The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation
The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2004 by Dick Schulze, founder and chairman emeritus of Best Buy Co., Inc. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of U.S. middle- and working-class families through results-oriented investments in education, human and social services, and health and medical care.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$47.9M
+16.9% YoY
Grant Count
1,431
-7.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$33K
+26.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports nonprofit organizations serving local communities across its geographic regions. Its primary funding areas include:
- Education: Support for nonprofit organizations offering learning experiences, including post-secondary education, youth education programs and services, special education, and scholarship and financial support
- Scholarships: Programs helping families afford early education and supporting college students in graduating with minimal debt
- Health & Medicine: Investment in projects that reduce human suffering
- Human & Social Services: Support for nonprofits providing human and social services
The foundation's annual funding impacts 300-400 nonprofits, 400+ college scholars, and over 200 preschool families.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$50 to $10,000,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation serves seven counties in Minnesota and five counties in Florida:
Minnesota: Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington counties (Twin Cities metro area)
Florida: Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties (Southwest Florida)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- Total assets: $218.3 million (2024)
- Total assets: $209.2 million (2023)
Annual Activity:
- Total giving: $47.9 million (2024)
- Total giving: $46.5 million (2023)
- Total revenues: $102 million (2024)
- Total expenses: $53.5 million (2024)
- Total liabilities: $44.7 million (2024)
Ranking:
- Ranked #775 of 159,619 foundations nationally
- Top 1% of foundations by assets
| 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
3 open opportunities from The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation
Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Grants
THE RICHARD M SCHULZE FAMILY FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Schulze College Scholarships Grant
THE RICHARD M SCHULZE FAMILY FOUNDATION
Amount
US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Schulze Early Learning Scholarship Program Grant
THE RICHARD M SCHULZE FAMILY FOUNDATION
Amount
US $500 - US $3,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Cancer Society ($10,000,000), American Cancer Society - Ga ($281,000), Aeon ($75,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 100 OTERO ALAMOGORDO, NM | HUMAN SERVICES | $5,000 |
| 180 DEGREES MINNEAPOLIS, MN | HUMAN SERVICES | $50,000 |
| 21ST DISTRICT RECOVERY COURT INC FRANKLIN, TN | HUMAN SERVICES | $3,989 |
| 2ND ACT ORG INC BOSTON, MA | HUMAN SERVICES | $5,000 |
| 360 COMMUNITIES BURNSVILLE, MN | HUMAN SERVICES | $50,000 |
| 70X7 LIFE RECOVERY HOLLAND, MI | HUMAN SERVICES | $5,000 |
| 71 REASONS AND MORE FOUNDATION OSWEGO, IL | HUMAN SERVICES | $5,000 |
| A BREATH OF HOPE LUNG FOUNDATION WAYZATA, MN | HEALTH | $10,000 |
| A MOTHERS ARMS DUNEDIN, FL | HUMAN SERVICES | $5,000 |
| A PLACE FOR ALL PIECES MURRIETA, CA | HUMAN SERVICES | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Richard M Schulze: Director (2 hours/week, no compensation)
- Mark C Dienhart: President & CEO (45 hours/week, $595,000 annual compensation)
- Stephen A Hoeppner: Vice President
- Board of Trustees: Kevin S Bergman, Ann L Winblad, Steven A Schumeister, Richard V Schulze, Kathleen Blatz, Debra L Schulze, Wilson Bradshaw, Joseph Williamson
Staff:
- Barb Dunker, Senior Program Officer & Grants Manager (Minnesota Office)
- Mary Beth Geier, Florida Director
The foundation employs 11 staff members and likely has dedicated paid staff based on reported board members and key employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD M SCHULZE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| KEVIN S BERGMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ANN L WINBLAD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARK C DIENHART | PRESIDENT AND TRUSTEE | 45 | $595,238 |
| STEVEN A SCHUMEISTER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| RICHARD V SCHULZE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KATHLEEN BLATZ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DEBRA L SCHULZE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WILSON BRADSHAW | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOSEPH WILLIAMSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Richard M Schulze Proton Center opened at Moffitt Cancer Center, with Debra Schulze representing the Foundation at the opening
Crescent Cove receives $25,000 grant from the Richard M. Schulze Family FoundationKansas City Hope Lodge Renovation was unveiled with foundation support
Midway YMCA North was named after the Richard M Schulze Family Foundation
Crescent Cove receives $25,000 grant from the Richard M. Schulze Family FoundationThe foundation committed $5 million as a matching gift to Children's Minnesota
Recent grants include $2,081,832 to University of St Thomas for education, $1,500,000 to Lee Memorial Health System Foundation for human services, and $1,500,000 to Catholic Schools Center of Excellence for education (2023)
Crescent Cove received a $25,000 grant
Crescent Cove receives $25,000 grant from the Richard M. Schulze Family FoundationFoundation for Lee County Public Schools received $120,000
RICHARD M. SCHULZE FAMILY FOUNDATION PROVIDES $120,000.00 TO THE FOUNDATIONHealthcare Network received $30,000 for the Sister Veronica Fund
Healthcare Network Awarded $30,000 Grant from the Richard M. Schulze Family\Contact Information
Minnesota Office:
- Phone: 952-324-8910
- Address: 6600 France Ave S, Suite 550, Minneapolis, MN 55435-1810
Florida Office:
- Phone: 239-263-9400
Website: www.schulzefamilyfoundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation fund?
The foundation supports nonprofit organizations serving local communities across its geographic regions. Its primary funding areas include: • **Education**: Support for nonprofit organizations offering learning experiences, including post-secondary education, youth education programs and services, special education, and scholarship and financial support • **Scholarships**: Programs helping families afford early education and supporting college students in graduating with minimal debt • **Health…
How do I apply for a grant from The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $50 to $10,000,000 • Median grant size: $5,000 • Typical decision time: 6 months • Success rate: Approximately 30-35% **Recent Activity:** • Distributed $47.9 million in grants in 2024 • Made 1,400+ grants in recent years • At their September 8-10, 2025 meeting, the board awarded over $16 million in grants for fall 2025 • Awarded over $50 million in 2025 **Application Process:** • Online application portal available at grantinterface.com • Grant request…
Where does The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation serves seven counties in Minnesota and five counties in Florida: **Minnesota:** Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington counties (Twin Cities metro area) **Florida:** Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties (Southwest Florida)
What size grants does The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation awarded 1,431 grants totaling $47.9M — an average of about $33K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation's EIN?
The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-5588406. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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