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Ken and Betty Dahlberg Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Ken and Betty Dahlberg Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$152k
Granted FY2025still arriving
7
Grants FY2025still arriving
3
States reached
$25k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2018 to 2025.

Human Services$254kEducation$203kArts & Culture$143kEnvironment$102kPhilanthropy$96kReligion$78kHealth$32kCivil Rights$10kOther$0
02FY2025 · 7 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k1 grant · $2k
  • $10k–50k6 grants · $150k
$25,000
Median grant
3
States reached
$2.1M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
WASHBURN CHILD GUIDANCE CENTER$25,000
MINNESOTA STATE FAIR FOUNDATION$25,000
MUSEUM OF FLIGHT$25,000
UNIVERSITY OF ST THOMAS$25,000
MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM FOUNDATION$25,000
MAYO FOUNDATION$25,000
UND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION & FOUNDATION$1,500
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY18–19, $11k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%GREATER MINNEAPOLIS CRISIS NURSERY: $5k → 11%GREATER MINNEAPOLIS CRISIS NURSERY: $5k → 11%FOOTHILLS CARING CORPS: $1k → 11%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

WA
ND
MN
WI
CA
VA
AZ
MS
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

90%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$832k · 35 repeat orgs$94k to everyone else

35 repeat relationships: 5 still active in FY2025, 30 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

35
8

Total granted

$832k
$68k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+37%
+113%

Still filing today

46%
50%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 83% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $27k went to new ones.

50%100%’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureEducationEnvironmentHuman ServicesPhilanthropyYouth DevelopmentOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • UO
    University of St Thomas
    8× · 2018–2025 · $101k · revenue +47%
  • MS
    MINNESOTA STATE FAIR FOUNDATION
    8× · 2018–2025 · $96k · revenue +253%
  • MO
    MUSEUM OF FLIGHT FOUNDATION
    7× · 2018–2025 · $74k · revenue +216%

Funded once

  • WO
    WINGS OF THE NORTH
    one grant, 2020 · $30k · revenue -26%
  • MC
    MEETINGHOUSE CHURCH
    one grant, 2023 · $20k
  • ME
    MIRACLE EAR CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2019 · $5k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Minnesota Medical Association

To be the leading voice of medicine to make minnesota the healthiest state and the best place to practice.

—
2
Minnesota Council on Foundations

MCF is a vibrant philanthropic community connecting, strengthening and mobilizing the power of philanthropy to advance prosperity and equity.

—
3
University of Minnesota Foundation Investment Advisors

To provide the highest level of stewardship for university donors through professional management and oversight of the university of minnesota foundation's assets by creating a focused investment environment with clarity of purpose,…

Education
4
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The minnesota chamber of commerce proactively leads the business community statewide to: advance pro-business, responsible minnesota public policy that creates jobs and grows the econony; provde member services to address evolving business…

—
5
Minnesota Land Trust

The minnesota land trust protects and restores minnesota's most vital natural lands in order to provide wildlife habitat, clean water, outdoor experiences and scenic beauty for generations to come.

Environment
6
Minnesota Grocers Association

The minnesota grocers association advances the common interest of those engaged in all aspects of the food industry of mn as a leadership resource. the mga encourages and sponsors educational seminars, conventions and fosters the exchange…

—
7
United States Naval Institute

Provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.

—
8
Minnesota State University Student Association Inc

Led by minnesota state university students, we are the inclusive voice for all future, current, and former students. we actively work to represent and support minnesota state university students and advocate at a campus, state, and federal…

Education
9
Minnesota Business Partnership

The minnesota business partnership's mission is to maintain a high quality of life for all minnesotans by ensuring that the state's economy remains strong, globally competitive and its prospects for growth bright by working with elected…

—
10
Minnesota Hospital Association

Advance the health of individuals and communities through leadership, advocacy and collaboration on behalf of minnesota hospitals and health systems. vision: minnesotans are healthy and have access to the right care at the right time in…

Community Improvement
11
Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States Inc

The fsmb serves as the voice for state medical boards, supporting them through education, assessment, research and advocacy while providing services and initiatives that promote patient safety, quality health care and regulatory best…

Health
12
Arts Midwest Incorporated

Arts Midwest works collaboratively with private and public arts supporters to support, inform, and celebrate arts organizations and creative communities across the Midwest. Our mission is to build unprecedented opportunity across the…

Arts & Culture
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Minnesota State Fair Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Twin Cities Public Television Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

24 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 24 of the 46 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
5
Early backer (in before they grew)
23/24
Grantees still filing
19/24
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

SALVATION ARMY: $133,000 · OtherSALVATION ARMYWASHBURN CHILD GUIDANCE CENTER: $78,000 · OtherWASHBURN CHILD GUIDANCE CENTERMINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM: $72,603 · OtherMINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUMMAYO FOUNDATION: $70,000 · OtherMAYO FOUNDATIONCOLONIAL CHURCH: $58,000 · OtherCOLONIAL CHURCHCOURAGE KENNY FOUNDATION: $31,504 · OtherCOURAGE KENNY FOUNDATIONMEETINGHOUSE CHURCH: $20,000 · Other+17 more: $60,500 · Other+17 moreMUSEUM OF FLIGHT FOUNDATION: $74,000 · Arts & CultureMUSEUM OF FLIGHT…WINGS OF THE NORTH: $30,000 · Arts & CultureWINGS OF THE NOR…MINNESOTA ORCHESTRAL ASSOCIATION: $20,000 · Arts & CultureMINNESOTA ORCHES…MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $6,000 · Arts & Culture+4 more: $4,900 · Arts & CultureUniversity of St Thomas: $101,403 · EducationUniversity of S…DESERT FOOTHILLS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION: $15,000 · EducationDESERT FOOTHILL…SUMMIT ACADEMY OIC: $8,000 · EducationSUMMIT ACADEMY …+1 more: $1,500 · EducationMINNESOTA STATE FAIR FOUNDATION: $95,504 · PhilanthropyMINNESOTA S…MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM FOUNDATION: $25,000 · EnvironmentDESERT FOOTHILLS LAND TRUST: $2,500 · EnvironmentDESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN INC: $1,000 · Environment+1 more: $750 · EnvironmentGREATER MINNEAPOLIS CRISIS NURSERY: $10,000 · Human ServicesFoothills Caring Corps Inc: $1,000 · Human ServicesBARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH: $3,500 · Public BenefitLeadership Institute: $2,000 · Public BenefitCenter of the American Experiment: $2,000 · Youth Development
Other$523,607Arts & Culture$134,900Education$125,903Philanthropy$95,504Environment$29,250Human Services$11,000Public Benefit$5,500Youth Development$2,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetUniversity of St Thomas: $101,403 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetMINNESOTA STATE FAIR FOUNDATION: $95,504 over 8y, 0.8% of budgetMUSEUM OF FLIGHT FOUNDATION: $74,000 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetCOURAGE KENNY FOUNDATION: $31,504 over 3y, 1.6% of budgetWINGS OF THE NORTH: $30,000 over 1y, 5.1% of budgetMINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM FOUNDATION: $25,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMINNESOTA ORCHESTRAL ASSOCIATION: $20,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetDESERT FOOTHILLS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION: $15,000 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetGREATER MINNEAPOLIS CRISIS NURSERY: $10,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetMINNESOTANS' MILITARY APPRECIATION FUND: $8,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetSUMMIT ACADEMY OIC: $8,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetMINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $6,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetBARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH: $3,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetDESERT FOOTHILLS LAND TRUST: $2,500 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetLeadership Institute: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCenter of the American Experiment: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE HEARD MUSEUM: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE AMERICAN SWEDISH INSTITUTE: $1,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetDESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN INC: $1,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetFoothills Caring Corps Inc: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION INC: $900 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetLake Minnetonka Association: $750 over 2y, 0.2% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds University of St Thomas ↗
  • Who funds MINNESOTA STATE FAIR FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds MUSEUM OF FLIGHT FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds COURAGE KENNY FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds WINGS OF THE NORTH ↗
  • Who funds MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds MINNESOTA ORCHESTRAL ASSOCIATION ↗
  • Who funds DESERT FOOTHILLS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ↗
  • Who funds GREATER MINNEAPOLIS CRISIS NURSERY ↗
  • Who funds MINNESOTANS' MILITARY APPRECIATION FUND ↗
  • Who funds SUMMIT ACADEMY OIC ↗
  • Who funds MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY ↗
  • Who funds BARRY GOLDWATER INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH ↗
  • Who funds DESERT FOOTHILLS LAND TRUST ↗
  • Who funds Leadership Institute ↗
  • Who funds Center of the American Experiment ↗
  • Who funds THE HEARD MUSEUM ↗
  • Who funds UND Alumni Association and Foundation ↗
  • Who funds MINNESOTA AVIATION HALL OF FAME ↗
  • Who funds THE AMERICAN SWEDISH INSTITUTE ↗
  • Who funds DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN INC ↗
  • Who funds Foothills Caring Corps Inc ↗
  • Who funds TWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION INC ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The Minneapolis Found…Xcel Energy FoundationSaint Paul & Minnesot…Mightycause Charitabl…Thrivent Charitable I…The Head Family Found…Minnesota Historical …American Express Foun…Ibm International Fou…The Blackbaud Giving …National Philanthropi…American Endowment Fo…
The Minneapolis FoundationMN25.8× affinity11 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Minneapolis Foundation · Xcel Energy Foundation · Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation · Mightycause Charitable Foundation · Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing · The Head Family Foundation · Minnesota Historical Society · American Express Foundation · Ibm International Foundation · The Blackbaud Giving Fund · National Philanthropic Trust · American Endowment Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Ken and Betty Dahlberg Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Ken and Betty Dahlberg Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%8%15%22%30%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    6report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–30%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 46 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Ken and Betty Dahlberg’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home