Winona Community Foundation
Winona Community Foundation is a public charity based in Winona, Minnesota. Formed in 1987, it stewards charitable funds and makes grants to projects and causes addressing needs and opportunities in the Winona area.
Winona Community Foundation at a glance
In short: Winona Community Foundation gave $3.7M across 70 grants in 2024 (avg $53K), mostly in Minnesota. 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,696,001
- +296.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 70
- +118.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $52,800
- +81.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $12,560
- Total assets
- $16,951,907
- -1.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (28 of 70, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (95% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Winona Community Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Review the program guidelines and FAQs, complete a screening call, and submit an application through the Foundation’s grant application process.
- Contact
Mailing address: 111 Riverfront Suite 2E, Winona, MN 55987
Phone: (507) 454-6511
Website: https://winonacf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Winona Community Foundation
Community Grants for Non-Profits
Winona Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Impact Grant
Winona Community Foundation
Amount
$100,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Scholarship Applications
Winona Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Winona Community Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Winona Volunteer Services ($2.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
274 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 243 grants of 274 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation describes its community grant program as serving the Winona area. Its eligibility guidance specifies organizations operating within and benefiting the Winona area. In 2024, 95% of itemized grant dollars went to Minnesota recipients; the remaining listed shares went to Wisconsin (2%), Tennessee (1%), Illinois (1%), and Washington (0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 70 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Winona Community Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 28 of 70 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $79K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $18K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $932K (2023) to $3.7M (2024). In 2024 it made 70 grants totaling $3.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Winona Volunteer Services Winona, MN | Human Services | $2,029,222 |
| City of Winona Winona, MN | Civic and Community Development | $148,785 |
| Benedictine Foundation Winona, MN | Health and Wellness | $128,200 |
| Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center Winona, MN | Human Services | $126,900 |
| Sandbar Storytelling Festival Winona, MN | Arts, Culture and Humanities | $75,000 |
| Minnesota Masterpiece Hall Winona, MN | Arts, Culture and Humanities | $70,000 |
| Family & Children's Center Winona, MN | Human Services | $67,184 |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN | Educational | $58,000 |
| St Mary's Catholic Church Winona, MN | Religion | $49,100 |
| Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota Winona, MN | Human Services | $46,535 |
Ready to take the next step with Winona Community Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $16,951,907 | $3,616,365 | $4,787,672 | $3,696,001 | 70 | $1,013,863 |
| 2023 | $17,131,515 | $2,409,348 | $2,400,329 | $931,561 | 32 | $263,906 |
| 2022 | $14,899,385 | $1,326,891 | $2,622,772 | $1,570,330 | 80 | $-511 |
| 2021 | $18,963,521 | $3,127,557 | $2,208,916 | $1,452,976 | 46 | $735,626 |
| 2020 | $16,267,330 | $2,565,851 | $1,936,288 | $1,201,205 | 46 | $1,588,187 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to improve quality of life in the Winona area by educating the public about philanthropy, connecting charitable resources with organizations and causes, stewarding philanthropic resources, collaborating with charitable organizations, catalyzing selected community initiatives, and making grants that address community needs and opportunities.
Its grants support a range of local organizations. For example, Winona Volunteer Services describes its work as helping people address life’s challenges through coordinated assistance, food programs, home-delivered meals, nutrition education, and other services. Hiawatha Valley Mental Health describes its work as providing behavioral health services to enhance community well-being. Minnesota Masterpiece Hall says it presents art, concerts, and education programs, while Home and Community Options says it provides support and residential services to people with disabilities.
Grantmaking
The Foundation’s community grant program operates in two cycles each year, with application windows ending March 1 and September 1. The website describes two request types: capacity-building requests of up to $15,000 for new or expanded projects, programs, or equipment; and sustaining requests of up to $5,000 for operations, programming, or bridge funding. The 2026 Cycle 2 application deadline was September 1, 2026, which has passed; no later deadline is provided.
Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations, government agencies, and organizations with a fiscal-agent agreement with a 501(c)(3), provided they operate within and benefit the Winona area. Applicants must review the guidelines and FAQs and schedule and complete a screening call before applying. Exclusions include, among other things, non-secular activities, research, annual fundraising campaigns, endowments, debt or legal settlements, political purposes, certain educational capital costs, direct support to individuals, and projects already underway or completed. Organizations with an unsubmitted final report or that received Community Grant Program funding in the same calendar year cannot apply.
For filing year 2024, the Foundation’s itemized grant data lists 70 grants totaling $3,696,001. Grant amounts ranged from $5,125 to $2,029,222, with a median of $12,560. Separately, the Foundation’s filing narrative reports that it disbursed 597 grants in 2024.
The largest itemized grants included $2,029,222 to Winona Volunteer Services for human services; $148,785 to the City of Winona for civic and community development; $128,200 to Benedictine Foundation for health and wellness; and $126,900 to Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center for human services. Other listed awards included $75,000 to Sandbar Storytelling Festival and $70,000 to Minnesota Masterpiece Hall, both for arts, culture, and humanities; $67,184 to Family & Children’s Center for human services; and $58,000 to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota for educational purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jacob Woodworth as chair, Dave Jensen as vice chair, Ann Gibson as secretary, and Jackie Czaplewski as treasurer. It also lists Aaron Young, Maurella Cunningham, Kevin O’Reilly, Jolene Vasalaar, Rebecca Franzen, and Cindy Telstad as directors.
Winona Community Foundation is led by Nancy Brown, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 16 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Nancy Brown
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$85K (2020) → $104K (2024)
Jacob Woodworth
Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sara Brandon
Director
Finance Director → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$34K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Mandi Olson
Finance Director
On filings since 2021
25 hrs/week
$32K (2021) → $50K (2024)
Aaron Young
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kevin O'Reilly
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jolene Vaselaar
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maurella Cunningham
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Telstad
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Franzen
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Annmarie Demarais
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bob Quinlan
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hayley Hornberg
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Gibson
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jackie Czaplewski
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dave Jensen
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Amanda Hedlund (2020–2023) — Director -
- Former: Andrew Guzzo (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Kathleen Peterson (2020–2023) — Chair
- Former: Angela Lallemont (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Corey Hancock (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Denise Mc Dowell (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Genelle Groh Beck (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Jerry Papenfuss (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Bob Deter (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Cheri Eddy Crigler (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Beau Van Beek (2020) — Past Chair
- Former: Christopher Gervais (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $104K, to Nancy Brown (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Winona Community Foundation
How much does Winona Community Foundation give each year?
Winona Community Foundation gave $3.7M across 70 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $932K across 32 grants.
What is Winona Community Foundation's typical grant size?
Winona Community Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $12,560, and its average grant was $52,800, across 70 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Winona Community Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does Winona Community Foundation give grants?
Winona Community Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Winona, MN (42 grants), Rochester, MN (2 grants), Lewiston, MN (2 grants) and Galesville, WI (2 grants).
Does Winona Community Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 70 grants with a stated purpose on Winona Community Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Youth Development" (22 grants), "Human Services" (14 grants) and "Educational" (8 grants).
Who are Winona Community Foundation's largest grantees?
Winona Community Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Winona Volunteer Services ($2,029,222), City of Winona ($148,785) and Benedictine Foundation ($128,200), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Winona Community Foundation?
Winona Community Foundation reported $17.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.6M.
What does Winona Community Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to improve quality of life in the Winona area by educating the public about philanthropy, connecting charitable resources with organizations and causes, stewarding philanthropic resources, collaborating with charitable organizations, catalyzing selected community initiatives, and making grants that address community needs and opportunities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Winona Community Foundation?
Review the program guidelines and FAQs, complete a screening call, and submit an application through the Foundation’s grant application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Winona Community Foundation's EIN?
Winona Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3500853. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 18, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Winona Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Winona Community Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/winona-community-foundation-morg_061cadcf9a7a406cb4288bfe37cf88b6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363500853_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Winona Community Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/winona-community-foundation-morg_061cadcf9a7a406cb4288bfe37cf88b6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Winona Community Foundation'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.
Winona Community Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?