Women's Foundation of Minnesota logo

Women's Foundation of Minnesota

Public charity · Grantmaker Minneapolis, MN EIN: 41-1635761 Website

The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota is a statewide community foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 1983, it invests in community-based, community-led solutions to advance gender and racial justice, with work spanning safety, leadership and community power, holistic well-being and reproductive justice, and economic justice.

Key facts about Women's Foundation of Minnesota

In short: Women's Foundation of Minnesota gave $3.9M across 90 grants in 2025 (avg $43K), mostly in Minnesota. 37% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
41-1635761
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$3,911,298
Grants made (2025)
90
Average grant
$43,459
Median grant
$20,375
New grantees (estimate)
37% first-time grantees (33 of 90, 2025)
Total assets
$39,363,615
Primary geography
Minnesota (86% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

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

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$39.4M

+4.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.9M

-2.1% YoY

Grant Count

90

-8.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$43K

+6.6% YoY

Is Women's Foundation of Minnesota open to new grantees?

37%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 33 of 90 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $35K; repeat grants $48K. How we count

Medians: $20K first-time, $22K repeat.

  • 53% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 76% from 2022 to 2025. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). 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 October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The Foundation’s mission is to end systemic inequities and drive innovation for gender and racial justice. It applies an Intersectional Equity Framework that considers gender, race, place, and additional identities, including ethnicity, sovereignty, socioeconomic class, age, disability, LGBTQ+ identity, and immigration status.

Its stated impact areas are safety; leadership and community power; holistic well-being and reproductive justice; and economic justice. The Foundation’s program descriptions include funding for work addressing gender-based violence, reproductive justice, girls’ economic opportunity, and wealth-building through education and entrepreneurship. Its website says all Women’s Foundation grants support general operating expenses.

The 2025 grantee descriptions show support for a range of organizations. For example, Bemidji State University Alumni and Foundation describes its work as advancing the university through philanthropy, while Friends of Saint Paul College describes its work as promoting student success through giving, scholarships, and programs. Possibility Labs describes its mission as co-creating an economy in which historically marginalized communities have self-determination.

Grantmaking

For FY25 (April 1, 2024–March 31, 2025), the Foundation reported awarding $2.5 million in grants to support safety, leadership, holistic well-being, and economic justice. It also reported $5.2 million in community investments across Minnesota, including 270 grants to 194 nonprofit organizations. These figures are distinct from the 2025 filing-year itemized grant data, which lists 90 grants totaling $3,911,298. Those grants ranged from $5,250 to $340,000, with a median of $20,375.

Among the largest grants listed for filing year 2025 were $340,000 to A Call to Men for a purpose described in the filing as a donor-advised fund withdrawal and general operating support; $200,000 each to Bemidji State Alumni & Foundation and Dunwoody College of Technology for scholarships and student expenses; and $200,000 to Minneapolis College Foundation for a We Thrive grant. Other listed awards included $150,000 to Friends of Saint Paul College for a We Thrive grant renewal, $144,122 to YWCA St Paul for general operating support, and $100,000 each to Healing Justice Foundation, Hope Community, Neighborhood Development Center, and Possibility Labs for the purposes stated in the filing.

The grant page says there are currently no open grants and that Community Response, We Thrive, and sponsorship grantmaking are invitation-only. A separate program listing describes the AURA Fund for Women as currently open, while the grant page reports no open grants; the available information does not provide an application deadline or detailed eligibility requirements for AURA.

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Women's Foundation of Minnesota

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The Foundation describes itself as statewide and supports community-led work across Minnesota. In the 2025 filing-year itemized grants, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota; the remaining reported shares were New York (9%), California (4%), South Dakota (1%), and Wisconsin (0%). The Foundation’s program descriptions also identify a commitment to communities in Greater Minnesota.

Grant Distribution by State

12states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 90 itemized grants.

Cities

MInneapolisSaint PaulDuluthMankatoFargoHibbingWinonaBrainerdBrooklyn CenterMahnomenMarshallMortonNew YorkWaite ParkApple ValleySouth St PaulThief River FallsWillow RiverBemidjiRobbinsdale

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M112 grants2021 84 grants2022 94 grants2023 98 grants2024 90 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.2M (2023) to $4.0M (2024). In 2025 it made 90 grants totaling $3.9M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

A Call to Men: $340KA Call to Men$340KBemidji State Alumni & Foundation: $200KBemidji State Alumni &Foundation$200KDunwoody College of Technology: $200KDunwoody College of Technology$200KMinneapolis College Foundation: $200KMinneapolis College Foundation$200KMinnesota North College: $200KMinnesota North College$200KFriends of Saint Paul College: $150KFriends of Saint Paul College$150KMinnesota State Community & Technical College: $150KMinnesota State Community &Technical College$150KYWCA St Paul: $144KYWCA St Paul$144KHealing Justice Foundation: $100KHealing Justice Foundation$100KHope Community: $100KHope Community$100K

The largest 2025 recipient was A Call to Men ($340K). Together the top 10 received $1.8M.

Grant Size Distribution

478 grants across all recorded years

411<$50K39$50–100K25$100–250K2$250–500K1$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 411 grants of 478 (86%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
A Call to Men Rockville Centre, NYDAF withdrawl; withdrawal; general operating support in honor of Ted Bunch and Tony Porter; your research project$340,000
Bemidji State Alumni & Foundation Bemidji, MNScholarships and student expenses$200,000
Dunwoody College of Technology Minneapolis, MNScholarships and student expenses$200,000
Minneapolis College Foundation Minneapolis, MNWe Thrive grant$200,000
Minnesota North College Hibbing, MNScholarships and student expenses$200,000
Friends of Saint Paul College Saint Paul, MNWe Thrive grant renewal$150,000
Minnesota State Community & Technical College Fergus Falls, MNWe Thrive renewal$150,000
YWCA St Paul St. Paul, MNGeneral operating support; area of greatest need$144,122
Healing Justice Foundation St. Paul, MNGeneral operating support$100,000
Hope Community Minneapolis, MNEDAF withdrawal$100,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

IRS filing data reports the following financials by filing year. Grant totals and counts are the itemized grant figures for each filing year.

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Itemized grants
2025 $39,363,615 $9,098,569 $8,558,658 $3,911,298; 90 grants
2024 $37,705,804 $7,678,057 $8,716,638 $3,995,516; 98 grants
2023 $35,113,777 $11,550,455 $6,176,461 $2,169,563; 94 grants
Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$5M$10M$15M2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$39,363,615$37,705,804$35,113,777
Revenue$9,098,569$7,678,057$11,550,455
Expenses$8,558,658$8,716,638$6,176,461
Net Investment Income$983,186$413,011$121,751

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 17, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 4, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 27, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 23, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 23, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Chanda Smith Baker as Chair, Anita Patel as Vice Chair, Debarati Sen as Treasurer, and Ed Heisler as Secretary. Trustees listed are Bethlehem Gronneberg, Raichel Brown, Brenda Quaye, Sandra Vargas, Valerie Spencer, and Fatima Said.

Women's Foundation of Minnesota is led by Gloria Perez, President & CEO on every filing since 2021; 7 of 29 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Gloria Perez

    President & CEO

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $209K (2021) → $268K (2025)

  • Chanda Smith Baker

    Chair

    Secretary → Vice Chair, 2022

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2024

    On filings since 2021

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carolyn Van Nelson

    Director of Finance & Technology

    Controller → Director of Finance & Technology, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $102K (2022) → $113K (2025)

  • Jennifer Lowman DaySenior

    Director Communications

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $124K (2025)

  • Valerie Spencer

    Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Adair Mosely

    Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brenda Quaye

    Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Fatima Said

    Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sandra Vargas

    Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Vanessa Goodthunder

    Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Elizabeth Tolzmann

    Trustee

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Katherine Hayes

    Trustee

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kris Maritz

    Trustee

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rajni Shah

    Trustee

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Henry Jimenez

    Trustee

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mary Miklethun

    Trustee

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Raichel Brown

    Trustee

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tonya Jackman Hampton

    Trustee

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Velma Korbel

    Trustee

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bethlehem Gronneberg

    Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ellie Krug

    Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Susan Sands

    Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • LaCora Bradford Kesti

    Vice President Community Impact

    On filings since 2023

    40 hrs/week

    $117K (2023) → $141K (2025)

  • Nadia Siddiqui

    Vice President of Advancement

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $139K (2024) → $151K (2025)

  • Heidi WalshExecutive

    Vice President Finance & Operations

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $192K (2025)

  • Michelle Trans Myers

    Vice President of Innovation & Strategic Comms

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $129K (2025)

  • Debarati Sen

    Treasurer

    Trustee → Treasurer, 2022

    On filings since 2021

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Anita Patel

    Vice Chair

    Trustee → Vice Chair, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ed Heisler

    Secretary

    Trustee → Secretary, 2024

    On filings since 2023

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (25)
  • Former: Heidi Walsh (2021–2024) — Vice President Finance & Operations
  • Former: Nevada Littlewolf (2021–2024) — Trustee
  • Former: Jennifer Lowman Day (2022–2024) — Director Communications
  • Former: Chanida Potter Jan-Nov (2024) — Vice President Strategic Comms
  • Former: Cynthia Bauerly (2024) — Vice President Strategy
  • Former: George Martin (2021–2023) — Secretary
  • Former: Chanida Potter (2023) — Vice President Narrative Change
  • Former: Elizabeth KingSr Dev and (2023) — Planned Giving Officer
  • Former: Elena Brito Sifferlin (2021–2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Julia Classen (2021–2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Lulete Mola (2021–2022) — Vice President Strategy & Narrative
  • Former: Susan Segal (2021–2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Wendy Nelson (2021–2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Kim Stone (2022) — Vice President Advancement
  • Former: Gail Polly-Nordhaus (2021) — Treasurer
  • Former: Jen Alstad (2021) — Trustee
  • Former: Jen Lowman Day (2021) — Director Communications
  • Former: Joanne Green (2021) — Trustee
  • Former: Katharine Kelly (2021) — Trustee
  • Former: Lee Roper-Batker (2021) — Former CEO & President
  • Former: Pheng Thao (2021) — Trustee
  • Former: Rebecca Parsons Klevan (2021) — Trustee
  • Former: Roderic Southall (2021) — Trustee
  • Former: Saanii Hernandez-Mohr (2021) — Vice President
  • Former: Sandy Vargas (2021) — Trustee

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Gloria Perez — President and CEO: $268KGloria PerezPresident and CEO$268KHeidi WalshExecutive — VP Finance and Operations: $192KHeidi WalshExecutiveVP Finance and Operations$192KNadia Siddiqui — VP of Advancement: $151KNadia SiddiquiVP of Advancement$151KLaCora Bradford Kesti — VP Community Impact: $141KLaCora Bradford KestiVP Community Impact$141KMichelle Trans Myers — VP of Innovation & Strategic Comms: $129KMichelle Trans MyersVP of Innovation & Strategic…$129KJennifer Lowman DaySenior — Director Communications: $124KJennifer Lowman…Director Communications$124KCarolyn Van Nelson — Director of Finance & Technology: $113KCarolyn Van NelsonDirector of Finance & Technology$113K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $268K, to Gloria Perez (President and CEO). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Mailing address: 105 5Th Ave S 525, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: (612) 337-5010
Website: https://wfmn.org

Frequently asked questions about Women's Foundation of Minnesota

How much does Women's Foundation of Minnesota give each year?

Women's Foundation of Minnesota gave $3.9M across 90 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $4.0M across 98 grants.

What is Women's Foundation of Minnesota's typical grant size?

Women's Foundation of Minnesota's median grant in 2025 was $20,375, and its average grant was $43,459, across 90 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Women's Foundation of Minnesota that year got $35K on average.

Where does Women's Foundation of Minnesota give grants?

Women's Foundation of Minnesota gives mostly in Minnesota: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (30 grants), St. Paul, MN (24 grants), Duluth, MN (5 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).

Does Women's Foundation of Minnesota give general operating support?

Yes: 47% of Women's Foundation of Minnesota's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (42 of 90) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Safety Fund grant as it aligns with submitted proposal" (11 grants), "girlsBEST Renewal grant" (9 grants) and "Scholarships and student expenses" (3 grants).

Who are Women's Foundation of Minnesota's largest grantees?

Women's Foundation of Minnesota's largest 2025 grantees include A Call to Men ($340,000), Bemidji State Alumni & Foundation ($200,000) and Dunwoody College of Technology ($200,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Women's Foundation of Minnesota?

Women's Foundation of Minnesota reported $39.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $9.1M.

What does Women's Foundation of Minnesota fund?

The Foundation’s mission is to end systemic inequities and drive innovation for gender and racial justice. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Women's Foundation of Minnesota?

Women's Foundation of Minnesota has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check wfmn.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is Women's Foundation of Minnesota's EIN?

Women's Foundation of Minnesota's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1635761. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.

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