Walter and Leona Schmitt Family
The Walter and Leona Schmitt Family is a private foundation based in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. It reported making 18 grants totaling $60,000 in 2025 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in education, services for displaced people, humanitarian response, and wilderness protection.
Walter and Leona Schmitt Family at a glance
In short: Walter and Leona Schmitt Family gave $60K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Minnesota. 39% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $60,000
- -6.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- +5.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,333
- -11.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $1,373,610
- +9.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 39% first-time grantees (7 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (86% 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 Walter and Leona Schmitt Family
- 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: 4830 Johnson Avenue, White Bear Lake, MN 55110
Phone: (952) 469-8646
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Walter and Leona Schmitt Family funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Hill-Murray ($10K). Together the top 10 received $48K.
Grant Size Distribution
84 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 84 grants of 84 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grants went primarily to organizations in Minnesota: 86% of grant dollars were reported for recipients in Minnesota, 7% in the District of Columbia, 6% in Virginia, and 2% in Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Walter and Leona Schmitt Family open to new grantees?
39%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 18 grantees (39%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 20% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 102% 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 $50K (2022) to $64K (2024). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $60K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hill-Murray Maplewood, MN | General Fund | $10,000 |
| University of St Thomas St. Paul, MN | 360 Journalism Program | $7,000 |
| Alight Minneapolis, MN | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Prodeo Academy Columbia Heights, MN | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Friends of San Lucas Eagan, MN | General Fund | $4,000 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington DC, DC | General Fund | $4,000 |
| Adoptaclassroomorg Minneapolis, MN | General Fund | $3,500 |
| National Park Service Herndon, VA | General Fund | $3,500 |
| Friends of the Boundary Waters St. Paul, MN | General Fund | $3,000 |
| Open Windows Books Cold Spring, MN | General Fund | $3,000 |
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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 | $1,373,610 | $115,393 | $76,368 | $60,000 | 18 | $64,350 | $104,826 | $63,318 |
| 2024 | $1,256,830 | $84,874 | $78,360 | $64,000 | 17 | $68,130 | $74,669 | $59,508 |
| 2023 | $1,201,904 | $41,893 | $70,750 | $58,000 | 16 | $61,948 | $33,091 | $56,980 |
| 2022 | $1,130,691 | $48,887 | $64,206 | $50,000 | 13 | $53,550 | $40,877 | $62,528 |
| 2021 | $1,432,575 | $129,488 | $74,168 | $60,500 | 20 | $63,874 | $119,847 | $69,100 |
| 2020 | $1,341,172 | $56,978 | $70,899 | $59,500 | 22 | — | $49,467 | $64,653 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Walter and Leona Schmitt Family reported a distributable amount of $63K 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 included support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the University of St. Thomas describes its mission as educating morally responsible leaders to advance the common good, while Alight says it works with displaced people to build lives with dignity, connection, and purpose. Friends of the Boundary Waters says it works to protect the Boundary Waters and connect people to the wilderness.
Other 2025 grantees describe work that includes responding to humanitarian, climate, and community crises (World Central Kitchen); breaking cycles of violence and helping families build safe relationships (Domestic Abuse Project); and building confidence and success for learners, particularly those with learning differences (Groves Learning Organization).
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $60,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $10,000, with a median of $3,000.
Among the larger reported grants were $10,000 to Hill-Murray for its general fund; $7,000 to the University of St. Thomas for its 360 Journalism Program; $5,000 each to Alight and Prodeo Academy for their general funds; and $4,000 each to Friends of San Lucas and World Central Kitchen for their general funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mary Nicklawske as president; Michael Nicklawske and Mark Nicklawske as trustees; Ann Nicklawske McGee as secretary; and Andrew James McGee as treasurer.
Walter and Leona Schmitt Family is led by Mary Nicklawske, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mary Nicklawske
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Nicklawske
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Nicklawske
Trustee
Treasurer → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Nicklawske McGee
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew James McGee
Treasurer
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Elinor M. Nicklawske (2020–2023) — Secretary
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 Walter and Leona Schmitt Family
How much does Walter and Leona Schmitt Family give each year?
Walter and Leona Schmitt Family gave $60K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $64K across 17 grants.
What is Walter and Leona Schmitt Family's typical grant size?
Walter and Leona Schmitt Family's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $3,333, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Walter and Leona Schmitt Family that year got $4K on average.
Where does Walter and Leona Schmitt Family give grants?
Walter and Leona Schmitt Family gives mostly in Minnesota: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (7%) and Virginia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were St. Paul, MN (3 grants), Minneapolis, MN (3 grants) and Duluth, MN (2 grants).
Does Walter and Leona Schmitt Family give general operating support?
Yes: 94% of Walter and Leona Schmitt Family's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Walter and Leona Schmitt Family's largest grantees?
Walter and Leona Schmitt Family's largest 2025 grantees include Hill-Murray ($10,000), University of St Thomas ($7,000) and Alight ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Walter and Leona Schmitt Family?
Walter and Leona Schmitt Family reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $64K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $63K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Walter and Leona Schmitt Family fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the University of St. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Walter and Leona Schmitt Family?
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 Walter and Leona Schmitt Family's EIN?
Walter and Leona Schmitt Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-6793905. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Walter and Leona Schmitt Family 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Walter and Leona Schmitt Family funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Walter and Leona Schmitt Family funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/walter-and-leona-schmitt-family-morg_5b0ddfd3c8774a6aaa2b9939dd3eb1f1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_356793905_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Walter and Leona Schmitt Family funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/walter-and-leona-schmitt-family-morg_5b0ddfd3c8774a6aaa2b9939dd3eb1f1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. 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 Walter and Leona Schmitt Family'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.
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