Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust
Based in Rockford, Minnesota, Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust is a public charity that supports charitable and educational purposes, primarily in areas served by Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association. The trust is funded in part by voluntary Operation Round Up contributions from cooperative members.
Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust at a glance
In short: Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust gave $141K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in Minnesota. 7% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $140,583
- -13.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- -11.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,372
- -1.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $50,404
- -3.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust
- Review Cycle
- The listed April 1, 2026 scholarship deadlines and the August 1, 2026 Operation Round Up application deadline are past.
- Deadline
- The listed April 1, 2026 scholarship deadlines and the August 1, 2026 Operation Round Up application deadline are past.
- Contact
Mailing address: 6800 Electric Dr, Rockford, MN 55373
Phone: (763) 477-3000
Website: https://whe.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Cross Food Shelf ($17K). Together the top 10 received $105K.
Grant Size Distribution
86 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 86 grants of 86 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust’s stated focus is primarily the areas served by Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association. All grant dollars reported for filing year 2024 went to Minnesota recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 15 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 87% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+16%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $108K (2019) to $162K (2020). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $141K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cross Food Shelf Rogers, MN | Replenish Food Shelf & Refrigerator Unit for Truck | $16,983 |
| Rotary Club of Buffalo Foundation Buffalo, MN | Adopt-a-Family Program | $10,000 |
| Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin St Louis Park, MN | Energy Assistance Program--Fuel Fund | $10,000 |
| Love Inc Heartland Delano, MN | Fresh Start Program | $10,000 |
| LSS Crisis Nursery Serving Wright County St Cloud, MN | Crisis Nursery Needs to Keep Families Safe | $10,000 |
| Senior Community Services Minnetonka, MN | Sr Center Programing for Monticello & Crow River | $10,000 |
| Society of St Vincent Depaul - St Michael St Michael, MN | Support for Families in Financial Crisis | $10,000 |
| True Friends Annandale, MN | Lakeshore Pathway | $10,000 |
| Wright County Community Action Maple Lake, MN | Energy Assistance Program | $10,000 |
| Park View Care Center Buffalo, MN | 3 Electric Recliners | $7,600 |
Ready to take the next step with Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $50,404 | $268,605 | $270,403 | $140,583 | 15 | $1,164 |
| 2023 | $52,202 | $256,717 | $290,617 | $161,699 | 17 | $769 |
| 2022 | $86,102 | $251,343 | $249,184 | $133,369 | 16 | $277 |
| 2021 | $83,943 | $243,860 | $235,888 | $121,199 | 15 | $134 |
| 2020 | $75,971 | $235,367 | $220,844 | $162,353 | 23 | $87 |
| 2019 | $61,448 | $229,220 | $212,227 | $107,898 | 16 | $149 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust’s stated purpose is to accumulate and disburse funds for charitable and educational purposes, primarily in areas served by Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association. Its filing describes support for community service, education and youth, the environment, and emergency energy assistance. The funding guidelines also identify disaster relief as a priority category.
The trust’s guidelines prioritize community service that supports quality of life, including public safety, health care, self-sufficiency, and basic human needs; education and youth programs, particularly those addressing social problems affecting children and teens at risk; emergency energy assistance; and disaster relief. The trust’s website lists local nonprofits, emergency services, schools, food shelves, community assistance programs, youth initiatives, and environmental projects among the kinds of organizations and activities it supports.
Examples from the 2024 filing illustrate the range of grantees. True Friends describes its mission as providing life-changing experiences that enhance independence and self-esteem for children and adults with disabilities. Senior Community Services says its mission is empowering people as they age. Wright County Community Action says it works with the community to improve residents’ physical, social, and economic well-being and alleviate poverty. Angel Foundation says it offers cancer patients and loved ones financial assistance, education, and emotional support.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the trust reported 15 grants totaling $140,583. Grants ranged from $6,000 to $16,983, with a median of $10,000. Notable awards included $16,983 to CROSS Food Shelf to replenish its food shelf and provide a refrigerator unit for a truck; $10,000 each to the Rotary Club of Buffalo Foundation for its Adopt-A-Family program, Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin for an energy assistance fuel fund, and Love INC Heartland for its Fresh Start program. Other $10,000 awards included support for crisis nursery needs, senior center programming, families in financial crisis, a pathway project, and an energy assistance program.
The trust’s application page provides an application for individuals or families and one for organizations or groups. Applicants are asked to explain the request and how funds will be used and benefit clients. Organizations that file Form 990 are asked to provide expense amounts from the filing. Applications require three references, and an organization’s president must sign or approve the application before submission. The trust says it monitors grant use through written summaries prepared by grantees describing how funds were used.
The trust also sponsors scholarships. The Local Schools Scholarship offers one $1,500 scholarship at each of 19 listed service-area high schools; applicants must attend a listed school and have a parent or guardian who is a Wright-Hennepin member. The At-Large Scholarship offers one $1,500 award for eligible students in the service area who do not attend one of those 19 schools; a parent or guardian must be a member. The Edward R. Slebiska Memorial Line Worker Scholarship offers up to three annual scholarships for eligible high school seniors or graduates living within 30 miles of Rockford and enrolled in a power line technical college; the award amount is not specified per scholarship.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ronald Zachman as chair, Brenda Moy as vice chair, Carol Halvorson as treasurer, and Sharon Glessing as secretary. Directors listed were Connie Erickson, Sharon Fowler, Cathrine Leuer, Maribeth Neary, Tami Odenthal, and Travis Theiss. The filing notes that Neary began in October and Odenthal’s service ended in June.
Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust is led by Ronald Zachman, Chair on every filing since 2019; all 10 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ronald Zachman
Chair
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$1K (2019) → $775 (2024)
Connie Erickson
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
$600 (2019) → $775 (2024)
Sharon Fowler
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
$400 (2019) → $775 (2024)
Tami Odenthal
Director
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
$500 (2019) → $310 (2024)
Travis Theiss
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
$400 (2019) → $775 (2024)
Cathrine Leuer
Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
$375 (2021) → $775 (2024)
Maribeth Neary
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
$310 (2024)
Brenda Moy
Vice Chair
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
$600 (2019) → $775 (2024)
Carol Halvorson
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
$300 (2019) → $620 (2024)
Sharon Glessing
Secretary
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
$600 (2019) → $775 (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: John Meister (2019–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 $775, to Ronald Zachman (Chair). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust
How much does Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust give each year?
Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust gave $141K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $162K across 17 grants.
What is Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust's typical grant size?
Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $9,372, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust that year got $10K on average.
Where does Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust give grants?
Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust gives mostly in Minnesota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, MN (2 grants).
Does Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust's largest grantees?
Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust's largest 2024 grantees include Cross Food Shelf ($16,983), Rotary Club of Buffalo Foundation ($10,000) and Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust?
Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust reported $50K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $269K.
What does Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust fund?
The trust’s stated purpose is to accumulate and disburse funds for charitable and educational purposes, primarily in areas served by Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust?
Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check whe.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust's EIN?
Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1801974. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 18, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 21, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wright-hennepin-electric-trust-morg_80c75a423dab41ea8a5f484fa69559de
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_411801974_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wright-hennepin-electric-trust-morg_80c75a423dab41ea8a5f484fa69559de},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Wright-Hennepin Electric Trust'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.
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