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Minnesota · Private foundation

Summer Fund

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.

$378k
Granted FY2025(still arriving)
47
Grants FY2025
38
Organizations funded FY2024
29%
First-time grantees FY2024
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2025
$2,500
Largest grant, FY2025
$26,000
Organizations funded a year
16 to 47
FY2019 to FY2024
States reached, FY2025
8
Total assets, FY2025
$1.2M
Applications
Preselected organizations only
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2024, 29% of the organizations Summer Fund funded were first-time grantees, receiving 44% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 56% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $154k went to new ones.

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

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

’20’21’22’23’24
EducationAnimalsEnvironmentFood & NutritionArts & CultureHuman ServicesOther
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.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2025still arriving45$353k36%
FY202438$348k29%
FY202339$338k56%
FY202216$131k0%
FY202121$306k19%
FY202035$260k31%
FY201947$228kn/a
99% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2019 to 2024.

Education$595kReligion$479kPhilanthropy$240kHealth$152kEnvironment$63kArts & Culture$60kFood & Nutrition$59kHuman Services$51kOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

MT
MN
IL
WI
NY
OR
SD
OH
CT
VA
DC
HI
FL

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2019 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
University of St Thomas$280,00030%
St Mary of the Lake Catholic Church$120,0003n/a
The White Bear Lake Area Catholics$118,5004n/a
American Diabetes Association$65,00030%
University of Minnesota Foundation$60,00030%
Channel One Inc$60,00030%
Camping and Education Foundation$50,00020%
Community of Saints Regional Catholic School$50,0001n/a
Ain Dah Yung (Our Home) Center$45,00030%
Minnesota Historical Society$37,50050%
Show all 76 grantees
All grantees of Summer Fund by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
University of St Thomas$280,00030%
St Mary of the Lake Catholic Church$120,0003n/a
The White Bear Lake Area Catholics$118,5004n/a
American Diabetes Association$65,00030%
University of Minnesota Foundation$60,00030%
Channel One Inc$60,00030%
Camping and Education Foundation$50,00020%
Community of Saints Regional Catholic School$50,0001n/a
Ain Dah Yung (Our Home) Center$45,00030%
Minnesota Historical Society$37,50050%
Union Gospel Mission Inc$27,00023%
Landmark Conservancy Inc$25,00011%
Family Values for Life$21,50013%
Keystone Community Services$21,5001n/a
Soup for You$20,0001n/a
Womens Environmental Institute at Amador Hill$20,00023%
Citizens League$20,00021%
Catlin Gabel School$15,00020%
Friends of East Africa Foundation$13,25032%
Trap Free Montana Inc$13,00033%
Stone Soup Cafe Inc$10,0001n/a
Hunger Solutions Minnesota$8,50050%
World Central Kitchen Inc$8,00030%
Friends School of Minnesota$7,50030%
Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (Cscoe)$7,50020%
Smile Train Inc$6,75070%
Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness$6,00030%
The Legal Revolution$5,00020%
Damascus Inc$5,00010%
States Newsroom$5,00020%
MinnPost$5,00020%
Majority in the Middle$5,0001n/a
Montana Wilderness Association$5,00070%
Food Rescue US Inc$5,00020%
Washburn Meditation Center Inc$5,0001n/a
Dream of Wild Health$4,00020%
The Church of Saint Peter Claver of Saint Paul Minnesota$4,0001n/a
Minnesotans' Military Appreciation Fund$3,50010%
Urban Boatbuilders Inc$3,50020%
Montana Environmental Information Center$3,50070%
The Saint Paul Parks Conservancy$3,50022%
Greater Yellowstone Coalition$3,25060%
Hmong American Farmers Association$3,00020%
Counterpoint Inc$3,00060%
Como Friends$3,00020%
Friends of the Library$3,00071%
Stafford Animal Shelter$3,00050%
Yellowstone Valley Audubon Society$3,0005n/a
Artreach St Croix$2,75040%
Amherst H Wilder Foundation$2,50010%
National Wolfwatcher Coalition$2,5001n/a
Humane World for Animals Inc$2,50010%
East Side Neighborhood Services Inc$2,50010%
Ashwabay Outdoor Educational Foundation Inc$2,500117%
Cathedral Heritage Foundation$2,50011%
Montessori Training Center of Minnesota Inc$2,25020%
Minnesota Land Trust$2,00020%
Hill Museum & Manuscript Library$2,0001n/a
Salvation Army$2,0001n/a
St Paul Urban Tennis Program$1,50020%
East Side Arts Council$1,50020%
Voyageur Outward Bound School$1,50010%
White Bear Area Food Shelf$1,25010%
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts$1,20010%
Siberian Carmelite Fund$1,0001n/a
Yellowstone to Yukon$1,00020%
Women's Advocates Inc$1,00020%
Public Art Saint Paul$75010%
Catholic Church Extension Society of US of Amer$6751n/a
United in Light Inc$5001n/a
North Star Scouting Memorabilia Inc$50010%
Serving Our Troops$5001n/a
The Charlemagne Institute$50010%
Dogs for the Deaf Inc Dba Dogs for Better Lives$25010%
Animal Humane Society$15010%
International Wolf Center$10010%

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 35 recipients with no EIN on record ($703k), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

Each grantee by its size and the share of its budget Summer Fund supplied at peak.

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetUniversity of St Thomas: $280,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Diabetes Association: $65,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetUniversity of Minnesota Foundation: $60,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetChannel One Inc: $60,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetCamping and Education Foundation: $50,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetAin Dah Yung (Our Home) Center: $45,000 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetMinnesota Historical Society: $37,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetUnion Gospel Mission Inc: $27,000 over 2y, 2.7% of budgetLandmark Conservancy Inc: $25,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetFamily Values for Life: $21,500 over 1y, 3.1% of budgetWomens Environmental Institute at Amador Hill: $20,000 over 2y, 2.8% of budgetCitizens League: $20,000 over 2y, 1.3% of budgetCatlin Gabel School: $15,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetFriends of East Africa Foundation: $13,250 over 3y, 2.0% of budgetTrap Free Montana Inc: $13,000 over 3y, 3.5% of budgetHunger Solutions Minnesota: $8,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetWorld Central Kitchen Inc: $8,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetFriends School of Minnesota: $7,500 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetCatholic Schools Center of Excellence (Cscoe): $7,500 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetSmile Train Inc: $6,750 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetNortheastern Minnesotans for Wilderness: $6,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetThe Legal Revolution: $5,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetDamascus Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetStates Newsroom: $5,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetMinnPost: $5,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetMontana Wilderness Association: $5,000 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetFood Rescue US Inc: $5,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetDream of Wild Health: $4,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetMinnesotans' Military Appreciation Fund: $3,500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetUrban Boatbuilders Inc: $3,500 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetMontana Environmental Information Center: $3,500 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetThe Saint Paul Parks Conservancy: $3,500 over 2y, 1.6% of budgetGreater Yellowstone Coalition: $3,250 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetHmong American Farmers Association: $3,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetCounterpoint Inc: $3,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetComo Friends: $3,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetFriends of the Library: $3,000 over 7y, 1.1% of budgetStafford Animal Shelter: $3,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetArtreach St Croix: $2,750 over 4y, 0.4% of budgetAmherst H Wilder Foundation: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHumane World for Animals Inc: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetEast Side Neighborhood Services Inc: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAshwabay Outdoor Educational Foundation Inc: $2,500 over 1y, 17% of budgetCathedral Heritage Foundation: $2,500 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetMontessori Training Center of Minnesota Inc: $2,250 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetMinnesota Land Trust: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSt Paul Urban Tennis Program: $1,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetEast Side Arts Council: $1,500 over 2y, 0.5% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 59.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

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 & Minnesota FoundationMN49.8× affinity28 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation · The McNeely Foundation · The Minneapolis Foundation · Fr Bigelow Foundation · Otto Bremer Trust · Hardenbergh Foundation · Xcel Energy Foundation · Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota · Mightycause Charitable Foundation · The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation · The Jamf Nation Global Foundation · Ch Robinson Worldwide 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.

Compare Summer Fund with peer funders

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to Summer Fund?

Find your warmest path to Summer Fund through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

About Summer Fund

How much does Summer Fund give?
Summer Fund reported 47 grants totaling $378,270 in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 16 and 47 organizations a year over FY2019 to FY2024.
What does Summer Fund fund?
By grant dollars over FY2019 to FY2025, its largest causes are Education (32%), Religion (26%), Philanthropy (13%).
Who are Summer Fund's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2019 to FY2025: University of St Thomas ($280k), St Mary of the Lake Catholic Church ($120k), The White Bear Lake Area Catholics ($119k).
Does Summer Fund fund new organizations?
In FY2024, 29% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does Summer Fund accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and does not take unsolicited requests. Check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.
Which funders back the same organizations as Summer Fund?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, The McNeely Foundation, The Minneapolis Foundation.
Where is Summer Fund based?
Summer Fund is based in MN.

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 115 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

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