The Oak Foundation
The Oak Foundation is a private foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2024, it reported 19 grants totaling $137,500 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in end-of-life care, support for families with critically ill children, horse rescue, and environmental protection.
The Oak Foundation at a glance
In short: The Oak Foundation gave $138K across 19 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), top state Colorado. 21% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $137,500
- -8.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- -9.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $7,237
- +1.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,936,150
- -4.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (4 of 19, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (43% 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 Oak 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: PO Box 5628, Minneapolis, MN 55440-5628
Phone: (952) 674-2800
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Oak Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Our Lady of Peace ($25K). Together the top 10 received $103K.
Grant Size Distribution
91 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 90 grants of 91 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The largest reported shares were Colorado (43%) and Minnesota (25%), followed by California (9%), Virginia (7%), and Hawaii (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Oak Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 19 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 74% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−17%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 89% 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 (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 (2024) to $233K (2022). In 2024 it made 19 grants totaling $138K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Our Lady of Peace St. Paul, MN | Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Etown Boulder, CO | Unrestricted | $12,500 |
| There with Care Boulder, CO | National Expansion Program | $12,500 |
| Colorado Horse Rescue Longmont, CO | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Kenzi's Causes Aurora, CO | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Trout Unlimited Arlington, VA | Colorado Gold Program | $10,000 |
| Growing Gardens of Boulder Boulder, CO | Unrestricted | $7,500 |
| Assistance Dogs of Hawaii Makawao, HI | Assistance Dogs Northwest | $5,000 |
| Minnesota Independence College and Community Richfield, MN | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Ocean Defenders Alliance Huntington Beach, CA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Oak Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,936,150 | $85,177 | $180,512 | $137,500 | 19 | $145,046 | $63,217 | $162,203 |
| 2023 | $2,031,485 | $126,949 | $210,476 | $149,500 | 21 | $162,974 | $80,815 | $147,405 |
| 2022 | $2,115,012 | $62,040 | $284,899 | $232,917 | 18 | $239,732 | $36,458 | $154,665 |
| 2021 | $2,337,871 | $263,873 | $185,515 | $166,000 | 16 | $171,393 | $250,551 | $179,818 |
| 2020 | $2,259,513 | $-48,884 | $161,884 | $143,500 | 17 | — | $57,952 | $151,484 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Oak Foundation reported a distributable amount of $162K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, Our Lady of Peace says it provides end-of-life comfort and care regardless of a person’s means, while There With Care says it supports families with critically ill children by helping meet basic needs during a medical crisis. Colorado Horse Rescue describes its mission as creating safe solutions for horses. Other 2024 grantees describe work that includes outdoor access, planting fruit trees in developing countries, protecting marine ecosystems, providing assistance-dog partnerships, and helping at-risk girls build confidence through interactions with horses and nature.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $137,500 through 19 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $1,500 to $25,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
The largest 2024 grants included $25,000 to Our Lady of Peace; $12,500 each to ETown and There With Care; and $10,000 each to Colorado Horse Rescue, Kenzi’s Causes, and Trout Unlimited. The filing listed the purposes for these grants as unrestricted, “National Expansion Program,” unrestricted, unrestricted, unrestricted, and “Colorado Gold Program,” respectively.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sally L Macmillan as director/vice president; Robert Theiler as director/president/treasurer; Glenny Legendre and Tom McGinn as directors; John Henry Hullsiek as director/secretary; and Cargill Macmillan III as director/vice president.
The Oak Foundation is led by Robert Theiler, Director, President & Treasurer since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert Theiler
Director, President & Treasurer
Director & Treasurer → Director, President & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
$7K (2023) → $0 (2024)
John Henry Hullsiek
Director & Secretary
Director & Chairperson → Director & Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$3K (2023) → $0 (2024)
Cargill Macmillan III
Director & Vice President
Member → Director & Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Glenny Legendre
Director
Director & Vice President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sally L. Macmillan
Director & Vice President
Director & President → Director & Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom McGinn
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $7K, to Robert Theiler (Director/President/Treasurer). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Oak Foundation
How much does The Oak Foundation give each year?
The Oak Foundation gave $138K across 19 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $150K across 21 grants.
What is The Oak Foundation's typical grant size?
The Oak Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,237, across 19 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Oak Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Oak Foundation give grants?
The Oak Foundation's top state is Colorado, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Minnesota (25%) and California (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boulder, CO (3 grants) and St. Paul, MN (2 grants).
Does The Oak Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 79% of The Oak Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Oak Foundation's largest grantees?
The Oak Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Our Lady of Peace ($25,000), Etown ($12,500) and There with Care ($12,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Oak Foundation?
The Oak Foundation reported $1.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $145K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $162K (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 Oak Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Oak 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 Oak Foundation's EIN?
The Oak Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4741901. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Oak 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Oak Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Oak Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-oak-foundation-morg_c5a73dab702b4efa97ff75ebd91873ed
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_274741901_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Oak Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-oak-foundation-morg_c5a73dab702b4efa97ff75ebd91873ed},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Oak 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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