W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust
W & A Soneson Scholarship Trust is a private foundation based in Eagan, Minnesota. It supports scholarships for eligible high school seniors in Duluth public schools who plan to attend an accredited college or university in one of six specified states.
W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust at a glance
In short: W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust gave $30K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Minnesota. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $30,000
- -38.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- -9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,000
- -32.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $522,673
- -2.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust
- How to Apply
-
Obtain an application through Duluth high school counselors and follow the filing’s eligibility requirements.
- Review Cycle
- Fall of the applicant’s senior year in high school, according to the 2025 filing.
- Deadline
- Fall of the applicant’s senior year in high school, according to the 2025 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Soneson Scholarship Committee
Mailing address: PO Box 161077, Duluth, MN 55816-1077
Phone: (218) 723-2914
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of MN Duluth ($4K). Together the top 10 received $30K.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 58 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing’s eligibility rules name accredited colleges and universities in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota (53%), Wisconsin (33%), Iowa (7%), and Illinois (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
How W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust gives
- Giving fell 26% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $30K (2025) to $49K (2024). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $30K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of MN Duluth Duluth, MN | Scholarship | $4,000 |
| College of St Scholastica Duluth, MN | Scholarship | $4,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Bloomer, WI | Scholarship | $4,000 |
| University of Northwestern St Paul Roseville, MN | Scholarship | $4,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Madison Madison, WI | Scholarship | $4,000 |
| Mankato State University Mankato, MN | Scholarship | $2,000 |
| Grinnell College Grinnell, IA | Scholarship | $2,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Stout Menomonie, WI | Scholarship | $2,000 |
| University of Minnesota Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN | Scholarship | $2,000 |
| Elmhurst University Elmhurst, IL | Scholarship | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust?
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 | $522,673 | $32,797 | $43,751 | $30,000 | 10 | $32,636 | $22,021 | $34,636 |
| 2024 | $533,627 | $45,799 | $61,926 | $48,755 | 11 | $51,360 | $35,527 | $32,999 |
| 2023 | $549,757 | $29,016 | $50,412 | $38,000 | 12 | $40,680 | $18,853 | $31,686 |
| 2022 | $571,169 | $23,546 | $54,034 | $40,480 | 15 | $43,114 | $13,413 | $33,465 |
| 2021 | $601,656 | $50,985 | $60,474 | $45,500 | 10 | $48,782 | $39,737 | $37,713 |
| 2020 | $611,149 | $32,929 | $59,679 | $46,707 | 7 | — | $22,679 | $33,872 |
| 2019 | $637,913 | $29,389 | $51,035 | $38,553 | 9 | — | $18,795 | $35,306 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust reported a distributable amount of $35K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to colleges and universities for scholarships. Among the recipients, the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Foundation describes its mission as stewarding private funds for the university and contributing to its academic excellence. The College of St. Scholastica describes its mission as providing intellectual and moral preparation for responsible living and meaningful work.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $30,000 through 10 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $4,000, with a median of $3,000. The largest grants were $4,000 each to the University of Minnesota Duluth, College of St. Scholastica, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, University of Northwestern–St. Paul, and University of Wisconsin–Madison. Each was designated for scholarships.
The 2025 filing says applications are available through Duluth high school counselors. It lists the Soneson Scholarship Committee as the contact for the application process. Eligible applicants are high school seniors in Duluth public schools who maintain a 2.5 GPA and attend an accredited college or university in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, or South Dakota.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists US Bank N A as trustee.
W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust's only listed officer is US Bank N A, Trustee on filings since 2019 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
US Bank N A
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$11K (2019) → $11K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: US Bank NA (2024) — Trustee
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 $11K, to US Bank N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust
How much does W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust give each year?
W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust gave $30K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $49K across 11 grants.
What is W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust's typical grant size?
W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $3,000, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust give grants?
W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust gives mostly in Minnesota: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wisconsin (33%) and Iowa (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Duluth, MN (2 grants).
Does W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (10 grants).
Who are W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust's largest grantees?
W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust's largest 2025 grantees include University of MN Duluth ($4,000), College of St Scholastica ($4,000) and University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($4,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust?
W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust reported $523K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $33K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $35K (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 W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to colleges and universities for scholarships. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust?
Obtain an application through Duluth high school counselors and follow the filing’s eligibility requirements. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust's EIN?
W & a Soneson Scholarship Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-6018233. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 8, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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