Wilson Foundation
WILSON FOUNDATION is based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and its filing type is 990T. Its 2024 filing reports $11,080,000 in grants to 20 recipients, including organizations working in housing, poverty, workforce development, and climate policy.
Key facts about Wilson Foundation
In short: Wilson Foundation gave $11.1M across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $554K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 86-3212786
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $11,080,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- Average grant
- $554,000
- Median grant
- $155,000
- Total assets
- $88,420,103
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (66% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$88.4M
+2.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.1M
+440.5% YoY
Grant Count
20
+81.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$554K
+197.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wilson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Wilson Foundation gives
- 26% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 185% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included housing and poverty grants, workforce grants, and climate and policy grants. Among the recipients, Project for Pride in Living describes its work as providing affordable housing, resident services, and career-readiness programs; HIRED describes its work as employment counseling, career training, and support for people facing barriers to employment. Fresh Energy describes its mission as advancing equitable carbon-neutral economies through policy solutions. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work, not statements of the foundation’s mission.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $11,080,000. Grant amounts ranged from $36,000 to $7,330,000, with a median of $155,000. Its largest listed grant was $7,330,000 to National Philanthropic Trust for “discretionary board member gifts from DAF.” Other notable grants included $400,000 each to Beacon Interfaith Housing, Center for Energy and the Environment, Fresh Energy, Great Plains Institute, Project for Pride in Living, and Youthprise; $300,000 to HIRED; and $250,000 to Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.
How to Apply
or instructions are provided.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 66% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania and 34% to recipients in Minnesota. Listed Minnesota recipients include organizations in Saint Paul, Minneapolis, and Duluth.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $750K (2022) to $11.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $11.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was National Philanthropic Trust ($7.3M). Together the top 10 received $10.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
34 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 17 grants of 34 (50%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Philanthropic Trust Jenkintown, PA | Discretionary Board Member Gifts from Daf | $7,330,000 |
| Beacon Interfaith Housing Saint Paul, MN | Poverty/Housing Grant | $400,000 |
| Center for Energy and the Environment Minneapolis, MN | Climate/Policy, Workforce/Poverty Grant | $400,000 |
| Fresh Energy Saint Paul, MN | Climate/Policy Grant | $400,000 |
| Great Plains Institute Minneapolis, MN | Climate/Policy Grant | $400,000 |
| Project for Pride in Living Minneapolis, MN | Poverty/Housing/Workforce Grant | $400,000 |
| Youthprise Minneapolis, MN | Poverty/Multiple Grant | $400,000 |
| Hired Minneapolis, MN | Joint/Workforce Grant | $300,000 |
| Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity Saint Paul, MN | Poverty/Housing Grant | $250,000 |
| Summit Academy Oic Minneapolis, MN | Joint/Workforce Grant | $160,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $88,420,103 | $14,098,006 | $14,470,451 | $11,080,000 |
| 2023 | $86,289,365 | $81,574,944 | $5,871,554 | $2,050,000 |
| 2022 | $9,086,815 | $9,868,656 | $785,345 | $750,000 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $88,420,103 | $86,289,365 | $9,086,815 |
| Revenue | $14,098,006 | $81,574,944 | $9,868,656 |
| Expenses | $14,470,451 | $5,871,554 | $785,345 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $12,711,676 | $2,213,492 | $769,244 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,577,376 | $70,767,885 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $6,872,724 | $3,965,165 | $50,479 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John Wilson as president; Terry O’Reilly as treasurer/secretary; Brenda Furlow as secretary; and Dan Fick as director.
Wilson Foundation is led by John Wilson, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John Wilson
President
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dan Fick
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brenda Furlow
Secretary
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terry O'Reilly
Treasurer & Secretary
Treasurer → Treasurer & Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 2100 Old Highway 8 Nw, Saint Paul, MN 55112
Phone: (651) 467-5020
Frequently asked questions about Wilson Foundation
How much does Wilson Foundation give each year?
Wilson Foundation gave $11.1M across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.0M across 11 grants.
What is Wilson Foundation's typical grant size?
Wilson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $155,000, and its average grant was $554,000, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Wilson Foundation give grants?
Wilson Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Minnesota (34%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (9 grants), Saint Paul, MN (5 grants) and Duluth, MN (3 grants).
Does Wilson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Wilson Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Joint/Workforce Grant" (9 grants), "Climate/Policy Grant" (3 grants) and "Poverty/Housing Grant" (3 grants).
Who are Wilson Foundation's largest grantees?
Wilson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include National Philanthropic Trust ($7,330,000), Beacon Interfaith Housing ($400,000) and Center for Energy and the Environment ($400,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Wilson Foundation?
Wilson Foundation reported $88.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $12.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Wilson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included housing and poverty grants, workforce grants, and climate and policy grants. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wilson Foundation?
Wilson Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Wilson Foundation's EIN?
Wilson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-3212786. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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