Wenger Foundation

WAYZATA, MN EIN: 41-1436658 Website

The Wenger Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1982 and based in Wayzata, Minnesota. The foundation was created by Carl and Margaret Wenger, whose family built Wengers Farm Machinery from humble beginnings into a successful business. The foundation carries forward the Wenger family's legacy of philanthropic giving across multiple sectors and geographic regions.

Financial Overview

From 2023 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$12.6M

+4323.5% YoY

Grant Count

-73.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$2.5M

+16709.3% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's core values center on Faith, Family, Education, and Community. The foundation supports a diverse range of service areas including:

Arts and culture
Health and hospitals
Human services
Higher education
Children and youth services
Organizations serving at-risk youth
Services for kids and families
Support for individuals with special needs

Grantmaking

The foundation accepts applications from prospective grantees.

Grant Range

$5,000 to $12,490,724

Average Grant

approximately $10,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and cities, with primary focus areas including:

States: California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York, and the District of Columbia
Cities: Brooklyn Park, Colorado Springs, Hopkins, Melville, Minneapolis, Northfield, Owatonna, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Washington, D.C.

Grant Distribution by State

California $12.5M (90%)

Minnesota $1.4M (10%)

Colorado $20K (0%)

District of Columbia $20K (0%)

New York $20K (0%)

States

California Colorado District of Columbia Minnesota New York

Cities

BROOKLYN PARKCOLORADO SPRINGSHOPKINGMAPLE GROVEMELVILLEMINNEAPOLISNORTHFIELDOWATONNASAN FRANCISCOST PAULWASHINGTON

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2023:

Total assets: $13,610,491
Total giving: $12,562,724
Total expenses: $12,582,458
Revenue: Negative $944,880

Tax-Exempt Status:

EIN: 41-1436658
Tax-exempt since April 1983
Classification: 501(c)(3) charitable organization
Filing requirement: Form 990-PF

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2023	2022	2021
Total Assets	—	—	—
Revenue	—	—	—
Expenses	—	—	—
Qualifying Distributions	—	—	—
Net Investment Income	—	—	—
Distributable Amount	—	—	—

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 5 recipients in 2023

Grant Size Distribution

87 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2023 grants, the largest include Schwab Charitable Fund ($12,490,724), Owatonna Arts Center Foundation ($37,000), Harry Wenger Marching Band Festival Inc ($20,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
HARRY WENGER MARCHING BAND FESTIVAL INC OWATONNA, MN	ASSIST OPERATIONS	$20,000
LITTLE THEATRE OF OWATONNA OWATONNA, MN	ASSIST OPERATIONS	$10,000
NEWMAN STUDENT AWARD-ASA MELVILLE, NY	ASSIST OPERATIONS	$5,000
OWATONNA ARTS CENTER FOUNDATION OWATONNA, MN	ASSIST OPERATIONS	$37,000
SCHWAB CHARITABLE FUND SAN FRANCISCO, CA	TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO NEWLY CREATED DAF TO FINALIZE THE DISSOLUTION OF THE WENGER FOUNDATION	$12,490,724

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Wendy Wenger Dankey – Executive Director (serves without compensation)
Jerry A. Wenger – President (serves without compensation)
Board Directors: Nancy Benjamin, Kirsten Johnson, and Hanna Johnson (all serve without compensation)

Compensation Overview

From 2023 IRS filing

From 2023 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
WENDY WENGER DANKEY	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR	20	—
JERRY A WENGER	PRESIDENT	1	—
NANCY BENJAMIN	DIRECTOR	1	—
KIRSTEN JOHNSON	DIRECTOR	1	—
HANNA JOHNSON	DIRECTOR	1	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Arts and culture Health Human services

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Wenger Foundation fund?

The foundation's core values center on **Faith, Family, Education, and Community**. The foundation supports a diverse range of service areas including: • Arts and culture • Health and hospitals • Human services • Higher education • Children and youth services • Organizations serving at-risk youth • Services for kids and families • Support for individuals with special needs

How do I apply for a grant from Wenger Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Total giving in 2023: $12,562,724 • Number of grants (2023): 5 grants • Grant range: $5,000 to $12,490,724 • Median grant size: $20,000 • Average grant size: approximately $10,000 **Application Status:** The foundation accepts applications from prospective grantees.

Where does Wenger Foundation make grants?

The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and cities, with primary focus areas including: • **States:** California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York, and the District of Columbia • **Cities:** Brooklyn Park, Colorado Springs, Hopkins, Melville, Minneapolis, Northfield, Owatonna, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Washington, D.C.