Walter and Leona Schmitt Family

Private foundation · Grantmaker White Bear Lake, MN EIN: 35-6793905

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.

Key facts about Walter and Leona Schmitt Family

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.

EIN
35-6793905
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$60,000
Grants made (2025)
18
Average grant
$3,333
Median grant
$3,000
New grantees (estimate)
39% first-time grantees (7 of 18, 2025; small sample)
Total assets
$1,373,610
Primary geography
Minnesota (86% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
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. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). 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

$1.4M

+9.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$60K

-6.3% YoY

Grant Count

18

+5.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$3K

-11.5% YoY

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.

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.

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.

How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

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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

14states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.

Cities

Saint PaulMinneapolisDuluthWest St PaulSt Louis ParkEaganStillwaterCollegevilleCold SpringColumbia HeightsInver Grove HeightsNorth Saint PaulNorwichSan FranciscoShoreviewVadnais HeightsWellesley HillsBozemanChattanoogaCoral Gables

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K$80K22 grants2020 20 grants2021 13 grants2022 16 grants2023 17 grants2024 18 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $50K (2022) to $64K (2024). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $60K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Hill-Murray: $10KHill-Murray$10KUniversity of St Thomas: $7KUniversity of St Thomas$7KAlight: $5KAlight$5KProdeo Academy: $5KProdeo Academy$5KFriends of San Lucas: $4KFriends of San Lucas$4KWorld Central Kitchen: $4KWorld Central Kitchen$4KAdoptaclassroomorg: $4KAdoptaclassroomorg$4KNational Park Service: $4KNational Park Service$4KFriends of the Boundary Waters: $3KFriends of the Boundary Waters$3KOpen Windows Books: $3KOpen Windows Books$3K

The largest 2025 recipient was Hill-Murray ($10K). Together the top 10 received $48K.

Grant Size Distribution

84 grants across all recorded years

84<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 84 grants of 84 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Hill-Murray Maplewood, MNGeneral Fund$10,000
University of St Thomas St. Paul, MN360 Journalism Program$7,000
Alight Minneapolis, MNGeneral Fund$5,000
Prodeo Academy Columbia Heights, MNGeneral Fund$5,000
Friends of San Lucas Eagan, MNGeneral Fund$4,000
World Central Kitchen Washington DC, DCGeneral Fund$4,000
Adoptaclassroomorg Minneapolis, MNGeneral Fund$3,500
National Park Service Herndon, VAGeneral Fund$3,500
Friends of the Boundary Waters St. Paul, MNGeneral Fund$3,000
Open Windows Books Cold Spring, MNGeneral Fund$3,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grant sum Grant count
2025 $1,373,610 $115,393 $76,368 $60,000 18
2024 $1,256,830 $84,874 $78,360 $64,000 17
2023 $1,201,904 $41,893 $70,750 $58,000 16
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$50K$100K$150K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$1,373,610$1,256,830$1,201,904
Revenue$115,393$84,874$41,893
Expenses$76,368$78,360$70,750
Qualifying Distributions$64,350$68,130$61,948
Net Investment Income$104,826$74,669$33,091
Distributable Amount$63,318$59,508$56,980

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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.

Contact

Mailing address: 4830 Johnson Avenue, White Bear Lake, MN 55110
Phone: (952) 469-8646

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.

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