The Janice Gardner Foundation
The Janice Gardner Foundation is a private foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its 2024 filing is marked as a final return, so the foundation appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
The Janice Gardner Foundation at a glance
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.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,144,430
- +229.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 23
- -8.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $49,758
- +258.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (8 of 23, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (90% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Janice Gardner Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and that any qualified 501(c)(3) organization may apply. It instructs applicants to contact Barbara Illies with a letter describing the organization and proof of 501(c)(3) status. The filing reports no deadline. These instructions are from a filing marked as the foundation’s final return and should not be treated as current.
- Contact
Application contact: Barbara Illies
Mailing address: 7995 Afton Road Apt 109, Woodbury, MN 55125
Phone: (612) 865-8158
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Janice Gardner Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Hope Interfaith Center ($250K). Together the top 10 received $729K.
Grant Size Distribution
105 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 92 grants of 105 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Minnesota organizations received 90% of grant dollars, Kentucky organizations received 6%, and Pennsylvania organizations received 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
Cities
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. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $138K (2020) to $1.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 23 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hope Interfaith Center Mankato, MN | General Operations | $250,000 |
| Jack's Caregiver Coalition Minneapolis, MN | General Operating | $75,000 |
| Beacon Interfaith Saint Paul, MN | General Operations | $54,000 |
| Alex's Lemonade Stand Wynnewood, PA | General Operations | $50,000 |
| Barren Heights Louisville, KY | General Operating | $50,000 |
| Cando Canines New Hope, MN | General Operating | $50,000 |
| Loaves & Fishes Minneapolis, MN | General Operations | $50,000 |
| Waycross Evangelical Church Minneapolis, MN | General Operations | $50,000 |
| Wingspan Life Resources St. Paul, MN | General Operations | $50,000 |
| Youth Farm Minneapolis, MN | General Operations | $50,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Grant counts were 23 in 2024, 25 in 2023, and 20 in 2022.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | $281,426 | $1,167,881 | $1,144,430 | 23 | $1,153,965 | $267,510 | $30,425 |
| 2023 | $886,455 | $65,560 | $371,387 | $347,500 | 25 | $354,277 | $48,475 | $64,364 |
| 2022 | $1,192,282 | $-150,958 | $166,438 | $140,200 | 20 | $146,638 | $12,472 | $74,540 |
| 2021 | $1,509,678 | $101,912 | $176,304 | $139,200 | 19 | $145,760 | $80,552 | $89,658 |
| 2020 | $1,584,070 | $620,390 | $163,273 | $137,800 | 18 | — | $601,320 | $71,711 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working in varied fields. For example, Jack’s Caregiver Coalition describes its mission as “improving the way guys think, feel, and act through every phase of their caregiving journey.” Washburn Center for Children says it diagnoses and treats children experiencing social, emotional, or behavioral challenges, while Canvas Health describes its work as community mental health care.
Other 2024 grantees describe work that includes empowering people with disabilities to live their best lives (Wingspan Life Resources), supporting food programs and hunger-relief advocacy in Minnesota (Hunger Solutions Minnesota), and fostering hope and post-traumatic growth for veterans (Every Third Saturday).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 23 grants totaling $1,144,430. Grants ranged from $2,430 to $250,000, with a median grant of $50,000. The largest grant listed was $250,000 to Hope Interfaith Center in Mankato, Minnesota, for general operations. Other notable grants included $75,000 to Jack’s Caregiver Coalition and $54,000 to Beacon Interfaith, both for general operations; and $50,000 each to Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Barren Heights, and several Minnesota organizations.
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $8K, to Barbara Illies (Director / President/Treasurer).
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 included support for organizations working in varied fields. For example, Jack’s Caregiver Coalition describes its mission as “improving the way guys think, feel, and act through every phase of their caregiving journey.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Janice Gardner Foundation?
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and that 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.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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