The Musser Fund
The Laura Jane Musser Fund is a private foundation established in 1990 by the estate of Laura Musser of Little Falls, Minnesota. The foundation is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and operates as a 501(c)(3) organization. It was created to continue the personal philanthropy practiced by Laura Musser during her lifetime.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$905K
-7.0% YoY
Grant Count
90
+13.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
-18.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund's primary areas of interest include:
- Community-based approaches to solving environmental problems — Supporting projects that enhance ecological integrity and promote use of publicly-owned open spaces
- Smaller participatory arts programs — Assisting nonprofit arts organizations to develop, implement, or sustain exceptional artistic opportunities for adults and children
- Securing intercultural harmony — Promoting mutual understanding and cooperation between groups and citizens of different cultural backgrounds
- Developing leadership in rural communities — Encouraging collaborative and participatory efforts among citizens to strengthen towns and regions
- Little Falls community support — Supporting nonprofit organizations in Little Falls and Morrison County, Minnesota to develop and maintain strong, vibrant, and healthy communities
The foundation does not fund advocacy work.
Grantmaking
The fund operates five distinct grant initiatives:
Review Cycle
vary by initiative:
How to Apply
Applicants submit online proposals through the fund's online granting system. Application deadlines vary by initiative:
Ready to take the next step with The Musser Fund?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund primarily serves:
- Colorado
- Hawaii
- Minnesota (with special emphasis on Little Falls and Morrison County)
- Wyoming
- Limited counties in North Carolina — Eligible mountain region counties include: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Clay, Cherokee, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey
Note: Geographic preferences do not apply to projects submitted under the Intercultural Harmony or Environmental Initiative.
For the Rural Initiative, applicant communities must have a population of 10,000 or less and demonstrate rural characteristics.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $17,358,510
- Total Revenue: $1,206,548
- Total Expenses: $1,495,377
- Annual Giving: Approximately $700,000–$812,543
- Number of Employees: 1
The foundation has zero liabilities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from The Musser Fund
Environmental Initiative - Implementation Grant Program
THE MUSSER FUND
Amount
Up to US $35,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Environmental Initiative- Planning Grants
THE MUSSER FUND
Amount
Up to US $8,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Intercultural Harmony Initiative Grant
THE MUSSER FUND
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Mary Karen Lynn-Klimenko — Grants Program Manager
- U.S. Bank N.A. — Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOPHIA WALKER | DIRECTOR | 2 | $10,000 |
| JANE TAYLOR | DIRECTOR | 2 | $10,000 |
| HILERY LINDMIER | DIRECTOR | 2 | $10,000 |
| SUZANNE DUKE | DIRECTOR | 2 | $10,000 |
| SARAH GADD | DIRECTOR | 2 | $10,000 |
| WILLIAM BULLOCK JR | DIRECTOR | 2 | $10,000 |
| SABRINA WATKINS | DIRECTOR | 2 | $10,000 |
| US BANK NA | TRUSTEE | 1 | $168,072 |
| ANNIE BRIGGS | DIRECTOR | 2 | $10,000 |
Contact Information
- Website: www.musserfund.org
- Phone: 651-466-8710 or 612-825-2024
- Mailing Address: PO Box 634, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0634
- EIN: 41-6334475
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Musser Fund on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities