The Head Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Minnetonka, MN EIN: 20-2032551

The Head Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. In 2025, it reported 99 grants totaling $827,350, including support for arts and cultural organizations, educational institutions, and organizations providing community and human services.

Key facts about The Head Family Foundation

In short: The Head Family Foundation gave $827K across 99 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Minnesota. 12% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
20-2032551
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$827,350
Grants made (2025)
99
Average grant
$8,357
Median grant
$2,500
New grantees (estimate)
12% first-time grantees (11 of 94, 2025)
Total assets
$10,970,138
Primary geography
Minnesota (82% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 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 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$11.0M

+5.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$827K

+43.7% YoY

Grant Count

99

+8.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$8K

+32.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Head Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $528K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is The Head Family Foundation open to new grantees?

12%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 11 of 94 grantees (12%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $8K. How we count

Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.

  • 85% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 85% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 157% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied activities. For example, the Minnesota Orchestra received general support, Kenyon College received general support, and MCAD received a scholarship-fund grant.

The grantees describe their own work in different ways: The Family Partnership says its mission is to build strong families, vital communities, and a better future for children, including working with families experiencing deep poverty and trauma. The Redemption Project describes its work as eliminating recidivism through education, mentoring, support, and employment. Minnesota Public Radio says it aims to create the future of public media by amplifying voices to inform, include, and inspire. These are grantees’ missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 99 grants totaling $827,350. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $250,000, with a median of $2,500. The largest listed awards included $250,000 to the Minnesota Orchestra and $70,000 to Kenyon College, both for general support. Other listed awards included $50,000 to The Family Partnership, $50,000 and $30,000 to The Redemption Project, and $25,000 to Minnesota Public Radio.

How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota. Other listed recipient-state shares were Ohio (9%), Arizona (2%), Illinois (2%), and Massachusetts (2%). The foundation also listed a $10,000 grant to Doctors Without Borders in New York, NY.

Grant Distribution by State

12states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 99 itemized grants.

Cities

MinneapolisSaint PaulChicagoPhoenixGolden ValleyRosevilleBostonGambierWayzataWashingtonSt Louis ParkAlbert LeaApple ValleyBrooklandvilleChaskaExcelsiorMinnetonkaNew YorkSt. LouisWellesley

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$250K$500K$750K$1M115 grants2021 98 grants2022 106 grants2023 91 grants2024 99 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $447K (2022) to $827K (2025). In 2025 it made 99 grants totaling $827K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Minnesota Orchestra: $250KMinnesota Orchestra$250KThe Redemption Project: $80K across 2 grantsThe Redemption Project$80K · 2 grantsKenyon College: $70KKenyon College$70KThe Family Partnership: $50KThe Family Partnership$50KMinnesota Public Radio: $30K across 2 grantsMinnesota Public Radio$30K · 2 grantsHeard Museum: $15KHeard Museum$15KMcAd (Minneapolis College of Art and Design): $15KMcAd (Minneapolis College ofArt and Design)$15KMinnesota Children's Press (Anne Brataas Project): $15KMinnesota Children's Press(Anne Brataas Project)$15KBreck School: $10KBreck School$10KCatholic Charities: $10KCatholic Charities$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Minnesota Orchestra ($250K). Together the top 10 received $545K.

Grant Size Distribution

509 grants across all recorded years

499<$50K9$50–100K$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 499 grants of 509 (98%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Minnesota Orchestra Minneapolis, MNGeneral Support$250,000
Kenyon College Gambier, OHGeneral Support$70,000
The Family Partnership Minneapolis, MNGeneral Support$50,000
The Redemption Project Waseca, MNGeneral Support$50,000
The Redemption Project Waseca, MNGeneral Support$30,000
Minnesota Public Radio St. Paul, MNGeneral Support$25,000
Heard Museum Phoenix, AZBest of show sponsorship and best of classification ribbon sponsorship$15,000
McAd (Minneapolis College of Art and Design) Minneapolis, MNScholarship Fund$15,000
Minnesota Children's Press (Anne Brataas Project) Grand Marais, MNGeneral Support$15,000
Breck School Golden Valley, MNGeneral Support$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants Grant count
2025 $10,970,138 $657,490 $870,961 $827,350 99
2024 $10,373,162 $191,169 $621,135 $575,680 91
2023 $9,558,650 $358,095 $614,975 $559,087 106
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$250K$500K$750K$1M2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$10,970,138$10,373,162$9,558,650
Revenue$657,490$191,169$358,095
Expenses$870,961$621,135$614,975
Qualifying Distributions$831,127$579,615$563,540
Net Investment Income$617,681$151,149$321,756
Distributable Amount$528,288$480,375$438,674

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Christopher Kirwan as director, Martha M Head as president, Martha E H Kirwan as secretary, and Virginia R Head as treasurer.

The Head Family Foundation is led by Martha M. Head, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Martha M. Head

    President

    On filings since 2021

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christopher Kirwan

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Martha E. H. Kirwan

    Secretary

    On filings since 2021

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Virginia R. Head

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2021

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 11100 Wayzata Blvd 230, Minnetonka, MN 55305
Phone: (952) 681-2891

Frequently asked questions about The Head Family Foundation

How much does The Head Family Foundation give each year?

The Head Family Foundation gave $827K across 99 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $576K across 91 grants.

What is The Head Family Foundation's typical grant size?

The Head Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $8,357, across 99 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Head Family Foundation that year got $14K on average.

Where does The Head Family Foundation give grants?

The Head Family Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Ohio (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (44 grants), Saint Paul, MN (16 grants), Chicago, IL (7 grants) and Phoenix, AZ (3 grants).

Does The Head Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 82% of The Head Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (81 of 99) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Contributions" (4 grants).

Who are The Head Family Foundation's largest grantees?

The Head Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Minnesota Orchestra ($250,000), The Redemption Project ($80,000 across 2 grants) and Kenyon College ($70,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Head Family Foundation?

The Head Family Foundation reported $11.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $831K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $528K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does The Head Family Foundation fund?

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied activities. For example, the Minnesota Orchestra received general support, Kenyon College received general support, and MCAD received a scholarship-fund grant. See mission & focus areas ↑

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

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is The Head Family Foundation's EIN?

The Head Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2032551. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Does The Head Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

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

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