The Janice Gardner Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Minneapolis, MN EIN: 41-1603464

The Janice Gardner Foundation is a private foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its 2024 IRS filing is marked as the organization’s final return, indicating that it has terminated or is winding down and may no longer be making grants.

Key facts about The Janice Gardner Foundation

In short: The Janice Gardner Foundation gave $1.1M across 23 grants in 2024 (avg $50K), mostly in Minnesota. 35% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
41-1603464
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$1,144,430
Grants made (2024)
23
Average grant
$49,758
Median grant
$50,000
New grantees (estimate)
35% first-time grantees (8 of 23, 2024)
Primary geography
Minnesota (90% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
Yes
How to apply
The 2024 filing says the foundation accepts unsolicited requests: any qualified 501(c)(3) organization may apply. Full details ↓

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

—

Annual Giving

$1.1M

+229.3% YoY

Grant Count

23

-8.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$50K

+258.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Janice Gardner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $30K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is The Janice Gardner Foundation open to new grantees?

35%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 8 of 23 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $30K; repeat grants $61K. How we count

Medians: $30K first-time, $50K repeat.

  • 65% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 722% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out well above 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

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Jack’s Caregiver Coalition describes its mission as improving how men think, feel, and act through their caregiving journeys. Canvas Health says it aims to be a recognized leader in community mental health, while Washburn Center for Children describes providing therapeutic services to support children’s social, emotional, or behavioral development.

Other 2024 grantees describe work that includes empowering people impacted by disabilities (Wingspan Life Resources), working to end hunger in Minnesota (Hunger Solutions Minnesota), serving neighbors through meals, housing, and supportive services (Union Gospel Mission Duluth), fostering hope and post-traumatic growth for veterans (Every Third Saturday), and helping people live independently through meals and human connection (Metro Meals on Wheels).

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation awarded 23 grants totaling $1,144,430. Grant amounts ranged from $2,430 to $250,000, with a median of $50,000. Notable awards included $250,000 to Hope Interfaith Center for general operations, $75,000 to Jack’s Caregiver Coalition for general operating support, and $54,000 to Beacon Interfaith for general operations. Other $50,000 awards included grants to Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Barren Heights, CANDO Canines, Loaves & Fishes, Waycross Evangelical Church, Wingspan Life Resources, Youth Farm, Washburn Center for Children, and Canvas Health.

Review Cycle

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 6% to recipients in Kentucky, and 4% to recipients in Pennsylvania.

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.

Cities

MinneapolisSaint PaulMankatoNew HopeEdinaLouisvilleRockportSt Louis ParkValenciaWinchesterBloomingtonTriangleOakdaleWynnewoodAlbanyFridleyLakevilleMendota HeightsMinnetonkaNuckhorn

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M18 grants2020 19 grants2021 20 grants2022 25 grants2023 23 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $138K (2020) to $1.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 23 grants totaling $1.1M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Hope Interfaith Center: $250KHope Interfaith Center$250KJack's Caregiver Coalition: $75KJack's Caregiver Coalition$75KBeacon Interfaith: $54KBeacon Interfaith$54KAlex's Lemonade Stand: $50KAlex's Lemonade Stand$50KBarren Heights: $50KBarren Heights$50KCando Canines: $50KCando Canines$50KLoaves & Fishes: $50KLoaves & Fishes$50KWaycross Evangelical Church: $50KWaycross Evangelical Church$50KWingspan Life Resources: $50KWingspan Life Resources$50KYouth Farm: $50KYouth Farm$50K

The largest 2024 recipient was Hope Interfaith Center ($250K). Together the top 10 received $729K.

Grant Size Distribution

105 grants across all recorded years

92<$50K12$50–100K$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 92 grants of 105 (88%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Hope Interfaith Center Mankato, MNGeneral Operations$250,000
Jack's Caregiver Coalition Minneapolis, MNGeneral Operating$75,000
Beacon Interfaith Saint Paul, MNGeneral Operations$54,000
Alex's Lemonade Stand Wynnewood, PAGeneral Operations$50,000
Barren Heights Louisville, KYGeneral Operating$50,000
Cando Canines New Hope, MNGeneral Operating$50,000
Loaves & Fishes Minneapolis, MNGeneral Operations$50,000
Waycross Evangelical Church Minneapolis, MNGeneral Operations$50,000
Wingspan Life Resources St. Paul, MNGeneral Operations$50,000
Youth Farm Minneapolis, MNGeneral Operations$50,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grant total Number of grants
2024 $1,144,430 23
2023 $347,500 25
2022 $140,200 20
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$500K$1M$1.5M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets—$886,455$1,192,282
Revenue$281,426$65,560$-150,958
Expenses$1,167,881$371,387$166,438
Qualifying Distributions$1,153,965$354,277$146,638
Net Investment Income$267,510$48,475$12,472
Distributable Amount$30,425$64,364$74,540

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 6, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Elizabeth Glaeser as director, Penelope Tower as director and secretary, and Barbara Illies as director, president, and treasurer.

The Janice Gardner Foundation is led by Barbara Illies, Director, President & Treasurer since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Barbara Illies

    Director, President & Treasurer

    Director, Secretary & Treasurer → Director, President & Treasurer, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    $7K (2020) → $8K (2024)

  • Penelope Tower

    Director & Secretary

    Director → Director & Secretary, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Elizabeth Glaeser

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: George W. Gardner (2020–2021) — Director & President

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Barbara Illies — Director / President/Treasurer: $8KBarbara IlliesDirector / President/Treasurer$8K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $8K, to Barbara Illies (Director / President/Treasurer).

Contact

Application contact: Barbara Illies
Mailing address: 7995 Afton Road Apt 109, Woodbury, MN 55125
Phone: (612) 865-8158
Email: jbfl@aol.com

Frequently asked questions about The Janice Gardner Foundation

How much does The Janice Gardner Foundation give each year?

The Janice Gardner Foundation gave $1.1M across 23 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $348K across 25 grants.

What is The Janice Gardner Foundation's typical grant size?

The Janice Gardner Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $49,758, across 23 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Janice Gardner Foundation that year got $30K on average.

Where does The Janice Gardner Foundation give grants?

The Janice Gardner 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 Kentucky (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (9 grants), Saint Paul, MN (5 grants) and Oakdale, MN (2 grants).

Does The Janice Gardner Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of The Janice Gardner Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (23 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The Janice Gardner Foundation's largest grantees?

The Janice Gardner Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Hope Interfaith Center ($250,000), Jack's Caregiver Coalition ($75,000) and Beacon Interfaith ($54,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

What does The Janice Gardner Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Jack’s Caregiver Coalition describes its mission as improving how men think, feel, and act through their caregiving journeys. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Janice Gardner Foundation?

The 2024 filing says the foundation accepts unsolicited requests: any qualified 501(c)(3) organization may apply. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

How much is The Janice Gardner Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Janice Gardner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $30K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Janice Gardner Foundation's EIN?

The Janice Gardner Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1603464. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does The Janice Gardner Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

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

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