The Wasie Foundation is a private foundation based in Wayzata, Minnesota, established in 1966 by Stanley Wasie. The foundation was incorporated as the Wasie Educational Foundation in Minnesota and operates as a 501(c)(3) organization. Over more than fifty years, the foundation has distributed tens of millions of dollars in grants and scholarship funding to support charitable causes aligned with the philanthropic intentions of its founders, Stanley and Marie Wasie.
Key facts about The Wasie Foundation
- EIN
- 41-0911636
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,707,900
- Grants made (2024)
- 21
- Average grant
- $81,329
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Primary geography
- Florida (87% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026.
Who The Wasie Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Wasie Foundation's 21 itemized 2024 grants were Florida (87%) and Minnesota (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Naples, FL (3 grants), St Paul, MN (3 grants), Fort Lauderdale, FL (2 grants) and Fort Myers, FL (2 grants). 43% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (6 grants) and "Capital Improvements" (6 grants).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.7M
-18.4% YoY
Grant Count
21
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$81K
-30.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary mission encompasses education for students of Polish ancestry through endowed scholarship programs at specific private colleges and universities in Minnesota. The Wasie family also prioritized support for individuals living with schizophrenia, arthritis, and cancer, as well as children living with chronic illness, disabling conditions, or terminal illness.
The foundation provides support through multiple mechanisms including capital improvements, general operations, program support, capital expenditures, and capacity building. Key funding focus areas include child welfare, grants for children and youth programs, youth services, and community health.
Grantmaking
The foundation awarded 22 grants in 2024. Typical grant awards range from $125,000 to $700,000. Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Minnesota, Florida, and California. Additional geographic areas of support include South Dakota and Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2024):
- Total assets: $7,049,624
- Total giving: $1,707,900
- Total revenues: $1,013,781
- Total expenses: $2,518,436
| 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
102 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include 4kids of South Florida Inc ($500,000), Lee Memorial Health System Foundation Inc ($400,000 across 2 grants), Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital Foundation Inc ($300,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 4KIDS OF SOUTH FLORIDA INC FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $500,000 |
| JOE DIMAGGIO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION INC HOLLYWOOD, FL | CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS | $300,000 |
| LEE MEMORIAL HEALTH SYSTEM FOUNDATION INC FORT MYERS, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $200,000 |
| LEE MEMORIAL HEALTH SYSTEM FOUNDATION INC FORT MYERS, FL | CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS | $200,000 |
| THE IMMOKALEE FOUNDATION INC NAPLES, FL | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $200,000 |
| OUR LADY OF PEACE ST PAUL, MN | CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS | $100,000 |
| THE IMMOKALEE FOUNDATION INC NAPLES, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| VAIL PLACE HOPKINS, MN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $30,000 |
| GILDA'S CLUB TWIN CITIES INC MINNETONKA, MN | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| GILLETTE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION ST PAUL, MN | CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Gregg D. Sjoquist — President and CEO (full-time, compensation $254,677)
- Danille B. Mathison — Executive Director and Secretary (full-time, compensation $161,394)
- Sandra D. Muvdi — Vice President and Treasurer (part-time, no compensation)
The foundation maintains a staff of 3 employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GREGG D SJOQUIST | PRESIDENT/CEO/DIRECTOR | 40 | $247,091 |
| DANILLE B MATHISON | EXEC DIR/VICE PRES/TREAS/DIRECTOR | 45 | $163,907 |
| SANDRA D MUVDI | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported significant initiatives in pediatric healthcare and community development:
Provided a $1 million matching grant for pediatric cancer research at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota receives $500,000 gift for rare disease ...Challenged the community to match $3 million for Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida's area services, including expansion of the Naples Specialty Clinic, addition of Pediatric Neurosurgery, and construction of the Bonita Springs Behavioral Health Clinic
Driving Discovery Forward: The Wasie Foundation\u2019s $1 Million Match\Partnered with the Ray Foundation to provide $2 million to The Immokalee Foundation
Driving Discovery Forward: The Wasie Foundation\u2019s $1 Million Match\Supported construction at The Immokalee Foundation's new subdivision
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Wasie Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary mission encompasses education for students of Polish ancestry through endowed scholarship programs at specific private colleges and universities in Minnesota. The Wasie family also prioritized support for individuals living with schizophrenia, arthritis, and cancer, as well as children living with chronic illness, disabling conditions, or terminal illness. The foundation provides support through multiple mechanisms including capital improvements, general operations, pro…
How do I apply for a grant from The Wasie Foundation?
The foundation awarded 22 grants in 2024. Typical grant awards range from $125,000 to $700,000. Recent grants include: • $500,000 to 4kids of South Florida for general operations • $300,000 to Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital Foundation for capital improvements The foundation actively engages with charitable organizations through board and advisory committee service, providing 235 hours of technical assistance to grantees and other charitable organizations in 2024.
Where does The Wasie Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Minnesota, Florida, and California. Additional geographic areas of support include South Dakota and Washington, D.C.
What size grants does The Wasie Foundation award?
In 2024, The Wasie Foundation awarded 21 grants totaling $1.7M — an average of about $81K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Wasie Foundation's EIN?
The Wasie Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-0911636. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Wasie 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.