Trillium Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Saint Paul, MN EIN: 41-2009698

Trillium Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In 2025, it awarded 27 grants totaling $496,200 to organizations working in areas reflected in their grant purposes, including climate action, conservation, racial equity, community leadership, journalism, and economic development.

Key facts about Trillium Family Foundation

In short: Trillium Family Foundation gave $496K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $18K), top state Minnesota. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
41-2009698
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$496,200
Grants made (2025)
27
Average grant
$18,378
Median grant
$10,000
Total assets
$9,136,403
Primary geography
Minnesota (49% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
How to apply
The filing lists Kate Lawson as the contact and directs applicants to see the website for application forms and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$9.1M

+15.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$496K

+12.5% YoY

Grant Count

27

+2600.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$18K

-95.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Trillium Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $626K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Trillium Family Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s stated mission is to enrich community through the development of individual and collective potential. Its 2025 grants included support for climate and environmental work, racial equity, civic and community leadership, journalism, and economic development.

The grantees describe their work in varied terms. For example, Wyoming Outdoor Council says it works to protect Wyoming’s environment and quality of life; Friends of the Mississippi River says it engages people to protect, restore, and enhance the river and its watershed in the Twin Cities region. Nexus Community Partners says its mission is to build more engaged and powerful communities, while Wind River Development Fund describes its work as providing financial opportunities to stimulate economic development on and near the Wind River Indian Reservation.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation awarded 27 grants totaling $496,200. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median of $10,000. Notable awards included $50,000 to Lander Climate Action Network for Lander community climate action; $40,000 to Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina for advancing racial equity and climate solutions; and $40,000 to Wyoming Outdoor Council for tribal conservation program support.

Review Cycle

, and award restrictions. It states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 49% of grant dollars went to Minnesota recipients and 48% to Wyoming recipients; Wisconsin accounted for 2% and Arizona for 0%. These figures describe the locations of recipients, and do not establish a separate geographic eligibility policy.

Grant Distribution by State

4states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.

Cities

Saint PaulLanderFort WashakieMinneapolisDuluthGrand CanyonSchroederSt CloudSt Croix Falls

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K$800K1 grant2019 1 grant2020 1 grant2021 1 grant2022 1 grant2023 1 grant2024 27 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $430K (2023) to $653K (2020). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $496K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Lander Climate Action Network: $50KLander Climate Action Network$50KComunidades Organizando El Poder Y La Accin Latina: $40KComunidades Organizando ElPoder Y La Accin Latina$40KWyoming Outdoor Council: $40KWyoming Outdoor Council$40KThe Nature Conservancy Wyoming: $35KThe Nature Conservancy Wyoming$35KAmherst H Wilder Foundation: $30KAmherst H Wilder Foundation$30KFriends of the Mississippi River: $30KFriends of the MississippiRiver$30KThe Center for Popular Research Education and Policy DBA Wind River Food so: $30KThe Center for PopularResearch Education and Policy…$30KWyofile: $30KWyofile$30KJugaad Leadership Program: $25KJugaad Leadership Program$25KNexus Community Partners: $25KNexus Community Partners$25K

The largest 2025 recipient was Lander Climate Action Network ($50K). Together the top 10 received $335K.

Grant Size Distribution

31 grants across all recorded years

26<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K4$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 26 grants of 31 (84%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Lander Climate Action Network Lander, WYLander Community Climate Action$50,000
Comunidades Organizando El Poder Y La Accin Latina Minneapolis, MNAdvancing Racial Equity and Climate Solutions$40,000
Wyoming Outdoor Council Lander, WYTribal Conservation Program Support$40,000
The Nature Conservancy Wyoming Lander, WYTNCS Equitable Conservation Efforts$35,000
Amherst H Wilder Foundation Saint Paul, MNWilder Civic Engagement Programs (Cep)$30,000
Friends of the Mississippi River St. Paul, MNEnvironmental Stewardship Institute$30,000
The Center for Popular Research Education and Policy DBA Wind River Food so Fort Washakie, WYGeneral Operating Support$30,000
Wyofile Lander, WYWyofile Climate and Energy Reporter$30,000
Jugaad Leadership Program St Cloud, MNJugaad Leadership Program$25,000
Nexus Community Partners St. Paul, MNBoards and Commissions Leadership Institute$25,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $9,136,403 $1,986,318 $729,820 $496,200 (27 grants)
2024 $7,879,905 $845,703 $623,793 $441,200 (1 grant)
2023 $7,657,995 $441,983 $566,714 $430,000 (1 grant)
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$9,136,403$7,879,905$7,657,995
Revenue$1,986,318$845,703$441,983
Expenses$729,820$623,793$566,714
Qualifying Distributions$680,502$712,946$509,795
Net Investment Income$1,901,908$772,126$375,218
Distributable Amount$626,202$617,503$541,952

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 9, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 20, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 27, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 4, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 22, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
  7. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Kate Lawson as executive director; Amy Andersen as president; Alfonso Wenker as vice president (part year); Mari Oyanagi Eggum as treasurer; and Joe Quiroz as secretary. Directors listed are Crystal C’Bearing, Susan Hammel, Jane Leonard, Eddie Lobatos, and Babra Mumia.

Trillium Family Foundation is led by Kate Lawson, Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2019); 8 of 10 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Kate Lawson

    Executive Director

    Assistant Treasurer → Executive Director, 2023

    On filings since 2019

    20 hrs/week

    $13K (2019) → $60K (2025)

  • Amy Andersen

    President

    On filings since 2019

    10 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jane Leonard

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    $2K (2021) → $2K (2025)

  • Susan Hammel

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    $2K (2021) → $2K (2025)

  • Babra Mumia

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    $2K (2024) → $2K (2025)

  • Crystal C'bearing

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    $2K (2024) → $2K (2025)

  • Eddie Lobatos

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    $2K (2024) → $2K (2025)

  • Mari Oyanagi Eggum

    Treasurer

    Vice President → Treasurer, 2023

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    $2K (2021) → $2K (2025)

  • Alfonso Wenker

    Vice President -

    Director → Vice President, 2023

    Vice President → Vice President -, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    $2K (2021) → $300 (2025)

  • Joe Quiroz

    Secretary

    Director → Secretary, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    $2K (2021) → $0 (2025)

Former officers (4)
  • Former: Monroe Larson (2019–2022) — Secretary & Treasurer
  • Former: Yufna Soldier Wolf (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Jeff Peterson (2019–2020) — Treasurer
  • Former: Fran Coyne (2020) — Director Emeritus

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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

Kate Lawson — Executive Director: $60KKate LawsonExecutive Director$60KMari Oyanagi Eggum — Treasurer: $2KMari Oyanagi EggumTreasurer$2KCrystal C'bearing — Director: $2KCrystal C'bearingDirector$2KSusan Hammel — Director: $2KSusan HammelDirector$2KJane Leonard — Director: $2KJane LeonardDirector$2KEddie Lobatos — Director: $2KEddie LobatosDirector$2KBabra Mumia — Director: $2KBabra MumiaDirector$2KAlfonso Wenker — Vice President - Part Year: $300Alfonso WenkerVice President - Part Year$300

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $60K, to Kate Lawson (Executive Director). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Application contact: Kate Lawson
Mailing address: PO Box 14109, St Paul, MN 55114
Phone: (651) 642-0127
Email: kate@trilliumfamilyfoundation.org

Frequently asked questions about Trillium Family Foundation

How much does Trillium Family Foundation give each year?

Trillium Family Foundation gave $496K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $441K across 1 grant.

What is Trillium Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Trillium Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $18,378, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Trillium Family Foundation give grants?

Trillium Family Foundation's top state is Minnesota, with 49% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was Wyoming (48%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lander, WY (9 grants), Saint Paul, MN (9 grants), Minneapolis, MN (2 grants) and Fort Washakie, WY (2 grants).

Does Trillium Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 41% of Trillium Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Trillium Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Trillium Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Lander Climate Action Network ($50,000), Comunidades Organizando El Poder Y La Accin Latina ($40,000) and Wyoming Outdoor Council ($40,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Trillium Family Foundation?

Trillium Family Foundation reported $9.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $681K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $626K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Trillium Family Foundation fund?

The foundation’s stated mission is to enrich community through the development of individual and collective potential. Its 2025 grants included support for climate and environmental work, racial equity, civic and community leadership, journalism, and economic development. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Trillium Family Foundation?

The filing lists Kate Lawson as the contact and directs applicants to see the website for application forms and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Trillium Family Foundation's EIN?

Trillium Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-2009698. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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