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Michael D Arneson and Susan H Arneson at a glance

· Private foundation

Michael D Arneson and Susan H Arneson

Its FY2021 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$4.7M
Granted FY2021
10
Grants FY2021
3
States reached
$4.7M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0197% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2021.

Philanthropy$4.7MEnvironment$47kEducation$40kHealth$17kRecreation & Sports$16kFood & Nutrition$14kInternational$10kArts & Culture$8kOther$0
02FY2021 · 10 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2021

  • Under $10k8 grants · $21k
  • $10k–50k1 grant · $10k
  • $250k+1 grant · $4.7M
$3,500
Median grant
3
States reached
$0
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
FIDELITY CHARITABLE - THE ARNESON FAMILY FUND$4,693,766
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION - SCHOOL OF BUSINESS$10,000
FRIENDS OF MCGILVRAY ROAD$7,500
GALLATIN RIVER TASK FORCE$5,000
BIG SKY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION$3,500
ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY$2,601
AGRACE HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE$1,000
BIG SKY CHAPEL ENDOWMENT FUND$1,000
FRIENDS OF THE REFUGE-MISS RIVER POOLS 7 & 8$600
BIG SKY SKI EDUCATION FOUNDATION$200
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 (FY20–20, $2k) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%WOMEN IN ACTION: $2k → 10%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

AK
MT
MN
IL
WI
NY
WY
OH
PA
CA
VA
DC
GA
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.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 100% of Michael D Arneson and Susan H Arneson’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address.

Michael D Arneson and Susan H Arnesonlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

1%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$53k · 6 repeat orgs$4.8M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +45% since the first grant, against +29% for those funded once.

6 repeat relationships: 6 still active in FY2021, 0 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2021 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

6
43

Total granted

$53k
$116k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+45%
+29%

Still filing today

83%
70%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2021, 0% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $4.7M went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21
RenewedFirst-time

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

’20’21
EnvironmentPhilanthropyFood & NutritionRecreation & SportsAnimalsArts & CultureOther
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

  • GR
    Gallatin River Task Force
    2× · 2020–2021 · $10k · revenue +118%
  • AC
    ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY
    2× · 2020–2021 · $5k · revenue +652%
  • BS
    BIG SKY CHAPEL INC
    2× · 2020–2021 · $2k · revenue +19%

Funded once

  • THE CONSERVATION FUND A NONPROFIT CORPORATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $10k · revenue +26%
  • DIRECT RELIEF
    one grant, 2020 · $10k · revenue +20%
  • MP
    Minneapolis Parks Foundationgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $9k · revenue +144%
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 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
2
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…

—
3
Minnesota Council on Foundations

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

—
4
Minnesota Environmental Partnership

The minnesota environmental partnership is a coalition that strengthens member effectiveness and builds collective power to secure a healthy environment for all minnesotans.

Environment
5
Montana Wildlife Federation

The montana wildlife federation is a statewide conservation organization dedicated to protecting wildlife, wildlife habitat, and public access for outdoor recreation.

Animals
6
Greater Yellowstone Coalition

Greater yellowstone coalition works with all people to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife of the greater yellowstone ecosystem, now and for future generations.

Environment
7
Minnesota Medical Association

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

—
8
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy

The minnesota center for environmental advocacy is a nonprofit organization that uses law, science and research to protect minnesota's environment, its natural resources and the health of its people.

Environment
9
Eastern National

Eastern national promotes the public's understanding and support of america's national parks and other public trust partners by providing quality educational experiences, products and services.

Recreation & Sports
10
Native Plant Trust Inc

The organization's mission is to conserve and promote new england's native plants to ensure healthy, biologically diverse landscapes.

Environment
11
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…

—
12
Midwest Dairy Association

Midwest dairy works with others to give consumers an excellent dairy experience increasing sales, fostering innovation, and inspiring consumer confidence of dairy products and practices.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Meals On Wheels America; the most unlike its peers is National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

36 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. 36 of the 53 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)
10
Early backer (in before they grew)
36/36
Grantees still filing
28/36
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

FIDELITY CHARITABLE - THE ARNESON FAMILY FUND: $4,693,766 · OtherFIDELITY CHARITABLE - THE ARNESON FAMILY FUND+29 more: $85,425 · OtherTHE CONSERVATION FUND A NONPROFIT CORPORATION: $10,000 · EnvironmentGallatin River Task Force: $10,000 · EnvironmentBIG SKY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION: $4,500 · EnvironmentFRIENDS OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS WILDERNESS: $3,035 · EnvironmentCONSERVATION MINNESOTA: $2,673 · EnvironmentTHE MONTANA LAND RELIANCE: $2,543 · EnvironmentYELLOWSTONE FOREVER: $2,542 · EnvironmentNATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION: $2,500 · EnvironmentENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND INCORPORATED: $2,058 · EnvironmentNATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC: $2,000 · EnvironmentMN350: $1,924 · Environment+1 more: $535 · EnvironmentFeeding America: $5,000 · Food & NutritionSECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND: $4,638 · Food & NutritionMEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA: $2,500 · Food & NutritionEagle Mount: $7,012 · PhilanthropyGREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY: $2,604 · PhilanthropyFRIENDS OF BIG SKY EDUCATION: $1,000 · PhilanthropyDIRECT RELIEF: $10,000 · InternationalMinneapolis Parks Foundation: $8,500 · Recreation & SportsTHE LOPPET FOUNDATION INC: $535 · Recreation & SportsNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION INC: $2,500 · Arts & CultureSCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA: $2,500 · Arts & Culture
Other$4,779,191Environment$44,310Food & Nutrition$12,138Philanthropy$10,616International$10,000Recreation & Sports$9,035Arts & Culture$5,000

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

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetTHE CONSERVATION FUND A NONPROFIT CORPORATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetDIRECT RELIEF: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGallatin River Task Force: $10,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetMinneapolis Parks Foundation: $8,500 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetEagle Mount: $7,012 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY: $5,176 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetFeeding America: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND: $4,638 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBIG SKY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION: $4,500 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS WILDERNESS: $3,035 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCONSERVATION MINNESOTA: $2,673 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetMINNESOTA ZOO FOUNDATION: $2,605 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY: $2,604 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE MONTANA LAND RELIANCE: $2,543 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetYELLOWSTONE FOREVER: $2,542 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT FOUNDATION INC: $2,500 over 1y, 1.7% of budgetMEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY: $2,098 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND INCORPORATED: $2,058 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBIG SKY CHAPEL INC: $2,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetAgrace HospiceCare Inc: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWELLNESS IN ACTION: $2,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetMN350: $1,924 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetGLEASON LAKE ELEMENTARY PTO INC: $1,500 over 1y, 4.0% of budgetFRIENDS OF BIG SKY EDUCATION: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetRonald McDonald House Charities - Upper Midwest: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetADOPT-A-CLASSROOM INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGREEN CITIES ACCORD: $535 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE LOPPET FOUNDATION INC: $535 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAnimal Humane Society: $513 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBIG SKY SKI EDUCATION FOUNDATION: $200 over 1y, 0.0% 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.

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…Mightycause Charitabl…Spanish Peaks Communi…Moonlight Community F…The Carter Family Fou…Yellowstone Club Comm…One Valley Community …Prometheus Charitable…Longview FoundationThe K FoundationSaint Paul & Minnesot…Xcel Energy Foundation
The Minneapolis FoundationMN21.3× affinity9 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Minneapolis Foundation · Mightycause Charitable Foundation · Spanish Peaks Community Foundation · Moonlight Community Foundation · The Carter Family Foundation · Yellowstone Club Community Foundation · One Valley Community Foundation · Prometheus Charitable Trust · Longview Foundation · The K Foundation · Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation · Xcel Energy 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 Michael D Arneson and Susan H Arneson funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Michael D Arneson and Susan H Arneson. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    10report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    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 53 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 2021, released 2021. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Michael D Arneson and Susan H Arneson’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