The Windibrow Foundation
The Windibrow Foundation is a private foundation located in Long Lake, Minnesota. It made 25 grants totaling $52,775 in 2024, supporting organizations working in areas including outdoor education, science, animal welfare, health, arts, media, and conservation.
The Windibrow Foundation at a glance
In short: The Windibrow Foundation gave $53K across 25 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), mostly in Minnesota. 8% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $52,775
- +2.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 25
- -3.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,111
- +7.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $712,754
- -1.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (2 of 25, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (55% 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 Windibrow 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: 2927 Farview Ln, Long Lake, MN 55356
Phone: (952) 473-9419
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Windibrow Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was National Outdoor Leadership School ($10K). Together the top 10 received $41K.
Grant Size Distribution
140 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 140 grants of 140 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Minnesota organizations received 55% of grant dollars, followed by organizations in Wyoming (19%), Maryland (9%), Arizona (7%), and New York (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Windibrow Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 25 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $600; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $600 first-time, $2K repeat.
- 88% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 22% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 84% 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 (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $29K (2019) to $68K (2021). In 2024 it made 25 grants totaling $53K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Outdoor Leadership School Lander, WY | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Science Museum of MN St. Paul, MN | General Operating | $7,000 |
| Animal Humane Society of MN Golden Valley, MN | General Operating | $5,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders Hagerstown, MD | General Operating | $4,500 |
| Planned Parenthood MN St. Paul, MN | General Operating | $3,000 |
| Minnetonka Center for the Arts Wayzata, MN | General Operating | $3,000 |
| Reid Park Zoo Tucson, AZ | General Operating | $2,500 |
| Mayo Clinic Development Office Rochester, MN | General Operating | $2,000 |
| Minnesota Public Radio St. Paul, MN | General Operating | $2,000 |
| Nature Conservancy - MN Minneapolis, MN | General Operating | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Windibrow 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 | $712,754 | $54,724 | $64,808 | $52,775 | 25 | $56,215 | $46,848 | $66,714 |
| 2023 | $722,838 | $124,553 | $61,713 | $51,300 | 26 | $53,775 | $78,347 | $55,596 |
| 2022 | $659,998 | $152,392 | $66,501 | $57,675 | 31 | $59,910 | $71,201 | $55,684 |
| 2021 | $574,107 | $107,970 | $74,627 | $67,575 | 30 | $68,046 | $27,025 | $54,964 |
| 2020 | $540,764 | $59,689 | $65,635 | $56,250 | 28 | — | $44,791 | $43,430 |
| 2019 | $546,710 | $86,126 | $38,563 | $28,875 | 24 | — | $78,467 | $39,629 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Windibrow Foundation reported a distributable amount of $67K 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants support a range of charitable organizations. For example, the National Outdoor Leadership School describes its mission as teaching wilderness skills and leadership in service of people and the environment. The Minnetonka Center for the Arts says it provides visual-arts teaching, exhibitions, and cultural enrichment; Minnesota Public Radio describes its mission as amplifying voices to inform, include, and inspire; and the American Indian College Fund says it invests in Native students and tribal college education. Other 2024 grantees include organizations whose stated missions concern wildlife conservation, bird protection, and public media.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 25 grants totaling $52,775. Grants ranged from $300 to $10,000, with a median of $1,000. The largest grants included $10,000 to the National Outdoor Leadership School; $7,000 to the Science Museum of Minnesota; $5,000 to the Animal Humane Society of Minnesota; $4,500 to Doctors Without Borders; and $3,000 each to Planned Parenthood Minnesota and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts. These grants were listed for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Margherita Gale Harris as president, Ianna M Breese as vice president and secretary, and Robert WH Sinkler as vice president and treasurer.
The Windibrow Foundation is led by Margherita Gale Harris, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Margherita Gale Harris
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Ianna M. Breese
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Robert Wh Sinkler
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Windibrow Foundation
How much does The Windibrow Foundation give each year?
The Windibrow Foundation gave $53K across 25 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $51K across 26 grants.
What is The Windibrow Foundation's typical grant size?
The Windibrow Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $2,111, across 25 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Windibrow Foundation that year got $600 on average.
Where does The Windibrow Foundation give grants?
The Windibrow Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wyoming (19%) and Maryland (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were St. Paul, MN (7 grants), Tucson, AZ (3 grants) and Plymouth, MN (2 grants).
Does The Windibrow Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Windibrow Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Windibrow Foundation's largest grantees?
The Windibrow Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include National Outdoor Leadership School ($10,000), Science Museum of MN ($7,000) and Animal Humane Society of MN ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Windibrow Foundation?
The Windibrow Foundation reported $713K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $56K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $67K (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 Windibrow Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants support a range of charitable organizations. For example, the National Outdoor Leadership School describes its mission as teaching wilderness skills and leadership in service of people and the environment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Windibrow 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 Windibrow Foundation's EIN?
The Windibrow Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1856843. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does The Windibrow 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 7, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 19, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Windibrow Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Minnesota
Aetna Foundation Inc
Hartford, CT
Aetna Foundation supported health and wellness, access to health care, and related community needs; its 2021 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $40,000, and went to organizations across multiple states, especially in D.C. and Connecticut. Its 2021 filing was marked final, so it appears to have ended or be winding down grantmaking; that filing said there were no restrictions on who could apply and pointed applicants to its website for application materials.
Assets
—
Grants
65
Total Given
$7.2M
The Minneapolis Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
The Minneapolis Foundation funds civic, social, and economic needs, including economic mobility, education, health, the environment, arts, and human services, with most grant dollars going to Minnesota. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. It says no funding opportunities are currently open; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
1,565
Total Given
$121.7M
Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation
St. Paul, MN
The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation funds community-led work in areas including economic opportunity, health and human services, youth and education, housing, and organizational capacity. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,000; listed programs offer up to $50,000 for eligible East Metro work and up to $15,000 for qualifying Minnesota organizations. It accepts applications through specific programs, including rolling application opportunities; the Community Solutions Grant Program serves Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties.
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
1,473
Total Given
$107.2M
The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation funds education, health care, and human services, including college scholarships, with most support benefiting working- and middle-class families in specified Minnesota and Florida counties; it also makes some national grants. Its 2024 grants had a median of $5,000, though awards ranged from $50 to $10 million. It plans to move to invitation-only grantmaking in 2027; whether it currently accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$218.3M
Grants
1,431
Total Given
$47.9M
Wells Fargo Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
Wells Fargo Foundation funds financial opportunity, affordable housing, small business growth, and some other local community needs across national and eligible local communities. Its 2025 grants ranged from $3,000 to $8 million, with a median of $35,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests; eligible organizations may submit a grant interest form to be considered for an invitation.
Assets
$8.6M
Grants
1,376
Total Given
$157.4M
C K Blandin Foundation
Grand Rapids, MN
The C K Blandin Foundation funds rural Minnesota projects that build community wealth, improve rural places, strengthen small communities, and support capacity-building, with a primary focus on the Grand Rapids area. Rural grants are typically $25,000–$150,000; it does not accept unsolicited requests, offering opportunities through invitations or competitive RFPs.
Assets
$506.3M
Grants
931
Total Given
$15.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in Minnesota
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Windibrow Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-windibrow-foundation-morg_938a925fdc1d4c859323b8a2913c1d05
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_411856843_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Windibrow Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-windibrow-foundation-morg_938a925fdc1d4c859323b8a2913c1d05},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Windibrow 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.
The Windibrow Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?