena counties, as well as residents of the Leech Lake Tribal community. Its 2025 reported grant recipients were all in Minnesota.

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of all 27 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

States

Cities

BrainerdStaplesLittle FallsWadenaPequot LakesWalkerLong PrairieBaxterCass LakeHackensackPine RiverCrosbySwanvilleWadneaMinneapolisNew York MillsOuting

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K23 grants201921 grants202024 grants202123 grants202226 grants202323 grants202427 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $243K (2020) to $535K (2025). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $535K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Legacy Chorale: $40KLegacy Chorale$40KWadena Madhatters Community Theatre: $38KWadena Madhatters CommunityTheatre$38KCentral Lakes College Foundation: $36KCentral Lakes CollegeFoundation$36KCrossing Arts Alliance: $35KCrossing Arts Alliance$35KWalker Bay Theater: $33KWalker Bay Theater$33KGreat River Arts Association: $32KGreat River Arts Association$32KHeartland Symphony Orchestra: $30KHeartland Symphony Orchestra$30KLakes Area Music Festival: $30KLakes Area Music Festival$30KSt Francis Music Center: $30KSt Francis Music Center$30KNorth Central Economic Development: $29KNorth Central EconomicDevelopment$29K

The largest 2025 recipient was Legacy Chorale ($40K). Together the top 10 received $332K.

Grant Size Distribution

123 grants across all recorded years

123<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 123 grants of 123 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Legacy Chorale Brainerd, MNArts & Culture$40,000
Wadena Madhatters Community Theatre Wadena, MNArts & Culture$37,500
Central Lakes College Foundation Brainerd, MNArts & Culture$36,000
Crossing Arts Alliance Brainerd, MNArts & Culture$34,995
Walker Bay Theater Walker, MNArts & Culture$33,050
Great River Arts Association Little Falls, MNArts & Culture$31,842
Heartland Symphony Orchestra Little Falls, MNArts & Culture$30,000
Lakes Area Music Festival Brainerd, MNArts & Culture$30,000
St Francis Music Center Little Falls, MNArts & Culture$30,000
North Central Economic Development Staples, MNArts & Culture$28,950

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants reported
2025 $48,580 $886,972 $883,542 $535,208
2024 $132,112 $905,748 $779,594 $472,300
2023 $101,176 $632,070 $817,967 $433,894
Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$250K$500K$750K$1M2019202020212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$48,580$132,112$101,176
Revenue$886,972$905,748$632,070
Expenses$883,542$779,594$817,967
Net Investment Income$1,517$1,265$814

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 29, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 4, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 7, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 26, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 24, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 10, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 5, 2026)

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The council’s 2025 filing lists Mary Moen as president and Heidi Haugen as vice president, along with directors Sage Davis, Larry Alan Kimball, Karla Ziegler, Don Gorham, Ronald Biegnaek, Steve Hoemberg, Danniela Chavez-Rodriguez, and Don Hoffmann. The council’s website identifies Miranda Lape as executive director and states that she is accountable for state funds remitted to the council.

The Five Wings Arts Council is led by Mary Dye Moen, President since 2025 (on filings since 2023); 9 of 11 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Mary Dye Moen

    President

    Director & Secretary → Secretary, Treasurer & ', 2024

    Secretary, Treasurer & ' → President, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    $500 (2023) → $1K (2025)

  • Don Hoffmann

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    $450 (2025)

  • Karla Ziegler

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    $1K (2025)

  • Steve Hoemberg

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    $1K (2025)

  • Danniela Chavez-Rodriguez

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    $100 (2025)

  • Don Gorham

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    $150 (2025)

  • Ronald Biegnaek

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    $50 (2025)

  • Larry Alan Kimball

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sage Davis

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Heidi Haugen

    Vice President

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    $200 (2025)

  • Miranda Lape

    Executive Di

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $18K (2025)

Former officers (23)
  • Former: Mark J. Turner (2019–2024) — Executive Director
  • Former: Paul Nye (2021–2024) — President
  • Former: Amanda Nygard (2022–2024) — Director
  • Former: Susan Smith-Grier (2022–2024) — Director
  • Former: Katie Retka (2023–2024) — Director
  • Former: Wendy Degeest (2023–2024) — Director
  • Former: Cynthia Johnson (2024) — Director
  • Former: Kristi Kellog (2024) — Director
  • Former: Cheryl Bannes (2019–2023) — Director & S
  • Former: Michael Burr (2020–2023) — President
  • Former: Fred Rogers (2023) — Director
  • Former: Mike Disher (2023) — Director
  • Former: Allan Lynk (2019–2022) — Director & S
  • Former: Brigid Fitzgerald (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Chad Groetsch (2019–2022) — Director & V
  • Former: Dawn Espe (2019–2022) — Director & P
  • Former: Noelle Wygant (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Millie Engisch (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: Sue Johnson (2019–2021) — President
  • Former: Kim Bollig (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Michael Sander (2019–2020) — Vice President
  • Former: Kevin Yeager (2019) — Director
  • Former: Matt Duckett (2019) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Miranda Lape — Executive Di: $18KMiranda LapeExecutive Di$18KMary Moen — President: $1KMary MoenPresident$1KSteve Hoemberg — Director: $1KSteve HoembergDirector$1KKarla Ziegler — Director: $1KKarla ZieglerDirector$1KDon Hoffmann — Director: $450Don HoffmannDirector$450Heidi Haugen — Vice Preside: $200Heidi HaugenVice Preside$200Don Gorham — Director: $150Don GorhamDirector$150Danniela Chavez-Rodriguez — Director: $100Danniela…Director$100Ronald Biegnaek — Director: $50Ronald BiegnaekDirector$50

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $18K, to Miranda Lape (Executive Di). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Mailing address: 121 4Th St Ne PO Box 118, Staples, MN 56479
Phone: (218) 895-5660
Website: https://fwac.org

Frequently asked questions about The Five Wings Arts Council

How much does The Five Wings Arts Council give each year?

The Five Wings Arts Council gave $535K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $472K across 23 grants.

What is The Five Wings Arts Council's typical grant size?

The Five Wings Arts Council's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $19,823, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Five Wings Arts Council that year got $17K on average.

Where does The Five Wings Arts Council give grants?

The Five Wings Arts Council gives mostly in Minnesota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Brainerd, MN (6 grants), Staples, MN (5 grants), Little Falls, MN (4 grants) and Wadena, MN (3 grants).

Does The Five Wings Arts Council give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on The Five Wings Arts Council's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Arts & Culture" (27 grants).

Who are The Five Wings Arts Council's largest grantees?

The Five Wings Arts Council's largest 2025 grantees include Legacy Chorale ($40,000), Wadena Madhatters Community Theatre ($37,500) and Central Lakes College Foundation ($36,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Five Wings Arts Council?

The Five Wings Arts Council reported $49K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $887K.

What does The Five Wings Arts Council fund?

The council’s stated mission is to encourage and promote arts creation, appreciation, and education through grant programs and technical assistance, enhancing quality of life for Minnesota residents in Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena counties. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Five Wings Arts Council?

In 2025, the council reported 27 grants totaling $535,208. Grants ranged from $7,000 to $40,000, with a median of $15,000. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota.

What is The Five Wings Arts Council's EIN?

The Five Wings Arts Council's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1994039. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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