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Minnesota Justice Foundation at a glanceMostly funded, not a grantmaker: see who funds it →

· Public charity

Minnesota Justice Foundation

The MINNESOTA JUSTICE FOUNDATION creates opportunities for law students to engage in public interest and pro bono legal service and increases the capacity of legal organizations that serve the public interest.

$98k
Granted FY2025still arriving
11
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$13k
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, FY2017 to 2025.

Crime & Legal$608kEnvironment$36kHuman Services$19kHealth$18kCivil Rights$16k
02FY2025 · 11 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 11 grants below total $85,200, the rows itemized in this filing. The $97,584 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $12,384 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k9 grants · $59k
  • $10k–50k2 grants · $27k
$6,400
Median grant
1
States reached
$687k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
MID-MINNESOTA LEGAL AID$13,300
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA REGIONAL LEGAL$13,300
LEGAL SERVICES OF NORTHWEST$6,900
ANISHINABE LEGAL SERVICES$6,900
IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTA$6,400
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF$6,400
CHILDREN'S LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTA$6,400
LEGAL RIGHTS CENTER INC$6,400
LEGAL ASSISTANCE OF DAKOTA COUNTY$6,400
MINNESOTA LAND TRUST$6,400
CENTRAL MINNESOTA LEGAL SERVICES$6,400
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 (FY23–25, $19k) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 7%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 7%INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF: $12k → 14%INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF: $6k → 14%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.
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.

94%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$657k · 19 repeat orgs$40k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +59% since the first grant, against +45% for those funded once.

19 repeat relationships: 10 still active in FY2025, 9 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

19
6

Total granted

$657k
$34k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+59%
+45%

Still filing today

74%
83%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 92% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $6k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Crime & LegalEnvironmentCivil RightsHuman ServicesHealthOther
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

  • SM
    SOUTHERN MN REGIONAL LEGAL SERVICES INC
    8× · 2017–2025 · $149k · revenue +104%
  • ML
    MID-MINNESOTA LEGAL ASSISTANCE
    8× · 2017–2025 · $133k · revenue +71%
  • IL
    IMMIGRANT LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTA INC
    7× · 2019–2025 · $49k · revenue +190%

Funded once

  • CU
    CLEAN UP THE RIVER ENVIRONMENT
    one grant, 2024 · $6k · revenue 0%
  • T
    TUBMANgraduated
    one grant, 2022 · $6k · revenue +38%
  • CO
    COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS MINNESOTAgraduated
    one grant, 2021 · $6k · revenue +63%
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
Legal Aid of Manasota Inc

Legal aid of manasota provides legal services at no or low cost to those in need by partnering with local lawyers.

Crime & Legal
2
Volunteer Lawyers Network Ltd

Volunteer lawyers network protects and promotes the basic human needs of people in poverty through the power of legal volunteers.

—
3
Legal Services of Northern Michigan

To be a public law firm that knows, as well as understands, the problems of even the poorest in our communities and addresses these problems through education, and with creative legal advocacy of the highest distinction. LSNM will be seen…

Crime & Legal
4
Dakota Plains Legal Services

To promote equal access to justice and improve the lives of low-income clients through quality legal assistance

—
5
Lakeshore Legal Aid

Standing with our neighbors, Lakeshore Legal Aid fights poverty and injustice through advocacy and by providing meaningful and dignified access to the legal system.

Crime & Legal
6
Volunteer Attorney Program

To provide pro bono civil legal services to income eligible individuals in northeastern minnesota.

—
7
Legal Services of North Dakota

Our team compassionately and respectfully addresses the legal needs of vulnerable populations to provide timely access to justice empowering our community with education and knowledge.

—
8
Linn County Advocate Inc

Linn County Advocate, Inc., provides quality legal representation for indigent clients in criminal and juvenile cases at the state court level in Linn, Johnson, Benton, and Jones Counties in the state of Iowa.

—
9
Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association Legal Defense Fund

Legal representation on behalf of participants in any civil or criminal action brought against him or her arising from any act or omission of the participant within the scope of his or her employment. legal representation in any minnesota…

—
10
Legal Assistance Center

A legal self help center, the legal assistance center works to educate, empower, and equip the people of our community to face and resolve legal challenges, to assure access to justice, and to thereby enhance individual, family, and…

Crime & Legal
11
Minnesota Women Lawyers

To advance the success of women attorneys and strive for a just society.

—
12
Our Justice

To ensure that all people and communities have the power and resources to make sexual and reproductive health decisions with self-determination.

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance; the most unlike its peers is Tubman. 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

21 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. 21 of the 26 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)
20/21
Grantees still filing
18/21
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

MID-MINNESOTA LEGAL ASSISTANCE: $132,700 · OtherMID-MINNESOTA LEGAL ASSISTANCEIMMIGRANT LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTA INC: $49,000 · OtherIMMIGRANT LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTA INCANISHINABE LEGAL SERVICES: $36,700 · OtherANISHINABE LEGAL SERVICESCENTRAL MINNESOTA LEGAL SERVICES: $36,200 · OtherCENTRAL MINNESOTA LEGAL SERVICESLEGAL SERVICES OF NORTHWEST MINNESOTA: $24,200 · OtherLEGAL SERVICES OF NORTHWEST MINNESOTAMINNESOTA ZOO: $21,900 · OtherMINNESOTA ZOONEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTER INC: $18,500 · OtherLEECH LAKE BAND OF OJIBWE: $13,000 · OtherJUSTICE NORTH: $12,500 · Other+3 more: $28,900 · Other+3 moreSOUTHERN MN REGIONAL LEGAL SERVICES INC: $149,050 · Crime & LegalSOUTHERN MN REGIONAL LEGAL SERVICES INCLEGAL ASSISTANCE OF DAKOTA COUNTY LTD: $24,650 · Crime & LegalLEGAL ASSISTANCE OF DAKOTA COUNTY LTDCHILDREN'S LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTA: $23,950 · Crime & LegalCHILDREN'S LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTALEGAL RIGHTS CENTER: $19,400 · Crime & LegalLEGAL RIGHTS CENTERLEGAL AID SERVICE OF NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA: $17,300 · Crime & LegalLEGAL AID SERVICE OF NORTHEASTERN MINNES…BATTERED WOMEN'S LEGAL ADVOCACY PROJECT: $11,300 · Crime & Legal+1 more: $5,300 · Crime & LegalMINNESOTA CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY: $23,550 · EnvironmentMINNESOTA LAND TRUST: $6,400 · EnvironmentCLEAN UP THE RIVER ENVIRONMENT: $6,250 · EnvironmentINTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MINNESOTA: $18,650 · Human ServicesCOUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS MINNESOTA: $6,000 · Civil RightsAMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $5,300 · Civil RightsTUBMAN: $6,000 · Health
Other$373,600Crime & Legal$250,950Environment$36,200Human Services$18,650Civil Rights$11,300Health$6,000

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

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetSOUTHERN MN REGIONAL LEGAL SERVICES INC: $149,050 over 8y, 0.3% of budgetMID-MINNESOTA LEGAL ASSISTANCE: $132,700 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetIMMIGRANT LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTA INC: $49,000 over 7y, 0.4% of budgetANISHINABE LEGAL SERVICES: $36,700 over 6y, 0.5% of budgetCENTRAL MINNESOTA LEGAL SERVICES: $36,200 over 6y, 0.7% of budgetLEGAL ASSISTANCE OF DAKOTA COUNTY LTD: $24,650 over 4y, 2.1% of budgetLEGAL SERVICES OF NORTHWEST MINNESOTA: $24,200 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetCHILDREN'S LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTA: $23,950 over 4y, 0.6% of budgetMINNESOTA CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY: $23,550 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetLEGAL RIGHTS CENTER: $19,400 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetINTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MINNESOTA: $18,650 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetNEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTER INC: $18,500 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetLEGAL AID SERVICE OF NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA: $17,300 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetBATTERED WOMEN'S LEGAL ADVOCACY PROJECT: $11,300 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetMINNESOTA LAND TRUST: $6,400 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCLEAN UP THE RIVER ENVIRONMENT: $6,250 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTUBMAN: $6,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCOUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS MINNESOTA: $6,000 over 1y, 1.3% of budgetLEGAL ASSISTANCE OF OLMSTED COUNTY: $5,300 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetAMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $5,300 over 1y, 0.4% 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.

Saint Paul & Minnesot…Otto Bremer TrustThe Minneapolis Found…Minnesota State Bar F…Fredrikson & Byron Fo…Mightycause Charitabl…The McKnight Foundati…Robins Kaplan Foundat…Fr Bigelow FoundationPohlad Family Foundat…Equal Justice WorksMargaret a Cargill Fo…
Saint Paul & Minnesota FoundationMN36.5× affinity17 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation · Otto Bremer Trust · The Minneapolis Foundation · Minnesota State Bar Foundation · Fredrikson & Byron Foundation · Mightycause Charitable Foundation · The McKnight Foundation · Robins Kaplan Foundation · Fr Bigelow Foundation · Pohlad Family Foundation · Equal Justice Works · Margaret a Cargill 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 Minnesota Justice Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Minnesota Justice Foundation. 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%19%38%56%75%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    11report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–75%
    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 26 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 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

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    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