Valley Queen Charitable Foundation
Valley Queen Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Milbank, South Dakota. It supports organizations and initiatives with a community, educational, industry, or humanitarian focus, and describes positive contributions to Milbank and neighboring communities as part of its charitable giving.
Valley Queen Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Valley Queen Charitable Foundation gave $556K across 79 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in South Dakota. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $556,339
- -26.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 79
- +23.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,042
- -40.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,500
- Total assets
- $1,781,501
- +2.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (26 of 79, 2025)
- Primary geography
- South Dakota (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Valley Queen Charitable Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts requests year-round. An application can be requested by calling the foundation. Eligible organizations are those exempt under Section 501(c)(3) that are not private foundations. Grants are generally made to 501(c)(3) organizations, with a possible exception for individual scholarships for post-secondary college or technical-school tuition. The foundation reserves the right to select recipients and may require follow-up reports confirming that funds were used as granted.
- Review Cycle
- None; applications are accepted year-round.
- Deadline
- None; applications are accepted year-round.
- Contact
Application contact: Valley Queen Charitable Foundation (foundation@vqcheese.com)
Mailing address: 201 South Dakota Street, Milbank, SD 57252
Phone: (605) 432-4563
Website: https://valleyqueen.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Valley Queen Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was City of Milbank ($108K). Together the top 10 received $393K.
Grant Size Distribution
350 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 335 grants of 350 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in South Dakota and 2% went to recipients in Minnesota. The filing also lists Wisconsin, Arizona, and Tennessee at 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 79 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Valley Queen Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 26 of 79 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 30% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 596% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $498K (2020) to $1.5M (2021). In 2025 it made 79 grants totaling $556K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of Milbank Milbank, SD | Donation | $107,750 |
| Milbank School District Milbank, SD | Donation | $88,550 |
| Milbank High School Education Foundation Milbank, SD | Donation | $53,348 |
| Building Our Families Milbank, SD | Donation | $30,250 |
| Abbey of the Hills Inn and Retreat Center Marvin, SD | Donation | $28,100 |
| Lake Area Technical College Foundation Watertown, SD | Donation | $20,000 |
| South Dakota Agricultural and Rural Leadership Foundation Brookings, SD | Donation | $20,000 |
| Special Olympics South Dakota Inc Sioux Falls, SD | Donation | $15,205 |
| Leadership South Dakota Sioux Falls, SD | Donation | $15,100 |
| Make a Wish Foundation of South Dakota Sioux Falls, SD | Donation | $15,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,781,501 | $627,773 | $549,531 | $556,339 | 79 | $560,158 | $112,475 | $94,048 |
| 2024 | $1,740,954 | $504,853 | $651,895 | $752,401 | 64 | $755,784 | $111,938 | $102,704 |
| 2023 | $2,007,671 | $466,808 | $789,223 | $780,889 | 66 | $783,836 | $60,734 | $113,116 |
| 2022 | $2,346,931 | $1,402,055 | $980,147 | $796,495 | 73 | $799,479 | $50,635 | $83,451 |
| 2021 | $1,765,432 | $539,440 | $1,711,477 | $1,501,597 | 68 | $1,510,652 | $104,765 | $133,788 |
| 2020 | $2,768,022 | $416,204 | $620,380 | $498,139 | 53 | — | $62,504 | $143,231 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Valley Queen Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $94K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that it strives to advance positive change by supporting organizations and initiatives with a community, educational, industry, or humanitarian focus.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. Lake Area Technical College Foundation says its primary purpose is to build a better Lake Area Technical College. Special Olympics South Dakota says it provides fitness, sports training, competition, and free health screenings for people with intellectual disabilities. Leadership South Dakota describes a mission of preparing engaged citizens for leadership roles, while Joy Ranch of South Dakota says it helps challenged individuals connect with horses. Other 2025 recipients include organizations whose stated missions involve education, multicultural community support, transportation, and Christian athletics.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 79 grants totaling $556,339 in 2025, 64 grants totaling $752,401 in 2024, and 66 grants totaling $780,889 in 2023. In 2025, grants ranged from $100 to $107,750, with a median of $1,500; the listed grant purposes were donations.
The largest 2025 grants included $107,750 to the City of Milbank, $88,550 to Milbank School District, $53,348 to Milbank High School Education Foundation, $30,250 to Building Our Families, and $28,100 to Abbey of the Hills Inn and Retreat Center. Other notable awards were $20,000 to Lake Area Technical College Foundation and $15,205 to Special Olympics South Dakota.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Doug Wilke, president; Kenneth Karels, vice president; and Jody Kuper, secretary/treasurer. Directors are Trudi Robel, Kristin Tanner, Tom Schuneman, and Jason Humpton, who was listed as serving as of February 2025. Brad Snaza was listed as a director until February 2025.
Valley Queen Charitable Foundation is led by Doug Wilke, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Doug Wilke
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brad Snaza
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristin Tanner
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Trudi Robel
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Schuneman
Director
Director Starting Feb → Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Humpton
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth Karels
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jody Kuper
Secretary & Treasurer
Secretary & Treasurer Starting Feb → Secretary & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Bryan Johnson (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Mike Misterek (2020–2024) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Ray Trankle (2020) — Secretary & Treasurer
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.
Frequently asked questions about Valley Queen Charitable Foundation
How much does Valley Queen Charitable Foundation give each year?
Valley Queen Charitable Foundation gave $556K across 79 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $752K across 64 grants.
What is Valley Queen Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Valley Queen Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,500, and its average grant was $7,042, across 79 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Valley Queen Charitable Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Valley Queen Charitable Foundation give grants?
Valley Queen Charitable Foundation gives mostly in South Dakota: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Milbank, SD (16 grants), Sioux Falls, SD (14 grants), Watertown, SD (8 grants) and Ortonville, MN (7 grants).
Does Valley Queen Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 79 grants with a stated purpose on Valley Queen Charitable Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (79 grants).
Who are Valley Queen Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Valley Queen Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include City of Milbank ($107,750), Milbank School District ($88,550) and Milbank High School Education Foundation ($53,348), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Valley Queen Charitable Foundation?
Valley Queen Charitable Foundation reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $560K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $94K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Valley Queen Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it strives to advance positive change by supporting organizations and initiatives with a community, educational, industry, or humanitarian focus. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Valley Queen Charitable Foundation?
The foundation accepts requests year-round. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Valley Queen Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Valley Queen Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-2581817. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Valley Queen Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Valley Queen Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/valley-queen-charitable-foundation-morg_8ea1a76cf46f45fda9556d1fe11680b8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_822581817_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Valley Queen Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/valley-queen-charitable-foundation-morg_8ea1a76cf46f45fda9556d1fe11680b8},
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 Valley Queen Charitable 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.
Valley Queen Charitable Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?