The Wildflower Foundation
The Wildflower Foundation is a public charity based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It supports Wildflower Schools, a network of teacher-led, neighborhood-nested Montessori microschools, by raising and distributing startup capital and providing guidance, tools, coaching, and ongoing support to schools and Teacher Leaders.
The Wildflower Foundation at a glance
In short: The Wildflower Foundation gave $1.6M across 37 grants in 2025 (avg $42K), top state Colorado. 54% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,567,826
- -12.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 37
- +15.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $42,374
- -24.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $12,195,097
- -5.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 54% first-time grantees (20 of 37, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (44% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Wildflower Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 5500 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Phone: (650) 305-9951
Website: https://wildflowerschools.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from The Wildflower Foundation
Black Wildflowers Fund - School Start-Up Grant
The Wildflower Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
The Fund to Seed Wildflower Schools
The Wildflower Foundation
Amount
Several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
Third Party Grants - Federal Charter Replication Grant
The Wildflower Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Wildflower Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wildflower Montessori Public Schools of Colorado ($683K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
151 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 110 grants of 151 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Seed Fund is described as national within the United States. The website says the Sunlight Loan is available throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Colorado (44%), Puerto Rico (9%), Pennsylvania (9%), New York (7%), and Michigan (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Wildflower Foundation open to new grantees?
54%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 20 of 37 grantees (54%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $27K; repeat grants $61K. How we count
Medians: $19K first-time, $12K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $730K (2023) to $2.7M (2021). In 2025 it made 37 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wildflower Montessori Public Schools of Colorado Aurora, CO | Start up Grant | $682,725 |
| Mountain Laurel Montessori (V) Philadelphia, PA | Start up Grant | $99,000 |
| Grove Montessori a Wildflower Public School (V) Grand Rapids, MI | Start up Grant | $85,603 |
| The Girasol School Dorado, PR | Start up Grant | $83,780 |
| Sadula Rose Montessori School Buffalo, NY | Start up Grant | $65,000 |
| Rainbow Montessori Community School Columbus, OH | Start up Grant | $45,990 |
| Greenbrier Montessori Ltd Minneapolis, MN | Start up Grant | $35,500 |
| Bergamot Montessori Middleport, NY | Start up Grant | $30,000 |
| Hollyhock Montessori Fort Smith, AR | Start up Grant | $30,000 |
| Indigo Montessori Baltimore, MD | Start up Grant | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Wildflower Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $12,195,097 | $6,326,983 | $7,640,058 | $1,567,826 | 37 | $260,194 |
| 2024 | $12,838,796 | $8,369,082 | $8,768,529 | $1,793,845 | 32 | $326,979 |
| 2023 | $13,265,803 | $13,957,577 | $7,629,129 | $730,391 | 19 | $16,169 |
| 2022 | $6,279,720 | $9,377,359 | $9,260,957 | $1,124,122 | 34 | $4,323 |
| 2021 | $7,014,871 | $9,899,109 | $10,588,590 | $2,675,769 | 29 | $-7,061 |
| 2020 | $6,819,384 | $9,278,118 | $8,880,335 | $1,174,520 | 16 | — |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to support the startup and ongoing operation of Wildflower Schools. Its 2023 filing describes a broader aim of increasing the number of children from varied economic backgrounds who benefit from high-quality early learning, through a supported network of small Montessori schools.
Its work includes school startup and administration support, regional and national resources for founders, network support and accountability, and learning-environment innovation. The foundation also raises and distributes startup capital. On its website, it describes Seed Fund grants as support for key early steps such as signing a lease, starting renovations, or completing licensing; the grants are not intended to fully fund a school launch.
The 2025 grants include startup awards to Montessori schools. Among the grantees whose missions are provided, Wildflower Montessori Public Schools of Colorado describes its aim as providing authentic Montessori education alongside social-emotional development in community-rooted environments. The Girasol School describes itself as a Montessori school serving children and families in Dorado with equitable access for ages 2.5 to 12. Bergamot Montessori says it aims to provide young children and families with access to a high-quality learning environment.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 37 grants totaling $1,567,826. The grants ranged from $5,000 to $682,725, with a median of $15,000. The largest awards listed were $682,725 to Wildflower Montessori Public Schools of Colorado in Aurora, Colorado; $99,000 to Mountain Laurel Montessori in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; $85,603 to Grove Montessori, a Wildflower public school, in Grand Rapids, Michigan; and $83,780 to The Girasol School in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Each was identified as a startup grant.
The foundation’s website describes the Fund to Seed Wildflower Schools as providing early-stage grants to affiliated school founders who have completed the planning phase and are preparing to open. It lists both independent and charter founders as eligible and identifies expenses such as leases, renovations, licensing, and essential materials. The website also describes a Black Wildflowers Fund school start-up grant for Black Teacher Leaders affiliated with Wildflower Schools and participating in the startup journey. These programs are for Wildflower-affiliated founders, rather than general-purpose grants.
Seed Fund grants are described as not guaranteed and as intended to provide enough support for a next step, not to fully fund a school’s launch. The foundation’s website also says school founders may receive help identifying and pursuing third-party grants, whose criteria vary by funder. No deadline is stated in the provided program information.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Amy Hertel Buckley as chair; Juan Goytia as treasurer; Sepandar Kamvar as secretary; Matthew Kramer as CEO; Isabelle Bibbler as CFO; and Cameron Leonard as CAO. It also lists Maia Blankenship as Lead Link – Charter Replication and Co-CEO Black W, Katelyn Shore as Lead Link – School Supports, and Theodore Quinn and Erin Quigley as partners.
The Wildflower Foundation is led by Maia Blankenship, Lead Link - Charter Replication & Co-Ceo Black W since 2025 (on filings since 2020); 10 of 13 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Maia Blankenship
Lead Link - Charter Replication & Co-Ceo Black W
CEO - Black Wildflower → Lead Link - Bwf, 2024
Lead Link - Bwf → Lead Link - Charter Replication & Co-Ceo Black W, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$155K (2020) → $255K (2025)
Matthew Kramer
CEO
Chief Executive Officer → CEO, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$262K (2020) → $322K (2025)
Amy Hertel Buckley
Chair
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theodore Quinn
Partner
Lead Link - Observation → Lead Link - Observation Support Technology, 2024
Lead Link - Observation Support Technology → Partner, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$234K (2020) → $150K (2025)
Cameron Leonard
CAO
Lead Link Foundation Operations → Lead Link Foundation Opera, 2022
Lead Link Foundation Opera → CAO, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$167K (2021) → $185K (2025)
Koren Clark
Partner
Lead Link - Well → Engineer, 2024
Engineer → Partner, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$173K (2021) → $165K (2025)
Isabelle Bibbler
CFO
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$282K (2024) → $294K (2025)
Katelyn Shore
Lead Link - School Supports
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$166K (2024) → $173K (2025)
Sondra Greenberg
Partner
Lead Link - Mid Atlantic → Partner, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$160K (2024) → $166K (2025)
Amy Gips
Partner
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$149K (2025)
Erin Quigley
Partner
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$152K (2025)
Juan Goytia
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sepandar Kamvar
Secretary
Secretary & Founder → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Kriste Dragon (2020–2024) — Member
- Former: Benjamin Jaffe-Talberg (2023–2024) — Engineer
- Former: Isabelle Bibbler Parker (2020–2023) — CFO
- Former: Paul Decoursey (2020–2023) — Technology
- Former: Dina Amsterdam (2020) — Coaching
- Former: Elizabeth O'Neill (2020) — Tlc
- Former: Jonathan Schwartz (2020) — Finance & Administrator
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $322K, to Matthew Kramer (CEO). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Wildflower Foundation
How much does The Wildflower Foundation give each year?
The Wildflower Foundation gave $1.6M across 37 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.8M across 32 grants.
What is The Wildflower Foundation's typical grant size?
The Wildflower Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $42,374, across 37 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Wildflower Foundation that year got $27K on average.
Where does The Wildflower Foundation give grants?
The Wildflower Foundation's top state is Colorado, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Puerto Rico (9%) and Pennsylvania (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (3 grants), Minneapolis, MN (3 grants), Columbus, OH (2 grants) and Ponce, PR (2 grants).
Does The Wildflower Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 37 grants with a stated purpose on The Wildflower Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Start up Grant" (37 grants).
Who are The Wildflower Foundation's largest grantees?
The Wildflower Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Wildflower Montessori Public Schools of Colorado ($682,725), Mountain Laurel Montessori (V) ($99,000) and Grove Montessori a Wildflower Public School (V) ($85,603), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Wildflower Foundation?
The Wildflower Foundation reported $12.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.3M.
What does The Wildflower Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to support the startup and ongoing operation of Wildflower Schools. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Wildflower Foundation?
The Wildflower Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check wildflowerschools.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Wildflower Foundation's EIN?
The Wildflower Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-2826681. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 26, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 3, 2021)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Wildflower Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Wildflower Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-wildflower-foundation-morg_b7962f9dfcb243bcba3d605b3a65f311
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_812826681_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Wildflower Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-wildflower-foundation-morg_b7962f9dfcb243bcba3d605b3a65f311},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Wildflower 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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