United Way of Central Minnesota
United Way of Central Minnesota is a public charity based in St. Cloud, Minnesota, formed in 1967. It mobilizes community partners and resources to address community needs and invest in programs and services across Central Minnesota.
United Way of Central Minnesota at a glance
In short: United Way of Central Minnesota gave $1.0M across 36 grants in 2025 (avg $28K), mostly in Minnesota. 61% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,003,725
- -34.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 36
- -12.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $27,881
- -25.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,825
- Total assets
- $3,374,672
- -12.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 61% first-time grantees (22 of 36, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to United Way of Central Minnesota
- Contact
Mailing address: 921 1St St N 200, St Cloud, MN 56303
Phone: (320) 252-0227
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who United Way of Central Minnesota funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St Cloud ($184K). Together the top 10 received $635K.
Grant Size Distribution
185 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 147 grants of 185 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization describes its work as serving Central Minnesota. In its 2025 filing, all reported grant dollars went to Minnesota recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
Cities
Is United Way of Central Minnesota open to new grantees?
61%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 22 of 36 grantees (61%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $19K first-time, $15K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2025) to $1.9M (2020). In 2025 it made 36 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St Cloud St Cloud, MN | Charitable Purposes | $183,500 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota St Cloud, MN | Charitable Purposes | $109,050 |
| Annamarie's Alliance St Cloud, MN | Charitable Purposes | $55,800 |
| Salvation Army St Cloud, MN | Charitable Purposes | $51,400 |
| Child Care Choices Inc DBA Milestones Waite Park, MN | Charitable Purposes | $49,000 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota St Cloud, MN | Charitable Purposes | $46,500 |
| St Cloud Area School District 742 Waite Park, MN | Charitable Purposes | $43,000 |
| St Cloud State University St Cloud, MN | Charitable Purposes | $40,000 |
| City of St Cloud RSVP & Whitney Senior Center St Cloud, MN | Charitable Purposes | $31,200 |
| Tri-County Action Program Waite Park, MN | Charitable Purposes | $26,000 |
Ready to take the next step with United Way of Central Minnesota?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,374,672 | $4,477,826 | $5,049,493 | $1,003,725 | 36 | $92,932 |
| 2024 | $3,871,196 | $4,015,355 | $4,884,527 | $1,542,883 | 41 | $68,547 |
| 2023 | $4,207,561 | $4,133,653 | $5,163,781 | $1,854,863 | 41 | $66,392 |
| 2022 | $5,156,621 | $4,184,871 | $4,536,631 | $1,555,549 | 36 | $95,556 |
| 2021 | $5,880,588 | $4,142,317 | $4,000,933 | $1,256,690 | 31 | $70,487 |
| 2020 | $5,300,960 | $4,012,389 | $4,199,007 | $1,876,338 | 46 | $64,880 |
| 2019 | $5,210,182 | $3,442,305 | $3,486,819 | $1,853,466 | 39 | $80,603 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to mobilize communities to action so all can thrive. Its 2023 filing describes work in health, education, and financial stability, alongside a community safety net supporting access to food and emergency shelter. The organization’s website also identifies Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, Healthy Community, and Community Resiliency as focus areas.
United Way primarily contracts with IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charities, and says it may also contract with government agencies, foundations, or others whose work aligns with its mission and impact areas. Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work: Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud describes its work as centered on food access, mental health, and housing; Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota describes youth development programs; and Friends of Career Solutions describes its mission as promoting economic vitality through workforce development.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, United Way reported 36 grants totaling $1,003,725. Grant amounts ranged from $6,020 to $183,500, with a median of $15,825. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota.
The largest reported awards included $183,500 to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud, $109,050 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota, $55,800 to Annamarie’s Alliance, and $51,400 to the Salvation Army. Each was listed for charitable purposes.
The organization describes a review process in which community volunteers, supported by staff, review funding requests and make recommendations to the board. Its funding page lists general operating, program or project support, start-up initiatives, and capacity building as possible contract types. Applicants must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits, governmental or educational entities, or have a qualifying fiscal host. The organization generally does not fund marketing or promotional activities, fundraising events, capital projects, re-granting, debt reduction, endowments, political or lobbying work, religious activities, or programs operating outside its service area. Its website states that the current application cycle is closed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Stephen Jones as President and CEO; Tricia Bigaouette as Vice President of Finance; Bob Mahowald as board chair; Jasper Asplin as board treasurer; and Heather Hoskins as board secretary. It also lists Peter Coborn, Matthew Nikodym, Scott Palmer, Joy Plamann, and Mike Schlough as board members.
United Way of Central Minnesota is led by Stephen Jones, President & CEO on every filing since 2023; 2 of 12 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Stephen Jones
President & CEO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$87K (2023) → $126K (2025)
Bob Mahowald
Chair
Vice Board Chair → Chair Elect, 2024
Chair Elect → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tricia Bigaouette
Vice President of Finance
Vice President of Finance & Operations → Vice President of Finance, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$103K (2024) → $103K (2025)
Jasper Asplin
Board Treasurer
Board Treasurer Elect → Board Treasurer, 2020
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heather Hoskins
Board Secretary
Board Member → Board Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Nikodym
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Schlough
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Coborn
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amber Schoenherr
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donna Scholer
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joy Plamann
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Palmer
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (27)
- Former: Jennifer Lawrence (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Steve Windfeldt (2021–2024) — Chair
- Former: Kevin Lynch (2024) — Former Interim CEO
- Former: Larry Olness (2019–2023) — Former President & CEO
- Former: Ryan Gerads (2019–2023) — Former Chair
- Former: Malik Stewart (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Adam Heathcote (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Lisa Maurer (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Ryan Daniel (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Trevor Akervik (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Annesa Cheek (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Cathy Juilfs (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Tami Koosmann (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Daniel Larson (2021) — Vice President of Community Impact
- Former: Emily Coborn (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Hubba Ibrahim (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Jeff Schwiebert (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Mac Cariveau (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Mike Markman (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Melinda Gau (2020) — Board Chair
- Former: Aaron Fisk (2019) — Board Secretary
- Former: Jason Neumann (2019) — Board Treasurer
- Former: Jon Ruis (2019) — Former President & CEO
- Former: Mark Osendorf (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Melinda Sanders (2019) — Board Chair
- Former: Pat Edeburn (2019) — Board Past Chair
- Former: Steve Pareja (2019) — Board Member
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $126K, to Stephen Jones (President & CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about United Way of Central Minnesota
How much does United Way of Central Minnesota give each year?
United Way of Central Minnesota gave $1.0M across 36 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.5M across 41 grants.
What is United Way of Central Minnesota's typical grant size?
United Way of Central Minnesota's median grant in 2025 was $15,825, and its average grant was $27,881, across 36 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from United Way of Central Minnesota that year got $34K on average.
Where does United Way of Central Minnesota give grants?
United Way of Central Minnesota gives mostly in Minnesota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were St Cloud, MN (23 grants), Waite Park, MN (5 grants) and St. Paul, MN (2 grants).
Who are United Way of Central Minnesota's largest grantees?
United Way of Central Minnesota's largest 2025 grantees include Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St Cloud ($183,500), Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota ($109,050) and Annamarie's Alliance ($55,800), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is United Way of Central Minnesota?
United Way of Central Minnesota reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.5M.
What does United Way of Central Minnesota fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to mobilize communities to action so all can thrive. Its 2023 filing describes work in health, education, and financial stability, alongside a community safety net supporting access to food and emergency shelter. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of Central Minnesota?
United Way of Central Minnesota has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is United Way of Central Minnesota's EIN?
United Way of Central Minnesota's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-0915124. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 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 9, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in United Way of Central Minnesota's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Otto Bremer Trust
St. Paul, MN
The Otto Bremer Trust funds organizations and projects addressing community needs and opportunities, including health care and social services, in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. In 2025, grants ranged from $3,500 to $4.2 million, with a median of $150,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests or direct grant applications; Community Responsive Fund grants are offered through selected intermediaries.
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
180
Total Given
$57.2M
Communitygiving
St Cloud, MN
COMMUNITYGIVING supports nonprofits, scholarships, and community initiatives through donor-established funds and some competitive grants, serving communities in Minnesota and Derby, Kansas. In 2025, its grants ranged from $5,100 to $680,477, with a median of $15,528; listed competitive opportunities generally offer $5,000–$30,000. It accepts applications for competitive opportunities through its online grant system; availability and eligibility depend on each opportunity.
Assets
$282.6M
Grants
426
Total Given
$16.7M
Morgan Family Foundation
Yellow Springs, OH
The Morgan Family Foundation funds social equity in St. Cloud, climate work across Minnesota, and end-of-life issues in central Minnesota; most grant dollars go to Minnesota organizations. Recent awards are typically $10,000–$100,000, though the 2024 median was $2,000. It is not currently accepting new Social Equity letters of inquiry, and Global Warming and End-of-Life grants are by invitation only.
Assets
$52.5M
Grants
109
Total Given
$2.1M
Initiative Foundation
Little Falls, MN
The Initiative Foundation funds nonprofit capacity-building, local government and school projects, and economic and workforce development across its 14-county Central Minnesota service area, including portions of the Leech Lake and Mille Lacs Bands of Ojibwe. Its 2024 grants ranged from $5,176 to $146,160, with a median award of $24,500. It accepts grant applications on a rolling basis through competitive review.
Assets
$114.7M
Grants
214
Total Given
$5.5M
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
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
More similar funders
More Funders in Minnesota
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). United Way of Central Minnesota funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-central-minnesota-morg_bd4da37a771946be8c645b9bbabe0363
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_410915124_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{United Way of Central Minnesota funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-central-minnesota-morg_bd4da37a771946be8c645b9bbabe0363},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. 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 United Way of Central Minnesota'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.
United Way of Central Minnesota down — hundreds of funders to go?