The John Gale Memorial Foundation
The John Gale Memorial Foundation is a private foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its 2025 filing reports 15 grants totaling $420,280 to charitable organizations; the foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
The John Gale Memorial Foundation at a glance
In short: The John Gale Memorial Foundation gave $420K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $28K), top state Wisconsin. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $420,280
- +460.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +114.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $28,019
- +161.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,730
- Total assets
- $6,396,213
- +5.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (48% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The John Gale Memorial Foundation
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: 150 South Fifth Street 1330, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: (612) 305-7533
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The John Gale Memorial Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Minneapolis Foundation ($140K). Together the top 10 received $357K.
Grant Size Distribution
22 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 19 grants of 22 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in Wisconsin (48%), Minnesota (42%), Connecticut (4%), Washington, DC (3%), and New York (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
How The John Gale Memorial Foundation gives
- 40% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 78% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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 2024 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $75K (2024) to $420K (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $420K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Minneapolis Foundation Minneapolis, MN | General Support | $140,125 |
| Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc Milwaukee, WI | General Support | $65,125 |
| Future Urban Leaders Brookfield, WI | General Support | $60,000 |
| Americares Foundation Inc Stamford, CT | General Support | $15,000 |
| Green America Washington, DC | General Support | $12,730 |
| Landmark Conservancy Inc Menomonie, WI | General Support | $12,730 |
| Mabel Tainter Literary Library & Educational Society Inc DBA Mabel Theater Menomonie, WI | General Support | $12,730 |
| Minnesota Public Radio American Public Media St. Paul, MN | General Support | $12,730 |
| Minnesota State Fair Foundation St. Paul, MN | General Support | $12,730 |
| Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc New York, NY | General Support | $12,730 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,396,213 | $844,015 | $501,761 | $420,280 | 15 | $423,883 | $776,137 | $544,211 |
| 2024 | $6,049,452 | $6,202,457 | $153,005 | $75,000 | 7 | $77,200 | $906,822 | $497,480 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John Gale Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $544K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for community foundations, youth education, public media, reproductive health, food and shelter services, domestic violence and sexual assault services, and sustainable agriculture. These are descriptions of grantees’ work, not stated focus areas of the foundation.
For example, The Minneapolis Foundation describes its mission as addressing civic, social, and economic needs through nonprofit partnerships, grantmaking, research, advocacy, and donor services. Future Urban Leaders says it works to help Milwaukee’s urban youth grow and succeed through learning experiences and access to opportunities. Stepping Stones of Dunn County describes its work as providing food, shelter, and support to strengthen the Dunn County community; The Bridge to Hope says it supports victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault and works to educate the community to end violence.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $420,280. Grant amounts ranged from $12,730 to $140,125, with a median of $12,730. The largest grants listed were $140,125 to The Minneapolis Foundation, $65,125 to Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and $60,000 to Future Urban Leaders. The listed purposes for these grants were general support.
Other 2025 recipients included Americares Foundation ($15,000), Green America ($12,730), Landmark Conservancy ($12,730), Mabel Tainter Literary Library & Educational Society ($12,730), Minnesota Public Radio American Public Media ($12,730), Minnesota State Fair Foundation ($12,730), Planned Parenthood Federation of America ($12,730), Stepping Stones of Dunn County ($12,730), and The Bridge to Hope ($12,730).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James Gale as president, Sarah Gale as secretary/treasurer, and Mary Gale as director.
The John Gale Memorial Foundation is led by James Gale, President on every filing since 2023; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James Gale
President
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Gale
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Gale
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The John Gale Memorial Foundation
How much does The John Gale Memorial Foundation give each year?
The John Gale Memorial Foundation gave $420K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $75K across 7 grants.
What is The John Gale Memorial Foundation's typical grant size?
The John Gale Memorial Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $12,730, and its average grant was $28,019, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The John Gale Memorial Foundation give grants?
The John Gale Memorial Foundation's top state is Wisconsin, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was Minnesota (42%). The most frequent recipient cities were Menomonie, WI (4 grants) and St. Paul, MN (3 grants).
Does The John Gale Memorial Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The John Gale Memorial Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The John Gale Memorial Foundation's largest grantees?
The John Gale Memorial Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Minneapolis Foundation ($140,125), Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc ($65,125) and Future Urban Leaders ($60,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The John Gale Memorial Foundation?
The John Gale Memorial Foundation reported $6.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $424K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $544K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The John Gale Memorial Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for community foundations, youth education, public media, reproductive health, food and shelter services, domestic violence and sexual assault services, and sustainable agriculture. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The John Gale Memorial 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 John Gale Memorial Foundation's EIN?
The John Gale Memorial Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 93-3211728. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2025.
Does The John Gale Memorial 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.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 22, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2023–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The John Gale Memorial Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The John Gale Memorial Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-gale-memorial-foundation-morg_53dfd0d7c5484b96b70bafdc4384fa38
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_933211728_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The John Gale Memorial Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-gale-memorial-foundation-morg_53dfd0d7c5484b96b70bafdc4384fa38},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The John Gale Memorial Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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