The Walser Foundation
The Walser Foundation is a corporate foundation based in Bloomington, Minnesota, established in 2006. It is affiliated with Walser Holding Company Inc., which operates Walser Automotive Group, a family-owned automotive business with over 60 years of history in the Twin Cities. The foundation is committed to supporting the next generation of risk-takers, innovators, and change-makers through education and career training initiatives.
Key facts about The Walser Foundation
- EIN
- 20-4968499
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,420,365
- Grants made (2024)
- 189
- Average grant
- $7,515
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (54 of 176, 2024)
- Total assets
- $12,165,845
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (80% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Walser Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Walser Foundation's 189 itemized 2024 grants were Minnesota (80%) and Kansas (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (61 grants), St Paul, MN (33 grants), Wichita, KS (26 grants) and Bloomington, MN (5 grants). 15% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Driven to Give" (15 grants), "Shop for a Cause" (6 grants) and "Driving a Stronger Community Scholarship" (6 grants).
Is The Walser Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 54 of 176 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 61% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 82% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 325% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Walser Foundation
- How to evaluate The Walser Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.2M
+39.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+15.8% YoY
Grant Count
189
+3.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
+12.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Walser Foundation reported a distributable amount of $516K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on providing access to top-tier education and career training to build a strong workforce for the future. Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education (elementary, secondary, vocational, higher, and early childhood)
- Workforce Development (job creation and employment initiatives)
- Community and Economic Development
- Health
- Human Services
The foundation offers grants to schools and organizations that provide educational access and career training opportunities.
Grantmaking
The foundation provides grants for general operating support, scholarships, and specific programs including automotive initiatives and community events.
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple states, including:
- Minnesota (primary focus)
- Kansas
- Illinois
- California
- Connecticut
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Texas
- Virginia
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 189 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $12,165,845
- Total Revenue: $4,427,143
- Total Expenses: $1,747,342
- Total Giving: $1,420,365
Staffing:
- Number of Employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,165,845 | $8,737,203 | $8,939,692 |
| Revenue | $4,427,143 | $128,163 | $2,336,521 |
| Expenses | $1,747,342 | $1,289,708 | $1,056,132 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,677,916 | $1,226,845 | $1,010,758 |
| Net Investment Income | $160,575 | $96,975 | $52,382 |
| Distributable Amount | $516,169 | $432,650 | $327,020 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
729 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Walser Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Wsu Tech Foundation ($50,000), Dunwoody College of Technology ($32,956 across 2 grants), Rainbows United ($32,487).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| WSU TECH FOUNDATION Wichita, KS | WALSER ALTERNATIVE FUELS LAB PLEDGE - 1 OF 4 | $50,000 |
| RAINBOWS UNITED Wichita, KS | GRANT FOR VEHICLE RAFFLE | $32,487 |
| DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY Minneapolis, MN | GRANT - AUTOMOTIVE PROGRAM | $30,000 |
| MN ADULT & TEEN CHALLENGE Minneapolis, MN | RAFFLE CAR GRANT | $29,368 |
| 23RD VETERAN Chicago, IL | SHOP FOR A CAUSE DRIVE | $28,988 |
| THE MINNEAPOLIS FOUNDATION Minneapolis, MN | CONTRIBUTION TO TRADES AMBASSADOR PROJECT FUND (TRADES HUB) | $28,000 |
| ANGEL FOUNDATION MINNESOTA Mendota Heights, MN | SHOP FOR A CAUSE | $22,338 |
| FRASER Minneapolis, MN | 11 DAYS OF GIVING MATCH AND GRANT | $22,000 |
| JEWISH FAMILY & CHILDREN'S SERVICES Golden Valley, MN | GRANT - PARENT CHILD + | $20,000 |
| LITERACY MINNESOTA St Paul, MN | GRANT - SUMMER READS | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Andrew D. Walser — President
- Paul M. Walser — CEO
- Nancy Warner — Foundation Director
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew D Walser | President | 0.1 | — |
| Paul M Walser | CEO | 0.1 | — |
| Nancy Warner | Foundation Director | 30 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Walser Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on providing access to top-tier education and career training to build a strong workforce for the future. Primary funding focus areas include: • **Education** (elementary, secondary, vocational, higher, and early childhood) • **Workforce Development** (job creation and employment initiatives) • **Community and Economic Development** • **Health** • **Human Services** The foundation offers grants to schools and organizations that provide educational access and car…
How do I apply for a grant from The Walser Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 141 grants in 2024 • Typical grant awards range from $50,000 to $50,000 • Total giving in 2024: $1,420,365 **Recent Grant Examples:** • WSU Tech Foundation: $50,000 (Walser Alternative Fuels Lab Pledge) • Dunwoody College of Technology: $30,000 (Automotive Program) • Rainbows United: $32,487 (Vehicle Raffle) **Grant Types:** The foundation provides grants for general operating support, scholarships, and specific programs including automotive initiatives and community …
Where does The Walser Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple states, including: • Minnesota (primary focus) • Kansas • Illinois • California • Connecticut • Missouri • North Carolina • Texas • Virginia
What size grants does The Walser Foundation award?
In 2024, The Walser Foundation awarded 189 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $8K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Walser Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Walser Foundation reported a distributable amount of $516K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Walser Foundation's EIN?
The Walser Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4968499. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.