Wenger Foundation
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
5
-73.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2.5M
+16709.3% YoY
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
Cities
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
| 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
No grants recorded for .
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 | — |
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
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Grants
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Minnesota Citizens Concerned
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Assets
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Clearway Minnesota (sm)
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Assets
—
Grants
6
Total Given
$442K
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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